I may be like that broken clock that is right only twice a day, but it must have been on one of those moments that I bought my Ruger Old Army. Right out of the box, it could find the 10 ring with little effort on my part. I don't know how many empty Speer boxes I have had, but there was never a miss-fire with the Old Army. I think it was $250.00 at the time of purchase, still have the original box.
Which Revolver?
- Thread starter shaman
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
Last edited:
All 5 of mine have proven to be very accurate. No misfires from any of them either
!! ( they're all unmentionables though!! 
).I've got 2 showing up here today from a Cowboy shooter, one is having ignition problems but they can all be improved on!
Mike
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2021
- Messages
- 299
- Reaction score
- 544
Dixie gun works offers a 1858 Remington with a larger frame for bigger hands. I have one, it fits my big hands nicely, and it looks the same as the original except the grip is longer. The price is the same as the standard one.
I recently bought the “kit” version of this gun. The rough casting was more than I wanted to deal with, so I sent it back and ordered the Pietta target version instead. I took the grips from my Sherrif model and stuck it on the frame. The grip frame is slightly larger in the back, about an 1/8” or so. So it would make a difference with the right grips. I neglected checking to see if it was longer on the bottom I’m sorry to say. You can get the kit for 375.00 which is 20.00 less than the finished one. I guess that’s ok if you like finishing a rough cast frame, but I really don’t for that price difference!
Don’t forget the nipples, that hexagonal design is useless. They strip at the sight of a wrench particularly if you been flaming the gun intermittently, they don’t seem to care much of anti seize! Three of my five of mine have slix-shot nipples but I have a ruined cylinder and another on the way there! May I will ask someone for help at some point. MAY YOU!!!!!!Actually, the ".44" Open-top and Remington platforms are .45s as well ( so they're all. 45's) which is why 45C - 45acp conversions work so well in them.
And!!!! I forgot ( thanks!!) about the "puzzle piece" loading lever the ROA has!! It's a PITA!!!! ( another "flaw" in best c&b ever made !!!
Mike
shaman
40 Cal
Funny you say that. I was wondering why no one mentioned the Walker previous to this.
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2020
- Messages
- 3,110
- Reaction score
- 7,037
Buy the Remington to start out, that way you will appreciate a Colt when you get one 
IMHO the Colt shoots longer before fouling up and the cylinder begins to bind. I have bent the hand spring on a Remington a couple of times due a sticky cylinder after only 2-3 cylinders full. Got tired of shooting Colts before they ever stopped. I do like my Remingtons sturdiness but my 2nd gen 1851 Navy is my fav of all time, maybe being born in 1951 has something to do with it. BTW the Remington's solid frame should make for a better club when emptied
YMMV
.
IMHO the Colt shoots longer before fouling up and the cylinder begins to bind. I have bent the hand spring on a Remington a couple of times due a sticky cylinder after only 2-3 cylinders full. Got tired of shooting Colts before they ever stopped. I do like my Remingtons sturdiness but my 2nd gen 1851 Navy is my fav of all time, maybe being born in 1951 has something to do with it. BTW the Remington's solid frame should make for a better club when emptied YMMV.
OP, if it's the Colt you decide on, make it the 1851 Navy.
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2011
- Messages
- 9,386
- Reaction score
- 4,557
Once you hear them Booommm your hooked as they make their own distinct report just like a Harley Davidson motor cycle !
Your sons will be green with envy and be wanting to borrow and shoot it !
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2021
- Messages
- 114
- Reaction score
- 144
Here's my 2 cents worth, I'm a long time cowboy action shooter, about half of my CAS shooting has been with cap & ball revolvers and BP cartridge rifles, I've owned 1858 Remington's, 1851 and 1860 open top Colts, my S/A Colt cartridge revolvers are Uberti made.
I had an 1851 second gen. Colt that I bought new and never fired it, my middle son has been into civil war reenacting for about 20 years so I gave it to him.
The two Cap & Ball revolvers that I have now are my favorites, they are two Colt 1860 Pietta revolvers, they are going on 30 years old, have thousands of loads through them and are still shooting as good as new, the only trouble I ever had with them is that I lost one barrel wedge, that's it.
I did a dehorning job on it and slicked down the trigger on them when I bought them, they were both shooting high at 25 yds. when I bought them so I filed the sight notch in the hammer a bit deeper so that they both shoot at point of aim.
