just got a bp revolver what is really needed

C

countryboywithgun

New member
Ok, I have been interested in bp for a while but was waiting to see what was out there. I really wanted a bp with a conversion cylinder. Well i found a Peitta Remington 1858 army barely used(not worn cylinders with only slight scoring,(it actually scored more when i shot it with the 45 LCs) very deep engravings(it hadn't been reblued from what i could tell)at a gun show with a conversion cylinder for $300. I believe that is a good deal. let me know what you think.
Ok I now have to get all the stuff to try the bp cylinder. from what i have read i believe i need the following:
.454 balls
greased wads as opposed to crisco or specialized grease??????
powder ... does real vs other really matter ???
cleaning kit ... does that matter, is there a special kit for the bp vs any old gun cleaning kit and along with that i have read several things about windex to clean. will that damage the blued metal? and what is it replacing exactly. .. i don't want to go out and have someone sell me a cleaner and say use this and windex when i only need windex.
what kind of oil is best to put on gun to store?
I have seen many sites but i am still unsure about carrying the gun. I know about the butt forward holsters (right handed wear on left side) but what about a open top holster to wear on the right side for a right handed draw. I would like to know where I can find the most authentic of these because everthing i pull up on the web is mostly for modern western style revolvers. I don't just want to go out a get any old rigging that isn't even close to what someone would have worn after the war and with a conversion cylinder. I would like to find one that has the rings for the 45LC but also has space to put a cylinder pouch, cap pouch and all the other stuff i need for the bp cylinder. Does this sound like something someone would have been walking around with?? :confused:
Does anyone have something similar they could post a pic so i have a good idea what i need instead of getting jacked by some salesman?

Ok this was long winded, i know, but i am very excited and can't wait to shoot bp. so here is the last question. for the basic stuff were is the best place to get it, Cabela's, Bass Pro, on line(which site is best) for all the cleaning, bp and reasonable cost leather
of course all of this is in a tight budget due to wife and 3 very small children to feed but i have to have a little fun. :D
 
First, read the post at the top of this forum, "So you want a cap and ball revolver, Part 2 ". Read the entire thread; Part 1 is included in a later post inside that thread; there is good advice on all aspects of bp shooting.

You ask a lot of "what is the best" questions. Best is a relative term, and a great deal of what is best for me will not be so for you. Everyone's circumstances and guns are different. One of the benefits of bp shooting is the ability to do things the way you want, or to try something different; there is much more flexibility with bp shooting than with smokeless cartridge shooting. So, if I recommend something in response to your "what is best" query, understand that others may disagree that my answer is the one and only "best", and they probably have good reason to do so. You will then have a number of choices, the good news being that they are (probably) all good ones.

$300 for a good condition Remington with both a percussion cylinder and a cartridge cylinder is a "good" deal.

Ball size: .454 is a good compromise; you may need to move up to .457 if the .454 does not shave a lead ring, or down to .451 if the .454 is difficult to load.

Lubed wads: I use lubed felt wads purchased ready to use. It's less hassle and mess than sealing the chamber mouth with grease or Crisco. Some people make their own wads. This is an area of great debated in the community, as you will soon see.

Cleaning kit: No kit is necessary. I use hot water and dish detergent; it's cheaper than Windex and has worked for me for 30 years. You need dry cotton cleaning patches, a jag sized for your gun's caliber and a rod to attach the jag to. Some people use a commercial bp solvent like Thompson Center's No. 13, some use Windex, some use Ballistol, some use Butch's Bore Shine, some make their own homemade solutions, etc. And some, like me, use hot water. There are more answers to how to clean than there are people doing it. The only generalization: do not use any petroleum-based solvent or oils - they will react with the bp combustion products to form a tar like substance that is difficult to remove. And (ammonia-based) Windex will not damage the gun's finish. Vinegar-based cleaners can if left on too long.

Storage: any oil is ok, but if you use a petroleum-based oil be sure to clean it off thorougly before loading or shooting the gun. That being said, using a product designed for bp is best because you don't need to clean it out. Some use olive or vegetable oil; that works with bp but can become rancid over time. I use Bore Butter, but some say it doesn't protect against rust over a long period. I've had no trouble. Ballistol is pretty popular.

Carry: There are as many different styles of carry as there are shirts and pants. I don't like crossdraw holsters as they expose the muzzle to a wide arc when drawing and are thus, in my opinion, unsafe (Safety Rule No. 2: never point the gun in a direction you don't want to shoot). Thus, strong side hand, butt rearward. A cheap holster will wear out quickly and become more of a burden than a help. Get a modern, well made, thick leather holster AND BELT. They are expensive but damn well worth it in the long run. The preferred and historically correct method of carrying supplies is called a possible bag, rather than trying to hang everything off the belt. Yes, it's a purse. Get over it.

Welcome to the dark side. Go out and make some smoke, and don't worry about whether or not it's the "best".
 
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Every body has their own ways of shooting bp,
after a little time you will have your own way.
No matter what powder you shoot, or what you
use for lube,or what type of gun you shoot, its
all in the enjoyment of shooting bp.
Have fun and shoot safe.:D

Sod Buster Tried To Pull On Willson.
 
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