Pic of new gun

[Mike.357]

My new Remington 1858 Army BP revolver came today.

It was covered in oil when I unpacked it, oil just about dripping from it. Got it cleaned up in short order though.

The piece is beautiful and I can't wait to pop its cherry this Saturday at the Shoot up in Oak Ridge. Or maybe sooner if I can make time before then.

Here is a pic

[Guest HogMan]

NICE, Congrats A beautiful piece

[Guest Scottech]

BORAT VOICE Very Nice. How Much? /BORAT

I'll bet that piece will smoke...literally!

[Mike.357]

Scott that is the thing about BP, lots of bang for not a lot of bucks. I paid $250 including delivery. A revolver similar that accepts cartridges would cost near twice as much. Somebody sells a conversion drop in cylinder for it and that cylinder costs more than the gun I have did.

BP is relatively inexpensive, especially compared to cartridge firing handguns.

My next purchase may well be a converted 1860 Army Colt that shoots .38 Special.

It is an exact replica of a revolver converted to cartridge use just as they would have been in the 1870's.

[Guest sagebrushjim]

Good Deal...

[creeky]

That is really sharp. And a great price!

It remiinds me of mine but with a shorter barrel.

Must admit... I think I like your better because of the shorter barrel!

I like the cap and ball pistols too. I don't really enjoy the clean up though.

I find myself not shooting it much unless I will be able to shoot it a lot.

Sort of justifies the clean up time better.

[Mike.357]

I put a lot of thought into whether to get the 5.5 or 8 inch barrel. I decided I like the look of the shorter gun, and I have an 1851 Navy with a 7 inch barrel, so part of it was to just go in the other direction.

I am finding a lot of conflicting information about how to load it though. On the Navy I always used 30 grains of FFF and seated the ball directly atop the powder, sometimes using crisco on the end of the cylinder to seal better. The instructions with this gun ask for 15 grains of FFF and confusingly mention adding something (meal?) on top of the powder if 15 grains is not enough to fill the cylinder properly. On the internet people talk about using a wad/patch between the powder and the ball, but my instruction specifically say no patch is to be used. So this weekend I am going to use 15 grains and seat one ball. If it looks like it needs to be closer to the edge of the cylinder I will use a little oatmeal to fill in atop the powder, and then crisco over the top of the ball.

Heck, figuring this stuff out is half the fun anyways.

I agree they are a PITA to clean, and I am not sure how many balls I will get out of it before it gunks up too much. Hoping for 30 or 40 anyway. On the Navy sometimes I could get 50 sometimes only 25, the crisco always made a difference.

[creeky]

Hmmm... crisco you say.

I never tried that. I always used TC "Bore Butter".

With mine it was always, powder, ball, and then filled

it up with the Bore Butter.

Think the most I have shot mine in one setting was about thirty

shots. Shooting bowling pins one saturday. That was a lot of fun.

You're making me want to get it out again.

I kind of wish I had 5.5" barrel after seeing yours. It just looks

like it would balance really well. (In fact you got me looking on the web at

those again! LOL!)

Don't forget a full report on how it shoots!

[Mike.357]

Creeky, how many grains of BP were you shooting?

The manual that came with it stated crisco and a couple of other greaes that could be used. I always used crisco in the 1851, not sure where I even came up with the idea of using it. I first started shooting that gun near 25 years ago.

[creeky]

Creeky, how many grains of BP were you shooting?

I'll have to check when I get home. I haven't pulled the trigger in about three or four years on the thing. My Step Dad bought it, and the whole set up (balls, powder, measure, caps, etc) for $125 from a cop he worked with

about 12 years ago. The powder measure was already set, so I didn't ever pay much attention to it. I'll check it out.

I had read to stay away from grease that contained animal fat because it would spoil and stink. But if you think about it, you clean them right after

so I don't know what the difference would be. It's not like the old days when

you had to wait for a decent stream and place to build a fire. LOL!!

