Hunting with cap & ball revolver

[Mytmousemalibu]

Chris, Thanks for doing that! Even though Ruger tested the OA with smokeless powder, it was an extreme test, and certainly not recommended as the only thing containing the higher pressure are the threads on the nipple.

Neat, didn't know Ruger tested the ROA with smokeless! Yeah, the thought of a nipple or parts of one or cylinder chunks flying about is scary. My hat is off to Elmer Keith for using big brass ones knowing he was likely to pop a gun at some point!

[Maven]

Chris, Look at this thread, especially post #s 3, 5, & 11:http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...okeless-Powder

[rodwha]

"It's romantic to imagine getting a deer with the percussion guns but there's a reason they are often no allowed by law for deer hunting."

If it performs no differently than a .45 Colt, a well known medium game cartridge, there's nothing "romantic" about it.

Many of the game laws are made by people who don't know which end is which.

[Outpost75]

Thirty three grains of Pyroxex "P", Wonder Wad, Lee 220 Conical, Wonder Seal (lube cookie), #11 CCI cap, in ROA.

Attachment 146920

Winelover

Bravo Zulu! Essentially same outfit I use except I prefer standard TC MaxiBall or Lee 250-gr. R.E.A.L. in my Od Army and had Bowen put a higher front sight on it to zero heavier bullets for 50 yards. I look for standard .45 Colt ballistics ~850 fps with 250-gr. in 7-1/2" barrel, have taken seven deer and sixteen boar with that arrangement.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

C&B do not load through the muzzle so they are out for Muzzleloader season in WIS you may use it during modern firearms season as long as the barrel is 5 1/2 inches or longer , they do include the cylinder in the measurement so even a 4 inch barrel will work it is considered from muzzle to firing pin , yeah I know a C&B has no firing pin

[rodwha]

Same here. I cannot use it as a primary weapon during muzzleloading season, though I can carry it as a sidearm, but it most certainly can be used any other season.

[Mytmousemalibu]

Chris, Look at this thread, especially post #s 3, 5, & 11:http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...okeless-Powder

Thanks for the link! That whole thread was a pretty good read! I would actually like to get me an ROA at some point, I have recently been infected with flintlock fever and I have wanted some cap & ball guns for a while, now so more than ever!

[Good Cheer]

Cheese and crackers.
I think it's hilarious that every day people don't run the game department nazis that dictate what you can and can't hunt with out of town on a rail.
I grew up with a six pointer on the dining room wall that Mom brought home with a 32-20.
Ooo, but you can't use that .44!

Where's the spittoon?

[Omnivore]

32-20? That's full load 36 Navy cap and ball ballistics. Most comments on forums say the 36 is a real "man stopper" so it must be great for deer too, eh?

[Rio Grande]

Elmer Keith had lots to say about round ball in BP revolvers. Thought very highly of their stopping power. He grew up around CW veterans, and shot quite a bit of BP himself. He said the round ball performed much better on game and humans than the paper figures would suggest. Read 'Sixguns' by Keith.
I'm sure he would not hesitate to take a deer with and and ball .44.
I like Ruger Old Armies, but the Remington and Colt .44's come very close, and have more than acceptable power.

[Vann]

I'm think I am going to try my 58 Remington on deer this year. I pistol hunt anyways so I'm used to shot placement and range restrictions. I'm planning on using either Triple 7 or Pyrodex pellets, which ever shoots fastest over my Chrono. I just need to figure out what projectile to use. I have a round ball mold, a Lee 200 gr cap n' ball mold, a Big Lube 210 gr cap n' ball mold, and I've loaded my 250 gr lyman rnfp that I shoot out of my Colts in my cap n' ball pistols before with pretty good results.

I'm kinda leaning towards the Lyman 250 grain boolit with a pyrodex pellet. What do yall think?

[Hellgate]

If the bullet fits and is accurate enough use it. One concern I have with Pyro pellets is whether they reliably ignite. The pellets do seem to pack a punch.

[Omnivore]

Hellgate; you'll have to try the pellets in your gun to be sure. I've fired hundreds of them in my Pietta Remington 44. They are powerful, but in my gun they tend to exhibit the occasional slight hang fire; just enough to make the difference between a hit and a miss.

There's nothing wrong with real black, and out of several hundred shots using paper cartridges with Old Eynsford powder I've never had a hang fire so far. Given the difference in price per 100 shots, and the hang fire issue, it's a no-brainer for me and my gun. Old E it is, or Swiss, either of which provide good energy and reliability.

Something I might try is seating the Lee 450-200-1R backwards, which would give you a flat nose, or wadcutter, boat tail. Possibly better terminal effect that way, if its accuracy were acceptable.

[Hellgate]

If you do seat the bullet in reverse, be sure to check accuracy. The LEE mold casts the conical so the upper part has the greatest diameter so you may have trouble getting EXACT alignment with the chamber & bore. Try it and see what you get. It might be surprising or not.

[Vann]

I have about 20 jars of Pyrodex pellets that where given to me sitting on my shelf, so cost isn't a issue. I use Ampco nipples which give 100% ignition every time with the pellets so I know I'm good there. As far as seating the bullets, I added a rebate to the mouth of all the chambers on both of my 58's, this made seating conical boolits much easier and when using my reloading stand it allows me to use just about any bullet I want as long as the alloy is soft. This also keeps the bullet square in the chamber.

I'm going to limit my first kill to a standing broadside shot no more than 25 yards away. I guess I just need to run a few over my chrono and see how fast they are running.

[rodwha]

Please post your results when you do.

[Vann]

I will, I've got a lot of irons in the fire right now but I will post my results when I get to it. I'll definitely shoot them over a chronograph before I hit the woods and try hunting with it.

Based on what I've seen these pistols do to on a wooden backstop, I have pretty good confidence in their performance.

[rodwha]

I'd think the 210 grn bullet might be better with the limited powder capacity.

[dogrunner]

Interesting discussion. Keep it going!

(One question: can't you use dogs to find the wounded animals? I mean 100 or 300 yards is not a problem if you have a good dog..)

Depends on the regulations in the particular state you are hunting in.....some absolutely prohibit dogs for deer entirely....some permit it in a limited fashion and some the use is generally approved for both free running or just tracking.

[Hang Fire]

When living in Alaska, I used a 58 Remington on porcupine (a real pest) and whistle pigs.