To shoot or not to shoot

[nightwolf1974]

If you're not going to shoot it, just get a really good picture of it. I've never seen the sense of buying "SAFE QUEENS" and never shooting them.
I'd like to have an original Walker if I ever won the lottery, BUT I'd want one I could shoot...which we all know would probably be a mistake (unless you adapted some modern parts to it) . I've bought guns considered "collector's guns" before in the past, but they all got fired!

 

[azmntman]

As told before I once bought a chief crazy horse commemorative winchester 30-30 from my old boss for like $100.00. Unfired NIB. I thought a great deal! He had first option to buy back for same price. THAT WAS A SHOOTER! He seemed to be having a stroke when he bought it back and I advised it shot just a tad left at 50 yds!

Nope, no safe queens here. If I won the lottery and bought ol Tick Licker it would be promptly shot (and cleaned).

Glad to hear ya decided to fire the pistol, VERY nice looking

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

My 1849 Pocket is still new in the box. It’s a Signature Series. I’ve had it several years now. It is a beautiful revolver. If memory serves me... that does not have the signature on the back strap.
i think there were only two, maybe, revolvers produced in the Sig. Series, that did not have the signature in the back strap. One is the Paterson, the other might be the 1849 Pocket. Mine is put away, so I don’t remember.

 

[Brokenbear]

My 1849 Pocket is still new in the box. It’s a Signature Series. I’ve had it several years now. It is a beautiful revolver. If memory serves me... that does not have the signature on the back strap.
i think there were only two, maybe, revolvers produced in the Sig. Series, that did not have the signature in the back strap. One is the Paterson, the other might be the 1849 Pocket. Mine is put away, so I don’t remember.

D2
This one was also put away unfired however ....The as shipped from factory lubricants were for all tense and purpose GONE and on the edge of the metal turning UGLY and quickly ...

I am sure you likely pulled yours down and properly prepped it for long term storage or have it on a "maintenance" schedule ..just a heads up in case the lack of protection was factory and not it's prior owner's doing

Bear

 

[OldRust]

D2
This one was also put away unfired however ....The as shipped from factory lubricants were for all tense and purpose GONE and on the edge of the metal turning UGLY and quickly ...

I am sure you likely pulled yours down and properly prepped it for long term storage or have it on a "maintenance" schedule ..just a heads up in case the lack of protection was factory and not it's prior owner's doing

Bear

Brownbear,

That's the right choice! It's your choice so how can it be wrong. Plus the difference between a collector and a shooter can be as simple as a grandson having interest and wanting to shoot it. At least it is for me.

Those 3rd gens were packed with a treated brown rust inhibiter paper over them. Some folks threw the paper away and no doubt the rust inhibiting had a shelf life.

Thanks
O.R.

 

[OldRust]

Colt Black Powder Arms was Imerato's last gasp at keeping his Colt licensed company afloat, so much so that in waning few years it was marketing all manner of "Colt" accessories before it folded ~2002 (?).

I agree, They had a catalog full of accessories and a 1994 to 2002 time frame I believe is right.

IMO, all of the Colt guns (from the 2nd Gen on) were all about external looks and not the internal workings. The rough parts were purchased from Uberti and finished Stateside, and the internals got little attention insofar as fit/function.

My 3d gen BP Colts are all of 1996-99 mfg timeframe with the exception of a couple of my shooters that I bought used and cannot date. One of the used 1860's action was rough but after stoning off the flash and 40 or so rounds it smoothed right out. Maybe the time frame that mine were made or maybe I was just lucky.

The photo of the Colt 1848 Baby Dragoon is not an 1848 at all. The 1848 had a short frame and a short forcing cone. The 1848 was made from 1848-1849 and overlapped the production of the 1849 which had the longer frame/forcing cone.

I am willing to bet that Colt BPA used the 1849 frame/barrel as an economic expedient rather than producing a short frame/barrel.

Cost Efficiency is a goal of almost any company especially so if to the the untrained eye of the customer. You have my curiosity up, I'm going to pull the Colts out and compare them to what photo's I have in my library.

