Originally Posted by
577450
Things must have changed a lot since the 70's. Now unless it is a Uberti or Pietta it is worthless and they need timed, arbors fixed, etc, etc.
If you are trying to shoot bullseye, maybe so. The .36 1851 brass frame from probably Dixie has never jammed a cap . I don't have a timing problem and the only trouble was that it shot best at around 27 grains. With the brass frame I eventually had to tighten it up. And it shot even better. The third time I tightened it was not so good, about like originally. I don't sit out there on weekends hammering away, it's a tool for hunting, squirrel, rabbit,woodchuck, and finishing off a deer.
If some body had a steel frame that would eliminate the puny problem I had. The squirrel was at the top of a big maple and it did take 5 shots. I took a black bird about the same , the second shot I remembered to hold a foot low.
My wife's was a steel frame 1851 from Spesco. She shot better than me and never had a cap blockage. This was before the internet. I get the impression a lot of people with slim or no experience believe everything they read and overthink it. Just get something you can afford and enjoy it.
As an aside, I don't use drop tubes on my 45 -70 or 43 span and have killed a couple deer. And I doubt the buffalo hunters carried apothecary scales as some have suggested is critical.
John
Scales/drop tubes are found used by most folks found in the winners circle or humongous gut piles , yup you can kill deer your way and a blind squirrel finds nuts too!/Ed
the second shot after I remembered to hold a foot low
.
.