CCW Blackpowder pistol?

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rodwha said:
And so someone has chronographed a .44 cal 3" snubnosed revolver using both a weak BP I've not heard of, as well as T7 and the results are more than even I figured when using a more energetic powder:

http://1858remington.com/discuss/index.php?topic=10821.0

Those results seem to also confirm what I was told when I asked a fellow who chopped a revolver quite short and found through his testing that ~3.5" was needed to fully consume a stout powder charge.

Also note how the velocity between a ball and Lee conical with the same powder charge have about the same velocity. Interesting!
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The BP you never heard of is used because he lives in Spain.
 
I own and shoot many types of BP revolvers. But my personal choice for a personal carry firearm is a modern 1911 pistol. The very reason modern handguns and ammunition continue to evolve is to assure a more reliable firearm. This technology developed because a weapon can make the difference of life or death. Just my own thoughts and choices.:thumbup:
 
Dog Soldier said:
I own and shoot many types of BP revolvers. But my personal choice for a personal carry firearm is a modern 1911 pistol. The very reason modern handguns and ammunition continue to evolve is to assure a more reliable firearm. This technology developed because a weapon can make the difference of life or death. Just my own thoughts and choices.:thumbup:
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I had a Ballister Molina with duct tape holding the broken but original grip on. Bought it for a paper weight, less than two hundred bucks. Out shot some fellows who had bought brand new HK USP .45's for officer qualifications. When I took it apart after purchase found some Wolff springs and upon inquiry, was told the prior owner was a range rat. Shot a 290 out of 300 with that one. Only shot higher with my N Frame smith and my I frame Colt snubbie.
Can't think of anything better than a 1911 for all around hand gun use.
The only thing I've ever liked shooting more is my 1860 replica. That aside, if I was looking for trouble again or even attracting it in the course of my daily business I doubt I'd even consider BP for defense.
I never found a shack with a flint lock for an armory, but in the hills it wasn't all that uncommon to find a household where the only gun was a muzzle loading rifle used to knock down deer with. Economics and legalities in some places. However, don't remember anybody choosing it.
If I didn't own some carbines and a shot gun I'd never consider being without a capable service side arm. These days I'm more into escape and evasion than confronting knuckleheads.
I think it was world champ Ross Seyfried who wrote that if he couldn't have a shotgun the .45 was his favorite cartridge to hide behind. One can certainly do worse. I also had a box stock SA GI .45 with absolutely worthless sights that I could get through quals with... even the less expensive ones can be great.
 
45 Dragoon said:
Thanks for the mention perldog007!

Mike
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I do have a question Mike, along the lines of this thread what treatment would you prescribe for a Pietta 1860 fitted with the three inch barrel from VTI and the stock grip frame? The idea would be to make it reliable of course in case it had to be a ccw for whatever reason.
The piece would be used as a companion toy to an 1851 Navy replica or a solo woods gun for 'just in case' and plinking, making huge fireballs with the short barrel and general goofing off, and of course the designated camp outhouse gun.
* I watched the other Mike's video on the avenger and his home made one caught my eye. I want the larger grip on mine as CCW isn't my priority. Making the barrel five inches shorter and losing the loading lever makes it easier to carry and as a shooter I'm imagining ( after spending some time with the standard 8") that there would be a range of ball and conical loads that would aptly replace a .38 special as a trail gun.
 
Peridog, I bought a Ballister .45 ACP many years ago. They were about $29 bucks as I recall. I always carried my Colt Combat Commander on my belt. I thought the Ballister was an orphan handgun of little value.
I had just pulled my Jeep through the Gate when a large Western Diamond back slithered up on some blow sand. I grabbed the "Orphan" and leaning over the Jeep hood at 30 yds. dropped the hammer. The big serpent took a solid hit. That old 1911 was with me for many years.
I sometimes carry my ROA when out on the prairie. I always load it with .454 LEE cast 255 grs. RNFP bullets over T-7. I am sure the ROA and these loads would take out any thing. But I now carry Colt 1911 .38 Super as well. :thumbup:
 
Perldog007,
Well, the sky's the limit! Lol!!
If your life may be defended, ID want the most reliable upgrades. At least my "coil and pushrod" handspring update. I just finished (and posted on Instagram) a Walker with Ruger bolt spring (torsion spring), my coil handspring and a coil and plunger trigger return spring mounted in the trigger guard. (The trigger weight is screw adjustable btw). So, it's a Walker with the "heart" of a Ruger!!

That's what I'd do to a '60.

Mike
 
45 Dragoon said:
Perldog007,
Well, the sky's the limit! Lol!!
If your life may be defended, ID want the most reliable upgrades. At least my "coil and pushrod" handspring update. I just finished (and posted on Instagram) a Walker with Ruger bolt spring (torsion spring), my coil handspring and a coil and plunger trigger return spring mounted in the trigger guard. (The trigger weight is screw adjustable btw). So, it's a Walker with the "heart" of a Ruger!!

That's what I'd do to a '60.

