Pietta Pepperbox

[AKexpat]

I have a difference of opinion.

Generally speaking, a patched round ball can provide as tight of a fit as a bare rammed ball.
Swaging a ball may only be practiced because that's how a C&B is traditionally loaded.
But it's not a traditional C&B.

That still does not address why a undersized conical with a patch would be any better than a patched round ball.

Also there isn't any rifling to help stabilize a conical, although I realize that it's only intended for short range.

So why use a conical?

I would at least experiment with patched round balls and try to load them tight enough to stay in place during firing.
That would also help negate the need to use a loading press.
Perhaps a loading stand would be sufficient.

A loading press is equivalent to a loading stand in my terms.

There's shouldn't be a need to remove the cylinder for loading using a push dowel of some sort if enough care is used.

Maybe a push dowel with a bit of extra "oomph" via a plastic mallet or some such device would compact the BP charge. Upon firing the revolver the projectiles must stay in place in order to make sure that the BP charge is still compacted.

Insofar as the OP's pepperbox kit gun, as I understand pepperboxes, there are 5/6 barrels on the gun that will still have to be loaded with a rammer of some type to make sure that the projectile stays firmly seated on the BP charge.

Jim

 

[noelf2]

I can't see the benefit of conicals in these pepperboxes, but I haven't tried them. The most effective load in these is multi ball, or shot (IMHO).

Personally, I would use an off-the-gun cylinder loading press like the Tower Of Power or similar.

I use a short starter, and I don't have any trouble loading patched round balls. Just like loading any c&b single shot. They stay seated fine, and so do wads and shot.

I have several Pietta Navy .36 type revolvers, but the Pietta pepperbox is an answer to a question that should have not been asked in the first place.

Why? Is your preference the best, or something?

One needs a carefully fitted screwdriver bit just to remove the cylinder from the arbor.

So, I actually have one of these, and I don't use a carefully fitted screwdriver bit, and I haven't boogered up the slot. I use pliers and the back side of a box cutter blade. So easy.

 

[blankcanvas]

Thanks all for the guidance here. The reason I was considering conicals because i thought the additional length might hold the round in place even at a looser fit, and still give enough resistance upon firing. Ease of loading is my goal, not accuracy.

 

[woodnbow]

UPDATE 4/10/2019 18:24 -- Received the order today, but the tracking number that Sportsman's Warehouse (SW) sent me is still "Label Created; Order Processed: Ready for UPS". UPS's site says that there are two packages in the shipment and the 2nd package actually moved through the UPS system between Salt Lake City and here and the other package just seems to have never moved / been picked up by UPS. I've tried twice sending SW an email, through their online "contact us" page, but they never responded. The package took 5 days longer than the initial quoted time.

In the end, I received 2 packages (apparently one for the primers and one for the powder), but when I look on the UPS website, it only shows one package as having been delivered and the other one waiting for initial pickup by UPS in Salt Lake City. Not exactly the best tracking experience that I've had with a company over the years. It also took 5 days longer than the original estimate. It's not that I mind it taking longer, I just prefer that when they say it will be there by a particular date, it actually *is* there by that date. And the length of time that it takes SW to respond to an email is completely unacceptable. Of course, I'm assume that *eventually* they might get around to responding to my emails. So, good price on the powder, but crappy customer service so far.

On a side note, I think this is the first time that I ever received a package with a HAZMAT sticker on it that actually said "EXPLOSIVES" on it. UPS guy was walking up my driveway and he said, "Expecting a package?". To which I replied, "Yeah, got my explosives?" And his response was a smile and said, "Here you go..." Texas... Gotta love it... A place where UPS delivers explosives and thinks nothing about it...

And to top it off, I was drinking a beer, so when he asked me to sign for it, I said, "No problem, hold my beer." Explosives delivery and the recipient say, "hold my beer"... Classic...

We need a “like” button here... I’m not laughing out loud but that was worth a chuckle. Texas... ;-)

 

[woodnbow]

Thanks all for the guidance here. The reason I was considering conicals because i thought the additional length might hold the round in place even at a looser fit, and still give enough resistance upon firing. Ease of loading is my goal, not accuracy.

Exactly right because if accurate shooting was the goal you might have chosen a pistol with sights...

It’s great to live in a country that allows choices like this one and others!

 

[arcticap]

There's a way to test if a conical or a patched conical is coming off the powder charge,
Just load 2 chambers and fire off the first shot.
Then the cap can be removed and a dowel inserted to check if the bullet has moved off of the powder charge

Then load two more chambers and fire off two shots, and then check to see if the bullet in the 3rd chamber moved.

Testing can proceed that way until all cylinders can be loaded and safety tested with a cylinder full of conicals, to check if the 6th bullet moved after the recoil from taking 5 previous shots.

The same type of testing can be done for loading patched balls or bare balls or multiple balls per chamber.