You should have seen my wife's face the first time I cleaned my BP rifle in the tub. LOL!!! Uh... I'm... uh... not allowed to do that anymore BTW.

(Made perfect since to me though.)

[Mike.357]

The manual even talks about baking the gun in the oven after cleaning it. It says something to the effect of heating the oven up to 250 degrees and leaving it in there for 30 minutes to evaporate all the water off it. I never did that on the other gun and it is not rusted, and I doubt I am doing it to this one either.

[creeky]

I always just used scalding hot water and some cleaner I had bought

for my BP rifle. (Which I have been told soap works just fine.)

No problems with rust on mine either. The BP Rifle is another story though.

It has a little surface rust on the lock. It's an old Traditions I bought from gander

mountain for $99 bucks about 14 years ago. I added a stainless steel nipple, and a

plastic ram rod. I never babied it cuase I was carring it through the woods and had

paid so little for it.

[Guest TargetShooter84]

Not a bad deal for the gun!

[Mike.357]

I always just used scalding hot water and some cleaner I had bought

for my BP rifle. (Which I have been told soap works just fine.)

I just let the tap run as hot as it could and used some dish soap on it. I did not even use proper gun cleaning tools. I had a piece of an old fiberglass fishing pole I used as a rod and would force patches cut from old t shirts through the bore and cylinders, I never even pulled he nipples off of it. Never had a probblem. Always used real gun oil though and would soak it down pretty good after cleaning.

It is out being fixed. Sent it to a guy up in New Hampshire who is working it for me. I believe he will fix it by repairing old parts and fabricating what he needs. The cam finally wore down on the hammer enough to not allow the cylinder bolt to work in proper timing.

Can't wait to get that back, it was my first real handgun, nicknamed the "hand-cannon". I am not sure but I think I gave about $70 or so for it mail order back in 1980 or so.

[creeky]

I miss the good old mail order days of the 80's. You used

to be able to get all kinds of little kit guns from the Sportsman guide

for little to nothing.

[Ernest.T.Bass]

Does Ruger still make Blackpowder pistols?

[Guest db99wj]

Nice. I have always wanted to get a bp pistol. I haven't shot black powder in years, only shot before deer season.

Mike have you ever been up to Dixie Gun Works in Union City, TN? I haven't been since the late 80's or early 90's, we would drive up from Dyersburg in drivers ed. The teacher loved that place!

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/default.php

[towerclimber37]

Is it me or do the old army and navy BP pistols just feel naturally perfect when you handle them?

they have a wonderful balance and they almost draw themselves.

Nice Pistol Mike!

congratulations!

I just realized that I have an stg58 parts kit that I need to buy a receiver for, as well as my EMP that I want when I get home.

[Mike.357]

Elliott!! Nice to hear from you dude! Both my old style revolvers totally point very naturally. I always felt that way about the 1851, and I am hoping that the new 1858 responds as naturally too. It feels real good in hand. It has much more heft than my Ruger single six does. I also will apply the gripping method we worked on with the SP101 the last time we shot together. Wish you were here to help break this one in.

Never been to Dixie Gun Works but I have bought some crap from them before. I am not sure where Union City is really.

I do not believe Ruger makes BP revolvers anymore. I think their website lists those guns as out of production.

Creeky this one came from a phone call but you can still get that stuff mail order, but like everything else the price has gone up some.

I went to buy a new pound of black powder today on the way home. There is a little store in Halls that caters to the BP and primitive weapon crowd. Guess what? You can't get black powder around here. Closest place is well over an hour round trip. I bought a pound of pyrodex instead. Supposed to work the same just a little less smoke and flash. Other than that it is a bp substitute and not a problem to use, so I am told.

I still have a bit of actual black powder and I will use that up first.

Elliott, when you gonna be back?

[Guest db99wj]

Union City is in North West Tennessee, between Reelfoot Lake and UT Martin, North of Jackson.