I Now Have A Higher Level of Respect for Lou...

[Justin B.]

Lou, I always thought your re-enacting, and such, was all fun but after this past weekend my mind is changing a bit.

I had bought a replica 1851 Navy a while back and finally got around to figuring out how to shoot it last Saturday.  Man, what a PITA!  Spend 5 minutes loading and 30 seconds to empty it!  I think we ran 4 cylinder-fulls through it and decided to switch back to the more modern stuff.  I will admit it was a lotta fun pulling the trigger and watching the target disappear behind a cloud of white smoke!

The real fun part started when I got home and had to clean it...  Although the barrel cleaned out fairly easy I didn't think I was ever going to get all the grunge out of the cylinder, though.  Sure am glad I was using Pyrodex instead of traditional black powder.

[Lucky_Lou]

I too shoot Pyrodex as I cannot be ars*d with the additional licence we require for Black Powder, ask around your shooting pals see if anyone has a Flint lock 0.5" Hawken Plainsman or similar rifle if they do have a go they are a hoot...... the delay between pulling the trigger and the charge going off takes a bit of getting used to. I have  .36 Colt and  .44 Remington pistols, the Colt despite the simple sight via the antler on the hammer is surprisingly accurate but the Remmy is the Daddy.
The big draw back on the pistols is that the caps frequently come off the nipple and jam the cylinder which must have been a nightmare in a serious fire fight.
Our gun club has a lot of Deer hunters etc who we regularly upset on the 100 meter range as there Telescopic sights are useless when we get popping away with the 45/70,s but above all its a good laugh.
Lou.... here are a couple of clips to wet the appitite, I don't seem to have any clips with the pistols.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=QoHo9xcKqUk&list=UU3BZ4K4GKbOsQAWcm4di8xw
When we do the "Larger" enactments the air is full of gunsmoke I love it... me and Captain Woodrow F Call

[k_enn]

Black powder is a blast.  I have a single shot, muzzle loading cap-lock pistol.  While I don't get a lot of shots off, it the fun makes up for it.  With the double set trigger, it can be scary until you get used to it.  Once set, you need only barely touch the firing trigger to set it off.  Using patch and ball, it can outshoot my modern (and accurate) .38 target revolver.

k_enn

[Justin B.]

Lou, I had the cap issue on my short outing.  The manual for my pistol (Pietta steel frame 1851 Navy model) calls for a #11 cap and they actually seem too large.  I did some surfing around and found some folks recommending a #10 cap as they apparently fit better - I'll get some if I ever use up this little tin of #11s.

I was shooting at some pumpkins that were about 25-30 yards away and at that distance it shot about a foot high and a foot to the left.  Once I made allowance for that I was able to connect with the target regularly.

k_enn, I should have bought a single shot "Pirate Pistol", probably would have been a lot easier to clean!

[Lucky_Lou]

Lou, I had the cap issue on my short outing.  The manual for my pistol (Pietta steel frame 1851 Navy model) calls for a #11 cap and they actually seem too large.

What calibre is the Pietta Colt ? mine is a .36 which I shoot with a #10 and I use #11 on the .44 Remmy we pull a nipple out of the guns so the hammer sits on a empty chamber when Cowboy Action shooting for safety.
We target shoot on an indoor range with the pistols (25 to 30) yards and once sighted in can easily put a group in or close to black, there are a lot of things to factor in when using these weapons, powder type and load also ball size are critical its quite an art.
Lou

[Justin B.]

Lou, it's a .36 cal.  Being my first outing with it I used 15 gr of Pyrodex RS (I know, a bit coarse but it's what I had).  I think in the manual the only mention of Pyrodex was stating a max load which I think was 17 gr.

This Pietta has a "pin" between cylinders that the hammer can be lowered onto so it can be safely carried as a "six shooter" opposed to a "five shooter".

Out of curiosity what is the rationale for requiring a license for BP and not Pyrodex?

[Lucky_Lou]

Out of curiosity what is the rationale for requiring a license for BP and not Pyrodex?

Stupidity........ you need 2 licences one to buy black powder and another one  transport and store  ? how you can store it with out buying it or vice versa is beyond me.
Yet you can buy brass, primers, pyrodex and heads without a licence (stupid) your licence will stipulate what factory made ammunition you can buy and how much but you could have enough components to start a small war without a licence.
Lou

[k_enn]

Stupidity........ you need 2 licences one to buy black powder and another one  transport and store  ? how you can store it with out buying it or vice versa is beyond me.
Yet you can buy brass, primers, pyrodex and heads without a licence (stupid) your licence will stipulate what factory made ammunition you can buy and how much but you could have enough components to start a small war without a licence.
Lou

[scarcasm]  You have just got to love gun control, right?  [/scarcasm]


Maybe because Guy Fawkes used black powder?  

Have a Happy Guy Fawkes Night next week, Lou.

k_enn

[Justin B.]

Lou, I feel your pain, seriously, regulations like that would drive me absolutely batty.  I reload and try to keep at least 500 rounds loaded of each caliber I use.  I doubt I would get along very well with the authorities over there...  

[Lucky_Lou]

Here is my best effort today... .44  Remington New Army pistol 5 shot groups (1 nipple out for safety) pretty happy with that... much better than the Colt. Shot at 25 meters Lou

[Justin B.]

Other than that one you jerked at 6:00 that's pretty respectable for a round ball!

[Lucky_Lou]

Other than that one you jerked at 6:00 that's pretty respectable for a round ball!

Not enough powder on that one ... but you still would not want to get in the way of them .44s they do make a big hole.
ps just made a wish list on Midway UK
Lou

[Justin B.]

Ah, OK.  The only .44 I have is of Magnum Variety...

[Lucky_Lou]

Ah, OK.  The only .44 I have is of Magnum Variety...

I wish....................................
Lou

[Justin B.]

Next time you find yourself in Tejas you really need to stop by and we'll go to the range or friends ranch and make a lot of noise!