Uberti Colt 1851 Navy .36 cal.

[mihaimcg]

Hello,

This is my first post on this forum.
I'm from Romania and one of my hobbies is black powder firearms.
Unfortunately in Romania there are few black powder firearms enthusiasts.
I hope this hobby will grow in Romania in the near future.
I have 3 black powder revolvers:
- Uberti Colt 1851 Navy .36 cal.
- Pietta Colt 1851 Navy .44 cal.
- Pietta Remington 1858 New Army .44 cal.

I'll try to make a short review for the Uberti Colt 1851 Navy .36 cal.

The gun was bought from Germany with the help of a romanian gunsmith.
The gun is very well made and is very similar with the original.

Good points:
- the barrel detaches from the frame, so you can clean de gun very well
- the barrel is rifled
- the firing mechanism is very smooth and safe
- very accurate at 10, 15, 20 and 25 meters

Bad points:
- the grip is very small, so you have a big hand you'll find a little difficult to have handle the gun
- the frame is opened, so the recoil can weaken the gun
- fired caps have often fallen between the drum and the frame, so the gun jammed

Here are some pictures of my Uberti Colt 1851 Navy .36 cal. and a short video of loading and firing the gun at a local roamnian range:






http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCf4mdK_xP8

Best regards,
Mihai.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Your video and description are really well done. The Colt M.1851 has a small grip for a large hand but seems a happy medium for everybody. I have no idea how intentional that was, but the basic grip style continues until today on all Colt made single action revolvers and all the copies made around the world.

The open top design does indeed have it's flaws and the brass framed models are even more delicate than the steel framed versions. Most shooters here use about 15 to 20 grains of FFFg powder for the in the .36 caliber versions and 18 to 22 grains of powder in the .44 caliber versions with brass frames. Long use with heavy loads will stretch the brass frames enough to cause them to get out of time and not shoot accurately. With mild loads, the brass framed guns should last for years or even decades.

One secret I noticed and have passed around was that in the very earliest black and white films of western theme from the 1920's, the actors were often retired cowboys and some may have been old enough to have encountered percussion revolvers in their early careers. Many of them raised the muzzle of a revolver to at least 45 degree angle before they cock the hammer, this will aid a spent percussion cap that comes loose to drop out the back of the gun rather than fall down into the action. Unless it's a problem at our range, you might consider trying it to see if it might not help you with the amount of problems you have with fired percussion caps.

It was difficult to tell from the video but your want to be sure the lead balls are large enough so that when you ram them into the chamber of the cylinder, it leaves a small ring of lead so that you're absolutely sure the chamber is sealed and that no spark from one fired round can get by a ball of another chamber to cause a chainfire. They are seldom damaging to the shooter or the gun but are very rough on the shooter's nerves! :wink: You can see how long it takes to load and set up with a percussion revolver. We say that the reason all the gunfights happened at high noon was that it took all morning to get loaded! :haha:

Your Remington will hold a larger load if you require it. In fact, the steel framed percussion revolvers will hold and shoot as much powder as you are able to get in the chamber and still be able to seat the ball. Though it can be done, it's seldom the most accurate load.

All-in-all, I'd say you are doing well. Welcome to the sport of shooting black powder revolvers. If you have any questions or would like to further comment or show videos, we welcome you to do so. Please tell your friends hello from all of us. If you shoot enough, they may all want a Navy Colt of their own! :thumbsup:

 

[wicket]

The London model Colt navy with steel grip frame made by Pietta has larger grips than the Colt navy they manufacture with a brass grip frame and the notorious "tail". The 1861 Colt Navy from Pietta has the larger grip also.

 

[BillinOregon]

Mihai: Welcome! You put up a very fine first post. Glad to hear that you can buy and own black powder firearms in Romania. It looks like you have a nice shooting range and a good bunch of fellows to shoot with.
I don't think you'll need to worry about stretching the brass frame with a .36 revolver. If it were a .44, then maybe.
Working with different brands of caps, and changing out the nipples/cones will likely help reduce those irritating cap jams. I have heard the relatively new SliX-Shot nipples really help in this regard. Can you get them in Romania?
Bill

 

[M. De Land]

Mihai, may I suggest making a wooden shooting stand so you can more easily load from the bench.

 

[mihaimcg]

Thank you all for your answers and tips !

@BillinOregon:
In Romania, as a civilian, you cannot own black powder or caps.
Everytime we shoot, we should seek the services of a licensed pyrotechnician for blackpowder and caps.
I'm also a firearms collector. I'm a member of Romanian National Association of Firearms Collectors. Our association has initiated a change in the law so that we can have access, as civilians, to black powder and caps. The change has been approved but hasn't been yet implemented.

@Wes/Tex:
I'll try your advice to raise the muzzle of the revolver to at least 45 degree angle before I cock the hammer. It's a very good tip and I think will do the job.
I used Pedersoli lead balls but I recently bought a Pedersoli mold for .36 cal. and one for .44 cal. and I want to cast my own bullets.
Indeed the lead balls leaves a small ring of lead when I ram them into the chamber.
I read that some guys use some kind of grease to seal the chamber against chainfire. I don't use any grease.
Is it necessary to use this grease ?

@M.D.:
Do you have some pictures of this kind of wooden shooting stand ? I think it is a good idea.

Here is a picture of all my black powder revolvers.



From top to bottom:
- Uberti Colt 1851 Navy .36 cal.
- Pietta Remington 1858 New Army .44 cal.
- Pietta Colt 1851 Navy .44 cal.

 

[BowerR64]

Very cool collection you have so far.

Why does your shooting table seem so low to the ground?

 

[Shotgun62]

It is not a table is a bench.

 

[azmntman]

Why is your bench so short? :haha:

 

[bpd303]

Here is a picture of a loading stand I made out of scrap plywood from a desk I modified. Really easy to make.

 

[AZbpBurner]

21st Century wisdom has concluded that chainfires are a result of loose fitting percussion caps allowing fire to travel to an adjacent nipple, and not due to no grease over a tight fitting and sealed ball within the chamber.

Grease over a ball in each chamber makes a really big mess, and will attract powder residue fouling much quicker. Many shooters use a lightly lubed felt wad placed between powder and ball. I use a 1/2 piece of toiletpaper (2 ply) with a TINY dab of ball lube folded up into it. Place it over the powder and seat it firmly with the ball ram. Next seat the ball. Too much grease/ball lube and it can squeeze iout into the powder; too little lube, and the paper makes confetti upon firing. Just right amount and you never know its' there.

If I had the same powder and cap restriction as you do, I'd be looking into becoming a licensed pyrotechnic technician - this would be benefit to all the people you shoot with, and maybe they would be willing to split up the cost of the license among themselves, in return for your services.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Agree that the 'chain-fire' phenomenon is most likely a result of flash getting by a cap rather than getting by the ball. You can buy or make the thin felt or fiber wads for .36 and .44 percussion revolvers. The grease over the ball or a lubed wad between the powder and ball is more to keep the barrel fouling soft than a safety feature. You can do either. Some shooters use corn meal, and other things, between powder and ball in reduced loads to keep the ball up near the cylinder face so it doesn't have to move as far before entering the barrel's forcing cone. Most of all, shoot and have fun, these fine points will come as you continue to shoot!

 

[M. De Land]

Here are three of the loading stands I use.

 

[azmntman]

you have three and I have none. With recent political trending you may as well just send me mine now. Gun inequality?