Black Powder Revolver and Conical Bullets

T

The New Catfish

Inactive
I just bought my first black powder revolver. A "Pietta Army Police" model 1862 .36 caliber pistol. I've owned a Hawkins .50 caliber rifle for years and quickly switched from using ball ammunition to a conical bullet, (which significantly increases the accuracy of the gun and the damage the bullet does on impact. The .50 conical bullet is basically a hollow point lead round with a couple of raised rings towards the rear (which better grip the rifling in the barrel) and a concave shape at the back (which i believe helps the round expand and this too helps the round to grip the rifling better than a round ball). My question is, does anyone know "Can a .36 caliber conical bullet be safely fired from a Cap and Ball pistol ? Although round ball ammuntion can be loaded "faster" than a conical bullet, it's certainly NOT going to be as accurate, especially out beyond 25 yards. I've found several makes of .36 caliber conical bullets on internet gun sites, but the accompanying information doesn't say whether or not these rounds are suitable for use in a black powder pistol.
 
Yes you can fire conicals from cap and ball revolvers. But in my admittedly limited experience there isn't a noticeable difference in accuracy.

Can't speak to damage except that both penetrate paper just fine.
 
Kaido conical bullets are made specifically for percussion revolvers. The .36 conical he sells works real nice in my Pietta Belt Revolver.
 
Although round ball ammuntion can be loaded "faster" than a conical bullet, it's certainly NOT going to be as accurate, especially out beyond 25 yards.
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Your Hawken probably has 1:48 twist rifling, making conical (maxi balls, etc) at least as accurate as round ball, but like you say, it tends to cause more damage on the target. You are making an assumption that a pointy heavier bullet is always best. You are wrong. The rifling in these c&b revolvers are made for round ball. Conicals will work fine, but don't assume they will work better. Just not the case, at least from my experience. YMMV

EDIT: I also have a Hawken rifle made by T/C. Got it in the late '70s. It has a 1:66 twist. Optimum for round ball and I can assure you it absolutely sucks with conicals, mini's and maxi's.
 
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Don't assume that bullets are more accurate past 25 yds than round balls. I
happen to know for a fact that all the pistol records at the National competition at Friendship were shot with round balls. One 25 yd record is still
standing after 52 years. I shoot there and I have never seen anyone ever shoot bullets. Been shooting there over 20 yrs. And yes bullets are legal to use. I and the others who shoot for accuracy there know that round balls are
more accurate. We have 100 yds matches there also. Wife won the 100 yd
several years ago using round balls. Don't underestmate the accuracy or killing power of the round ball. Ask the guys who hunt with them
 
I have shot .457 RB and 220gr conicals from my ROA, I find the RB to be more accurate. I also have found .454 RB to be more accurate than .45 Colt in a '58 I own. YMMV.
 
Thanks

Thankyou for the excellent comments and advise. Since I've never fired a black powder revolver, I'm totally willing to suspend any assumptions I've made and defer to someone else's "hands on experience". I'll start out using ball ammunition and try the conical round later on. That's what I did with my Hawkins.
 
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