Hey, guy's I'm new here and just ordered my first bp pistol. Pietta .44 1851 Navy in brass. I've been doing research on the art of firing bp revolvers for quite some time now, so when it finally gets here I think I should be OK. After reading several discussions I have decided to load using lubricated wads instead of the grease method, however after I get the gun and clean it, I do want to coat the bore with some sort of grease, that way I'm not wearing down the barrel during the first few rounds. I have some silicon automotive grease used for ball bearings, would this be OK to use? Also I am going to be shooting a 23 grain load, is this safe on a brass frame? Thanks in advance.
Automotive Grease
- Thread starter darestie
- Start date
Lead won't wear down a steel barrel, it's so much softer, it simply can't. Period guns, some now 200+ years old still have bores in new condition.
The general rule with lube is to use only veg or animal based, no petroleum. BP fouling + petroleum lubes= tar like gum.
You want and need some friction in the bore, that way you have compression and pressure to get the best velocity and burn of the BP.
Many shooters take a "fouling shot" to get rid of the oil in the bore and foul it up just enough for consistent accuracy. If anything, just a patch with rem oil, bore butter or olive oil will work well.
The general rule with lube is to use only veg or animal based, no petroleum. BP fouling + petroleum lubes= tar like gum.
You want and need some friction in the bore, that way you have compression and pressure to get the best velocity and burn of the BP.
Many shooters take a "fouling shot" to get rid of the oil in the bore and foul it up just enough for consistent accuracy. If anything, just a patch with rem oil, bore butter or olive oil will work well.
Do not use Remoil in the chambers or bore. Remoil is ok in the action if you don't want to do a complete teardown to clean. After you've washed it out with soapy water spray the insides down thouroughly with WD-40 to displace water then spray it out with Remoil if you like but treat the bore and chambers with vegetable based lubes only.
oh yeah... 23 grains should be fine, as should the max for that gun. I have never heard an account of the brass frame having problems, I wonder if that's a myth. Are you using real BP, or substitutes?
A light coat of gun oil in he bore is ok, otherwise, the wax wads will be enough.
Enjoy the new gun, have a blast
A light coat of gun oil in he bore is ok, otherwise, the wax wads will be enough.
Enjoy the new gun, have a blast
j. taylor - the caution about not shooting heavy loads repeatedly in brass framed revolvers is not a myth. I don't recall the forum or the thread but there was a posting showing pictures of the damage to the recoil shield on an 1851 Navy with a brass frame just a few months ago. It's real. What's not real are the hyperbole and hysteria some people repeat about brass framed guns falling apart and being "unsafe". Just don't abuse the gun and it will last a lifetime. Kind of like any other gun, come to think of it.
And yes, 23 gr should be fine - in fact, it's probably the most accurate load for that gun.
"Heavy" loads to avoid are essentially full chambers.
And yes, 23 gr should be fine - in fact, it's probably the most accurate load for that gun.
"Heavy" loads to avoid are essentially full chambers.
Raider2000
New member
I've had a Brass framed 1851 .44 caliber "REB" pistol years ago, & I had a tendency to load her up with 30gr. of FFFG Goex because that was what my tried & true 1860 Army liked & shot the best.
Well needless to say that after about 350-400 shots of that it had started to get loose to the point to where I thought that it's time of shooting was close to ending so I plugged the barrel & chambers & kept her for a wall hanger till a friend liked it more than my wife did..
If you keep the loads light like 23gr. FFFG or 20gr. Pyrodex you should be fine & have many years of fun with your new piece.
As far as grease goes, I like either Crisco or Bore Butter for all my C&B revolvers..
Well needless to say that after about 350-400 shots of that it had started to get loose to the point to where I thought that it's time of shooting was close to ending so I plugged the barrel & chambers & kept her for a wall hanger till a friend liked it more than my wife did..
If you keep the loads light like 23gr. FFFG or 20gr. Pyrodex you should be fine & have many years of fun with your new piece.
As far as grease goes, I like either Crisco or Bore Butter for all my C&B revolvers..
45Marlin carbine
Moderator
if you can't use unsalted lard (goes rank after awhile) a pharmacy should have (mine does) lanolin which is oil/grease from sheep. that is better than any petro product which you can use of course clean it out before firing.
To repeat and support;
In the bore, only natural products like bore butter. You can make your own and most if not all, have Lanolin which is suppose to be the best. On the outside, use what you have on the shelf. Rem. Oil has given me problems. Might want to think about switching to American Pioneer powder or equal and burn your Pyrodex outside or give it away.
In the bore, only natural products like bore butter. You can make your own and most if not all, have Lanolin which is suppose to be the best. On the outside, use what you have on the shelf. Rem. Oil has given me problems. Might want to think about switching to American Pioneer powder or equal and burn your Pyrodex outside or give it away.