Vest pocket pistol

[tom in nc]

Here's today's flea market find. I have not shot it yet. Some that I have seen have the brand name on the RH side. Mine does not. As can be seen in the pics mine has a serial (?) number on the LH side, (hidden in my pics), as well as CL.31, and on the RH side there is Black Powder Only and Made in SPAIN. I'm thinking 10g of FFF powder, because
FFF is what I have, and hope the .310 round balls that I shoot in my .32 CVA squirrel rifle will work.

 

[russellshaffer]

I think you could load it with powder, wad, and a bare ball. It won't have much long distance accuracy anyhow so why patch it? A fun gun for sure.

 

[tom in nc]

Here's the results of my shooting session. Shooting from ten paces, aiming at the center of the barcode. It shot right & high. About what I expected.

It would not pop these CCI caps. The old Remington caps in my first pic popped every time. If CCI caps are what's going to be available I hope they are better than this batch.

I was loading approximately 7-8g of the FFF powder. My only powder measure that went low enough was marked 5 and then 10 so I set it in between. I used no wads or patches, just powder & ball. Most of the 310 balls seemed to fit as they should, but I could tell some difference in the sizes in the bag. The charge actually seemed like more than enough. I was surprised at how loud it was and the amount of flame at the muzzle.
Overall I'm pleased with it. It is what is is supposed to be I suppose.

 

[russellshaffer]

I sure wouldn't want to be in front of it. That's really pretty good accuracy I think.

 

[2 shots]

god fore bidden inline

 

[dracer]

that is a sweet little pistol

 

[tom in nc]

Funny how opinions differ, one person condemning it to eternal hell and another approving of it.

 

[JT1200R]

This is from the owners manual

 

[tom in nc]

This is from the owners manual

Thank you.

 

[cynthialee]

I think you could load it with powder, wad, and a bare ball. It won't have much long distance accuracy anyhow so why patch it? A fun gun for sure.

A patch on the ball will keep the ball secure on the powder for sure for years with no worries. A loose ball with a wad over the top has to be fired now and isn't safe to carry.
A patch will not do anything for accuracy on this little thing as the barrel is so short accuracy is not a thing.
But it doesn't matter as these were designed as gut guns, not target guns. You shoot the thing no further than 6' away and closer is better.

...

I'd load that pistol with 7-10 grains of 4f and a patched roundball. These little guns can handle a small load of 4f no problem and it'll give a little more umph behind the ball than 3f will.

 

[camoloc]

nice pistol !!!!

looks like for a fun time.

could always carefully grind down a little of that 3F to 4F. I grind 2F down to whatever I need in a small marble mortar and pestle. small amounts at a time.

and before nay sayers chime in
........our forefathers sometimes only got cannon powder in the latest shippment of provisions........i have no doubt they did the same applying the same amount of warranted "caution."

camo

 

[tomatobodhi]

I have a .31 colt pocket revolver. The old .31s generally take .323-.330(#00 buck single pellet) soft lead ball with no patch. I load .323 swaged RB in my .31 revolver over 10-12 grains of 3F Goex.

 

[Commander69]

I missed one on GB. It went for $130

 

[sheriff john]

We had one many years ago. Lots of fun. Gotta be careful. Will definitely remove any finger parts in front of the muzzle and, if I remember correctly, the nose of the hammer on ours rested on the capped nipple. Maybe not, it's been 30-40 years ago.

 

[Eutycus]

I know we are not supposed to use this adjective in describing guns but it is "cute".