Black powder 1873

C

chaz12

New member
Saw this on gunbroker today.

Seller describes it as follows

This is a F.Llipietta Colt single action army revolver. 44 caliber black powder. This gun does not take cartriges. It was made to shot percussion. Backstrap and trigger gaurd is brass. The gun appear unfired. No FFL needed. Can be shipped direct to you. Shipping is $20.00 in the US.


Is this possible? Looking at the cylinder it couldn't shoot anything other than cartridges. Assuming that it was made to only shoot black powder cartridges, is it true that it would not need to go thru an FFL? Or does the seller totally not know what he is talking about?

Chaz
 

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There was a version made which looked exactly like an SAA , but it was internally a cap & ball revolver. It was also proofed at the lower pressures & materials suitable for BP only. IIRC it was a way to have an SAA look alike in countries where cartridge arms were heavily restricted, or not allowed at all.
You'd need a good pic of the rear of the cylinder, or with the hammer cocked to tell for sure.

Maybe this is one of them?
 
That gun may very well be BP only. However, in the picture, it is designed to shoot cartridges. This is also confirmed by the presence of an ejector.

Whether it is BP or not, the fact that it uses cartridges will require transfer via FFL.

Chris
 
IIRC the Pietta 1873s that were set up as cap and ball revolvers did have ejectors (ball seaters?) on them, but they also had cut outs in the sides of the cylinder that allowed for the nipple to be capped and also as a debris port so cap scraps wouldn't jam the action.

My guess is that the wrong photo was attached.
 
If you lighten and blow the photo up a little, you can see the access cutouts for the nipples at the rear of the cylinder.

FYI, there is also a Bisley .44 cap and ball for sale, and it is substantially cheaper than the SAA. (GB Auction # 280263549)
 

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I've got one of them, and they are still available from several of the importers, including Traditions, and they come in the three common barrel lengths. Don't ask me how I came by it...it was an accident and came in on "one of those deals." :rolleyes: :D ;)

The ejector is there for looks- to make it look like a regular single action army.
There is no way to load it without a loading stand.

I guess they are more targeted toward people in other countries where having cartridge revolvers are more regulated, but percussion revolvers are less regulated or need far less paperwork. Someone must have thought it a good idea to import some into the US. The only drawback to them that I can see is that they are not allowed in sanctioned "SASS" matches (in the US, but are allowed elsewhere in the world), but they're just as fun as any other percussion revolver.
 
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Andy is right on the mark. I also have one. It's an excellent shooter, given the inconvenience of having to use a charging stand (which I often use anyway since I charge spare cylinders off the gun).
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I have both a Traditions and an Uberti

The Traditions is 9 1/4 barrel length, the Uberti is 4 1/2. They both have ejectors which are for looks.

They are both very fine pistols. I think there is not a nickle's worth of difference between Uberti and Traditions of those pistols.
 
I have the same set-up as Mykeal. I use the 30 grain pyrodex pellets, wonderwads and .454 ball. Load stacks perfectly with mild compression(free rotation). The touch of BP they put on the pellets really helps the ignition.
Blam, as opposed to kapow. Powerful handgun, and many smiles to shoot.
Lots of smoke.
 
"There is no way to load it without a loading stand."

I didn't think you'd be able to use the ejector as a ball rammer. Not enough leverage.
 
I have the same set-up as Mykeal. I use the 30 grain pyrodex pellets, wonderwads and .454 ball. Load stacks perfectly with mild compression(free rotation). The touch of BP they put on the pellets really helps the ignition.
Blam, as opposed to kapow. Powerful handgun, and many smiles to shoot.
Lots of smoke.
Click to expand...

Do you crush the pellets in the chamber or do you just pack the ball tightly without crushing the pellet?

I have a couple of boxes and trying to decide to use them or not ( and how to correctly use them ).
 
You need to crunch them back into the radius, or the ball is too high. Not crazy
compressed, but no airspace. I find the pyrodex pellet powerful, and easy to load with the stand.
 
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