Unusual percussion revolver issue - bullet jam upon loading the chamber.

[Abu Daud]

Hi everyone. English is not my native language, apologies in advance.
I've recently purchased a Remington 1858 (Traditions), 8", .44 cal. When I try to load the chambers - bullets sometimes (often) get jammed - instead of going all the way in they stuck slightly protruding out of the chamber, making me to take the cylinder off and knock the bullet out.
I use 0.454" lead balls. I've never had this issue with my other one, Colt Navy 1861. I've checked all cambers with flashlight and caliper - they look good (and similar to my colt). Then I thought the wads might crumple creating the issue - but loading w/o wads gives similar results... I already ordered smaller size (.451") balls, will see if they do any better.
Does anybody here have similar experience? I am out of ideas... Thanks in advance.

 

[Crow Choker]

Is the Remington new or did you buy it used? If you have or have access to a dial/digital caliper, check the cylinders and see what they measure. If this is a new unfired revolver perhaps it left the factory with a cylinder that somehow missed final work and/or inspection.

 

[ZUG]

It is best to measure the cylinder chambers to find out their diameter. Your Remington 1858 (Traditions), 8", .44 cal. would normally use a .454" diameter SOFT lead ball. Measure your lead balls also. A powder charge of about 25 grains should be a good load to start with. Other than that, I have no other suggestions - good luck.

 

[Uncle Miltie]

Sometimes the loading lever will, instead of releasing the ball after it is rammed over the powder, stick to the ball and pull it out a bit as the loading lever is pulled up. Relieving any sharp edges on the rammer or ensuring you use a soft lead ball will keep this from happening.

 

[CaptainVane]

I have only encountered this, regardless of pistol make or caliber, when i try to load too much powder into chamber. If the ball isnt going all the way in, most likely you got too much powder.

 

[M. De Land]

Hi everyone. English is not my native language, apologies in advance.
I've recently purchased a Remington 1858 (Traditions), 8", .44 cal. When I try to load the chambers - bullets sometimes (often) get jammed - instead of going all the way in they stuck slightly protruding out of the chamber, making me to take the cylinder off and knock the bullet out.
I use 0.454" lead balls. I've never had this issue with my other one, Colt Navy 1861. I've checked all cambers with flashlight and caliper - they look good (and similar to my colt). Then I thought the wads might crumple creating the issue - but loading w/o wads gives similar results... I already ordered smaller size (.451") balls, will see if they do any better.
Does anybody here have similar experience? I am out of ideas... Thanks in advance.

My new Walker has reduced chamber diameter about a balls diameter deep. I think your issue could be this and perhaps to much powder in the load.
In the Walker if I push the ball beyond this constriction it swages them under size and they will pull back out stuck on the end of the loading rod.
The bullets stay where seated but the base diameter is swaged down to the constriction diameter.

 

[Jappo]

Check the loading lever without a ball or powder. Sometimes they get hard about half way in.

 

[Colonial Boy]

Your English is very good, so no apologies needed, far better than many of my countrymen, just a couple of irregularities, not really wrong but not normal usage.
I use .454 balls in all my percussion revolvers with.no problems, are you being consistent with pressure with the loading lever?

 

[Crow Choker]

What M. DeLand said. I was thinking about the reduced diameter in the chambers past the end. Heard about this many moons ago while reading a black powder magazine some 30 years ago.

 

[45D]

My new Walker has reduced chamber diameter about a balls diameter deep. I think your issue could be this and perhaps to much powder in the load.
In the Walker if I push the ball beyond this constriction it swages them under size and they will pull back out stuck on the end of the loading rod.
The bullets stay where seated but the base diameter is swaged down to the constriction diameter.

What M. DeLand said. I was thinking about the reduced diameter in the chambers past the end. Heard about this many moons ago while reading a black powder magazine some 30 years ago.

Could be . . .
I guess the taper must have been "lawyer inspired" in these revolvers. The originals I've had in the shop all had cylindrical chambers.

Mike

 

[M. De Land]

Hi everyone. English is not my native language, apologies in advance.
I've recently purchased a Remington 1858 (Traditions), 8", .44 cal. When I try to load the chambers - bullets sometimes (often) get jammed - instead of going all the way in they stuck slightly protruding out of the chamber, making me to take the cylinder off and knock the bullet out.
I use 0.454" lead balls. I've never had this issue with my other one, Colt Navy 1861. I've checked all cambers with flashlight and caliper - they look good (and similar to my colt). Then I thought the wads might crumple creating the issue - but loading w/o wads gives similar results... I already ordered smaller size (.451") balls, will see if they do any better.
Does anybody here have similar experience? I am out of ideas... Thanks in advance.

My mid 80s Pietta version of the Remington 58 had cylindrical chambers from the factory but I reamed the chamber mouths about a third of the depth to match the barrel groove diameter.
I think I can work around the Walker reduced diameters though with a bit of work on the loading rod end. If not I'll ream them as well but she acts like she wants to group tightly as is and I'm loath to "fix" something that works fine already .
Time and testing will determine further modifications .

 

[Relic shooter]

Could be . . .
I guess the taper must have been "lawyer inspired" in these revolvers. The originals I've had in the shop all had cylindrical chambers.

Mike

Mike is correct, I shoot original civil war vintage Colts & Remington revolvers & their cylinder chamber diameters & depths are uniform.
Specs & quality on some replica revolvers I've observer & worked on have varied quality & specs.
I suspect the problem this fellow is having is related to using too much powder, not using enough uniform pressure on the loading lever or the loading lever's ram is too short.
Relic shooter

 

[Abu Daud]

Thanks everyone for your responses. Update - we all were wrong. The truth is that the chambers were not properly (and evenly) machined... Applying some extra force to some of the chambers makes all bullets to sit properly, C'mon, Pietta, - are you also outsourcing to China?

 

[CaptainVane]

And that’s why Uberti cost more.