I've read a bunch of "reviews" that praise Uberti's and badmouth Pietta's, IMHO they are just biased in favor of Uberti, my Uberti's weren't any better or worse than my Pietta Cap & Ball revolvers, however, my Pietta's were easier on my wallet when I purchased them.
I had an 1851 second gen. Colt that I bought new and never fired it, my middle son has been into civil war reenacting for about 20 years so I gave it to him.
The two Cap & Ball revolvers that I have now are my favorites, they are two Colt 1860 Pietta revolvers, they are going on 30 years old, have thousands of loads through them and are still shooting as good as new, the only trouble I ever had with them is that I lost one barrel wedge, that's it.
I did a dehorning job on it and slicked down the trigger on them when I bought them, they were both shooting high at 25 yds. when I bought them so I filed the sight notch in the hammer a bit deeper so that they both shoot at point of aim.
I've read a bunch of "reviews" that praise Uberti's and badmouth Pietta's, IMHO they are just biased in favor of Uberti, my Uberti's weren't any better or worse than my Pietta Cap & Ball revolvers, however, my Pietta's were easier on my wallet when I purchased them.
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2012
- Messages
- 741
- Reaction score
- 1,010
shaman
40 Cal
Thanks, everyone. I appreciate all the feedback. Keep it coming.
I'll chime in. First revolvers 58 and 60, bought at the same time. 58 more user friendly, 60 not that much more difficult. 60 grip wins hands down, but a checkered 58 grip is very nice. Point shooting, 60 wins. Give me a second to aim, 58 wins. At the end of the day, get the one that appeals to you. Give it a year and you'll probably have 3 different models 
have fun.
have fun.I have a lot of cap and ball revolvers, and my favorite is a stock Pietta .36 1851 Navy. Cheaper to shoot, less powder, less lead, and lower recoil. I shoot it more than all my other revolvers combined. If hunting or in a situation where two legged varmints might be a possibility, I go with a .44. If I only had one gun, the choice is easy, the 1858 Army. More reliable from the box without modification. I spend a lot of time tweaking Colts and replacing broken springs and such. Meanwhile, I got 40+ year old Remingtons that I have never had to mess with. But since I don't live on the frontier, and no one is out for my scalp, I actually prefer the Colts. They point better, look cooler, and feel natural in my grip, whereas the Remington is like a brick in my hand. But bricks are reliable.
Walkers are a lot of fun but I would not recommend one as a first BP revolver. Caps more easily fall into the works and even with an action shield installed the caps often bind up between the cylinder and recoil shield. Plus you'll burn twice as much powder. Total take down for cleaning I think is a little more difficult. The mainspring must be clamped down and reinstalling the hand can be a pain. I have a little tool I made that helps. With all that said, once you become familiar with and enjoy your first BP revolver, get the Walker!
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2011
- Messages
- 9,386
- Reaction score
- 4,557
Well shoot ,now your talking sound reasoning and good logic and that takes all the fun out of the discussion. I think I'm going to log them out as to history and my cost for the family and keep em all until I croak or get to dizzy to know anything and let the family decide what they want to do with them. I read some where that they are all going to be melted into plow shares any way and I sure won't need or want them any more.
I have given some thought to printing out a small history of each as all of my guns have been either made by my hand or altered in some fashion and folding it up and placing under the butt plate or grip for the next owner to discover. You know one of them "to whom it may concern hidden notes" signed and dated !
I know I sure would get a kick out of finding a note like that on a new purchase of a used gun.
I guess this rambling would work over on the old guys thread as well !
Last edited:
Keep 'em! Hold on to anything that gives you pleasure and try to live every day like it is your last 'cause at my age, it very well may be. My old man philosophy.
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2011
- Messages
- 9,386
- Reaction score
- 4,557
Yah know Ed even when your 20, in the peak of health and strength we never have assurance of the next dawn, it's just that at this end of our lives the certain inevitability is closer at hand than it was then.
If we live a full life having made peace with our creator and loved ones, who would would want immortality in this fallen world? I believe that would end up being a curse where one has to start life all over again with new generations of friends who mature, get old and die.
Bible says we eventually will be made immortal again at the resurrection but it will be with all the rest of humanity who lived and died and chose to follow Adonai's word .
Just imagine, no more war, death, disease, hatred, jealousy, envy but rather eternity to realize our full intelligence capacity , a pure heart and unquenchable love from and for out creator to explore the universe he created for us to enjoy with him. The best is yet to come !