Thanks,
O.R. I


1848 Pocket .31 Replica Arms made by Armi San Marco in the late 60's.

View attachment 70597

Regards,

Jim

 

[nightwolf1974]

"Howard Johnson is right!"

 

[Brokenbear]

Folks ..life got in the way of me shooting this hogleg but atleast i pulled it down and went thru it in side and out ...
In the clean up session I realized that the nipples were in a VERY tight mounting position and I'm a think'in I want a nipple wrench in hand and pull those puppies and get some anti-sieze on them before I start shooting it
I for sure do not have a nipple wrench that will fit it so I again will turn to the forum and ask who has solved this problem and where did you get the solution (as in said nipple wrench??)

Thanks
Bear

 

[Grenadier1758]

The Cash ratcheting nipple wrench is very good.

I also have a pistol sized nipple wrench properly hardened and tempered. I think I got it from Track of the Wolf or Dixie Gun Works. But that pistol sized nipple wrench wasn't enough to remove some nipples the strength coach at Uberti had installed. I did find a 5mm hex drive bit. I removed the Dremel tool from the safe and used the metal cutting disc to make the tip fit on the nipples. I have a Harbor Freight Impact Driver (not presently available). I put two dowels in my heavy bench vise to hold the cylinder in place. While I could not budge the nipple with the nipple wrench, it only required a few raps with a small ball peen hammer to loosen the nipple with the impact tool.

 

[Brokenbear]

The Cash ratcheting nipple wrench is very good.

I also have a pistol sized nipple wrench properly hardened and tempered. I think I got it from Track of the Wolf or Dixie Gun Works. But that pistol sized nipple wrench wasn't enough to remove some nipples the strength coach at Uberti had installed. I did find a 5mm hex drive bit. I removed the Dremel tool from the safe and used the metal cutting disc to make the tip fit on the nipples. I have a Harbor Freight Impact Driver (not presently available). I put two dowels in my heavy bench vise to hold the cylinder in place. While I could not budge the nipple with the nipple wrench, it only required a few raps with a small ball peen hammer to loosen the nipple with the impact tool.View attachment 71077

Thanks ..a worrisome but thorough report ..now I hesitate to shoot it without anti seize on the nipples for sure...had you shot it before you encountered the gorilla nipples ????

Thanks
Bear

 

[Grenadier1758]

No, I had heard of the over tightened nipples before I shot the revolver.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I got curious today about my Signature Series 1849 Pocket Model. I went and dug it out. It has been packed away for six years.

The 1849 Pocket, Signature Series DOES have the signature on the backstrap. It is very small.

My Signature Series Paterson DOES NOT have the signature.
I feel better now... I even found stuff I either completely forgot about, or just didn’t know I had.

 

[Brokenbear]

FIRST RANGE TRIP..UNFIRED 3rd Gen Colt 1849 Pocket 4" ..............It was cooool n windy but I had to shoot it ...
the chambers are .318
shooting .323. balls spru loaded up
15gr TTT FFFG
lubed wool wad

The expected 360 degree lead ring was usually about 3/4 circle

Sight picture w/front sight even at top of hammer "V" at center of aiming square ..target 7 yards with two hand hold

What I liked:
Surprisingly I could see the sights
Loading with my big hands really was not difficult
The action was smooth w/excellent timing and lock up
The hammer stayed down on the expended cap quite nicely

What I did not like:
The ball would occasionally follow the ram back out partially ..I will have to get my magnifiers on and watch it s-l-o-w m-o-t-i-o-n ...but I have a feeling that the ram is shearing (ram edges are very thin and very sharp) the ball edges BEFORE the cylinder walls have an opportunity to swage the ball

I support this with the fact the balls that partially followed the ram back out were easily pushed back into position and secondly I never got a 360 degree swaged ring

I'm guessing the ram has a deep conical bullet cavity ..so some type of "fill" in the pointy end may be in order (temporary as I might want to shoot conicals)

This load is very snappy ..I hear this caliber being compared to a 22 long rifle ..the recoil I felt ..the sound crack of the plywood backing board when the ball slapped it.. seeing the hit before the recoil and smoke cover the target ..I do not believe it is "only a 22LR level projectile"


HAPPY EASTER TO ALL

Bear