What do I have here?

[flyer1]

As you may remember, my friend passed away several months ago from the effects of agent orange. He left me with some black powder stuff. I know less than nothing about BP. Can some one help me ID what I have and their worth? I have posted this in our town because of the higher traffic.

Here are some photos.

I am very interested in info on the 2 flint locks. The one on the top by the computer appears to never been fired. Thanks all.

[Artful]

I'm a little rusty as I haven't been into black powder since 1980's

Looks like a couple of single shot dueling / pirate pistols
You need to post more detailed close up pictures of those if we are to hazard a better guess.

1858 Remington Army Brass Frame Cap and Ball Revolver should be a 44 Caliber



1861 Navy Black Powder Revolver 36 Caliber




Looks to be a Walker Revolver

1851 Navy Sheriff Brass Frame, .36 Caliber Black Powder Pisto


Colt 1862 Police .36 caliber revolver


the one without a loading lever under the barrel I think is 1849 colt pocket pistol or Wells Fargo
but that's the longest barreled one I've seen.

Your short rifle I think is a
ENFIELD PATTERN 1856 CAVALRY CARBINE
Or some other Cavalry Carbine

[flyer1]

Thanks artful. That helps.

[fast ronnie]

Top one next to keyboard (flintlock pistol) may be one of they kits that were sold 30 or 40 years ago. Could possibly be .36 or .40 caliber.
Need to check bore size.

[WILCO]

What do I have here?

A treasure trove!

[WILCO]

Great job Art!

[Artful]

Great job Art!

Thanks - it was funny hearing the rusty wheel inside turning back the pages of time to try and remember some of the
guns of yesteryear.

[Blackwater]

Amen, Artful. Got better closeup pics? it's a real treasure trove, as someone stated. Those are super fun to shoot, but get someone who's familar with shooting REAL black (vs. immitation black substitutes) to school you on them. Someone at your LGS should be able to put you in touch with a devotee of the Holy Black. And remember, if you shoot them even one, single shot, you MUST clean them, or they'll be ruined for life! And hot, soapy water is still the best thing to clean them with. I much prefer real black to the substitutes. Easy to ignite with most caps available these days, and the substitutes all have a fault of some kind. Pyrodex will rust guns like crazy if not cleaned VERY throroughly, and really, once after shooting and another cleaning the next day, is about the only really reliable way to clean them. Oil after the heat of cleaning with the hot water drives off all the moisture, of course. Triple Seven and the others are harder to ignite, and you'll get more hang-fires with them, which CAN be dangerous to yourself or other bystanders if you're not VERY careful where you point the muzzle when you get one. They are, however, easier to clean up after, reportedly, and respond to regular gun cleaning chemicals from what I'm given to understand, but check with those who regularly use them before taking my word on the substitutes, except the ones about Pyrodex.

FWIW, the salts in the fouling left behind by shooting real black are instantly and wholly soluable in plain water, and moreso and more quickly in hot water (as are any salts), and the soap is in there mostly to lift it up off the metal and help it rinse away with the hot water rinse. Cleans out very easily. I always use Murphy's Oil Soap, which is just like any other soap, really, except it uses vegetable fats instead of animal fats to make it. Soap is, after all, just soap and lye, basically, plus whatever scents or detergents they may add in to any particular brand. The soap is just a catalyst and time-saver in the hot water. Most faucets' hot water is plenty hot enough, but let the gun stay under it to raise its temp down to the core of the metal if you want to keep it pristine as the day you received them.

Shooting black is wonderful fun, but you DO have to understand it, and it's very different from shooting smokeless. Treat them like you would with smokeless and it'll wind up simply being a big collection of unusable junk. The thing is, it really doesn't take all that long for the soap and water thing. Really. And it's a good opportunity to reflect back on the day's shooting and re-enjoy it all over again in your mind, and maybe figure out some things that might help you use them better and more accurately and faster, too.

Oh! One last tidbit: If fouling starts to get hard, wipe the bore and cylinder with a damp patch. It'll save time and untold amounts of frustration. It's only when folks try to short-cut these things that black causes problems. It's really a lot easier than removing copper fouling in a smokeless gun! Honest!


And the last thing: One really CAN come to love the smell of sulphur! No kiddin'!

[flyer1]

Thanks, Blackwater. Some of the pistols are various states of disrepair. I spoke with Mike Brackett down your way. He can do the repairs needed. He is a super nice guy. He called me on his dime after church last Sunday. How about that for being a great guy? I plan to send them to him for repairs and making sure they are safe to use.