Seating Lead In 1851 Navy

[Bad Karma]

It's been authenticated by two different "experts", one was from Rock Island Armory. BTW 2nd Generation Colts are genuine Colts but this Serial Number according to Blue Book Pocket Guide For Colts IS First Generation

Colt reused serial numbers regularly. Not often used on the same model but it did happen.

 

[Sorry Dude]

I'm using Hornaday .375 36 cal lead balls in an 1851 Navy. I loaded with 20 grains and and a wonder wad. I used a loading stand (1st time) All of the balls fell out. Any suggestions? The cylinder chambers still have the powder and wads. Should I try larger balls?

I removed a nipple from my cylinder and loaded a conical bullet only in that chamber, I then pushed it back out from the nipple hole with a wooden dowel rod. Then I measured the diameter of the bullet with calipers and had my chamber dimension. Easy peasy. .380 anything should work for you though and that is a beautiful revolver.

 

[maillemaker]

Why?
I think that if I owned it I'd shoot it, it was designed and made to be shot. I might not shoot full chambers with it though.

I have one original gun, and I have no problem shooting it (Smith Carbine).

But if I had an original gun (from the 1800s) that looked like OP's revolver, I would not. Such a firearm would be worth a fortune in such immaculate condition it would be foolish to shoot it, in my opinion.

 

[nick_1]

apparently sold to him boxed and unfired supposedly made in 1852. that's a six figure gun and to then think its ok to re blue something like that.......

 

[maillemaker]

apparently sold to him boxed and unfired supposedly made in 1852. that's a six figure gun and to then think its ok to re blue something like that.......

I don't think it has been reblued. I think it is a second generation Colt.

 

[nick_1]

I agree with you that its a second generation colt. The OP told us that he re blued parts of the pistol. That would be horrific to do to an 1850s firearm. doing that to an unfired cased 1852 revolver would be financial and historical suicide.

 

[maillemaker]

I agree with you that its a second generation colt. The OP told us that he re blued parts of the pistol. That would be horrific to do to an 1850s firearm. doing that to an unfired cased 1852 revolver would be financial and historical suicide.

I missed where he said:

It was rusty when I bought it. I boiled it in soapy water and applied Plumb Brown and Oxy Cold Blue

OP hasn't provided many pictures of the entire gun. But from what I can see, the finish is absolutely glossy - mint-like. Hard to believe this unfired gun was rusty and had any kind of refinish done to it. Maybe it was just touching up a couple of bare spots or something?

 

[Malamute]

Even if the gun has been refinished, the stampings, like the name scroll on the top of the barrel, are still super crisp and deep, which would not be so if the gun had been re-polished.

Not entirely relevant to the discussion at this point, but markings and edges are distorted when buffed with a wheel, when hand polished on a flat surface they can stay fine and un-dished and clean if carefully and not too aggressively done.

I hand polish on a piece of glass with various grades of wet-or-dry paper to 600 or so. 600 gives a near mirror polish.

I came into a project 1911 that had been rusted and pitted, someone did an excellent job hand polishing it, all the edges and markings were crisp and clean, with a few very small pits still in evidence. It was an unfinished project, I was able to get into it reasonably and complete it, so have a very clean shooter grade gun made in 1914, and had apparently never been updated to A1 configuration.