Mike
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Sounds entirely reasonable. Even to a mechanical imbecile like me that handspring does look like a weak point. Never thought about the trigger, I'm going to have to peek around a bit but it sounds cool.
 
My snubbie '60 hasnt given me the least bit of trouble, of any kind, so far. Have to say that was a very pleasant surprise.

I do worry about caps, though I havent had any problems, there have been a a VERY few times that it "almost" gave me a problem... Got me to thinking that its something to watch for if, it came down to it.

If I could only have ONE upgrade, I think it would be a cap rake as my first choice.

EDIT: I should add, as per my post in another thread, the tighter fitting caps seem to give me far less problem in this area.. AND I havent tried making any of those little cap keepers from fish tubbing yet... That could help a LOT, but still, when life is on the line it would be nice to not have to worry about it at all...
 
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Perldog007,
The biggest concern with the trigger and the bolt is that they use a combination spring. I know you know that but, the point is, it's a flat spring and though I tune those, they are still flat. They could last forever or break the next time you cycle the action. Wire springs may or may not last any longer (I see broken ones too!) But, I gotta say (and I haven't been a Ruger fan all that long!!) I think the coils have made a pretty good statement!!

Anyway, it's just a thought . . . . . lol!!

Mike
 
Lets take a vote.
Who here has carried a C&B revolver open or concealed in public - outside of just the range or your house?
 
I regularly open carry (cross draw) a BP revolver when hiking, horseback riding or camping on public land, most often on BLM tracks/recreation areas in California. Only black powder though and these places, while nominally "public", are secluded and mostly remote.

Have been doing concealed carry since I was 23 but only Simi autos. I never open carry a modern handgun or any handgun in an urban or populated environment. It will always be concealed and always a modern firearm.
 
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drobs said:
Lets take a vote.
Who here has carried a C&B revolver open or concealed in public - outside of just the range or your house?
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That is probably worth making into its own thread with a poll. And to answer, when out on USFS land on my motorcycle, in the 80s', frequently.
 
drobs said:
Who here has carried a C&B revolver open or concealed in public - outside of just the range or your house?
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I’m comfortable with all my C&B revolvers to say yes I’ve carried them in and outside the house. Those handguns are ancient technology, but they were invented for(like all handguns) self defense.
My weekend walks with my dogs through our back forty, I carry both the ‘51 Navy and the ‘62 pocket, I know what the .36 can do.
Outside of my house and property, my modern revolver goes with me just because I feel comfortable having trained with it for just such a purpose.
 
Another one here for the C&B carry. As Ive stated many times, I wouldnt recommend it for everybody or for all situations.. But for my current one its fits perfectly.
 
Knocking about on the farm I lived on at the time when it was my only multi-shot gun. WI didn't have CCW at the time, and although I could have open carried it, at the time that was risky because most cops did not know open carry was legal.
 
I have carried a Pietta Navy Marshal 44. It's been totally reliable, and has instinctive point accuracy (for me).
Those are the two most important things you can ask. What good is an unreliable high capacity 'wonder nine' that can't hit anything?
Mossad Ayoob, the handgun encounter guru said something like "3 shots, 3 yards, 3 seconds" is the average handgun encounter.
You would still have 2 more shots at the ready.
 
One of my sons likes torquing off liberals (never mind that I consider myself a *liberal*!), so he's been egging me on to open carry my 1862 Pocket Navy. In a holster, very few people recognize that it's a BP gun, so they just see it as a gun... and no one has given me any grief so far, but granted, we live in AZ and open carry is generally accepted here (as long as you aren't near the university! hahaha!).

For the OP's question, the shortest barrel Pocket Police would probably be the best option! A lot smoother and less likely to snag.
 
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mh2000 said:
One of my sons likes torquing off liberals (never mind that I consider myself a *liberal*!), so he's been egging me on to open carry my 1862 Pocket Navy. In a holster, very few people recognize that it's a BP gun, so they just see it as a gun... and no one has given me any grief so far, but granted, we live in AZ and open carry is generally accepted here (as long as you aren't near the university! hahaha!).

For the OP's question, the shortest barrel Pocket Police would probably be the best option! A lot smoother and less likely to snag.
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Like this?
DSC00020

DSC00020

 
Looking at my Uberti 1862 pocket navy, it's obvious the hammer face is not hitting the cap flat on, but instead the top is angled forward and only hits the top of the nipple. Is this another Uberti *feature* that has to be smithed to fix? Would the hammer hitting like this cause more cap jams? My Pietta 1851 navy has a flat hammer face and doesn't jam nearly as much!

I can file this down if people think it's needed
 
mh2000 said:
Yup! I got the 5.5" barrel 1862 pocket navy. Lovely little gun! Cap jams are pretty terrible!
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Ive noticed the same thing with this revolver so that rules it out for me for serious consideration CCW I will for sheets and giggles carry for small vermin on the homestead its great for that.
For me the cap jams are caused by caps falling under the hammer I can reduce this by pointing at the sky as I cock to allow the spent cap to fall free.
 
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