Remington Model 1858 accuracy testing

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sharpie443

New member
Took my revolver out to the range and decided to do a video showing the accuracy of these cap and ball revolvers. I get a lot of crap from people at the range and online when I bring this gun out or show it in a video. People seem to think that these are inaccurate, unsafe, a pain to shoot. I'm probably not going to change anyone's mind but i thought I would give it a shot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDG0lMbyHis
 
1860

I bought a Pietta 1860 44 Cal. I can,t believe how it shoots .
I,v only shot it one time but shot 30 balls .

I,s a lot of fun .
 
Nice Video thanks for posting. From what I've seen these ball slingers will rival just about any mainstream cartridge pistol as far as accuracy goes. You just can't put as many holes in the target as fast, but hey thats half the fun. I still want to play with the accuracy department though even with 30grs+wad the ball is still a ways down in the cylinder on my ROA. I need to break out the '58 and see what it will do.
 
Unless you bench it having the ball closer to the forcing cone won't make any noticeable difference.
 
Unless you bench it having the ball closer to the forcing cone won't make any noticeable difference.
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Well that ^^^ Sir, just made my life a little easier, and I scratched filler off the list of things to try. :D As long as I can keep slapping the plates I'm good.
 
You can try it. But to me it's way more trouble than it's worth. Especially when I'm nailing Coke cans at 25 yards without it. If I was a paper puncher it might be different but if that was all I could shoot I'd quit shooting.
 
Were you the only shooter on the range that day? I ask because the muzzle is all over the place while you talk and un-jam the cylinder.
 
yes I was the only one within a good 3000 yards at least. the neighbor behind me,to the right and down the road. Unless you count a ground hog that I saw in the field.

This isn’t a public range it’s my private range on the family farm in PA. I’m just about the only one that uses it these days and it’s on 290 acres of land. It’s 350 yards to the backstop so it’s perfect for me. I still maintained trigger discipline and made sure to be safe but I also didn’t have to worry about sweeping anyone with the barrel. Except the groundhog.
 
Sounds like a great place to shoot. In a public range, a muzzle that is not pointed downrange all the time when the gun is loaded can be a problem.
 
In a public range, a muzzle that is not pointed downrange all the time when the gun is loaded can be a problem.
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That's one reason you couldn't drag me to a public range kicking and screaming. Too many rules.
 
Some rules are good, even on a private range - muzzle control is a good rule.
sharpie443 - you caught on tape the first known example of a Remington revolver jamming.
NOTE: I'm kidding. You know, the age old Colt vs Remington battle...
 
Actualy you can see the ball in flight a few time in that video just not with the YouTube version. In the original I can see it in almost every shot. I filmed it with a very nice HD camera. It's kinda cool.
 
1858 accuracy

Hey sharpie443, you are right on with the accuracy of the 58' !! I recently purchased an unfired E.N.Santa Barbara New Model Army 58", and got excellent accuracy @ 50 yards.(avg. 5 out of 6 shots inside a nine inch plate.)That's good enough for me! I should mention, this was offhand.
 
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I had a gunsmith smooth the action and cut the forcing cone to 11 degrees on my Pietta '58 Remington a number of years ago and it is VERY accurate.
 
You Remington guys should keep an eye out for the Pietta "Shooters Model". I have found two of these at the LGS for pennies on the dollar.. To the LGS it was just a old cap and ball revolver. Look for the silver plated trigger guard. This Shooters model is slightly different than the regualar model with fixed sights or Target model. Straight shooting revolvers, better than any other I have.

Has 2 piece European walnut grips with a satin finish. Blued steel frame. .44 caliber, blued 8”, tapered octagon barrel with .008” deep rifling. Progressive 1 in 30” twist, 5 land and 5 grooves. Front sight is .270 dovetailed, blued steel base and blade. Rear sight V-notch in top strap. Six shot. Features silver plated brass triggerguard, blued steel backstrap. 13 ¾” overall and weighs 2 ¾ lbs. Recommended load 22 grains of FFFg black powder with .457 round ball and .44 revolver wad. Manufactured by Pietta/Ital $600
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I found this one about a year and a half ago, priced at $120. Of course I had to offer $100 and I did walk out with it.:cool:
It's a Pietta and from 1985.
shooter01.jpg


This one I picked up four years ago for $200, unfired with the box. This one is marked "Navy Arms" a 1987 build, and the serial number is a few hundred from the other shooters model. Looks like about 800 made over a two year period.
remy01.jpg
 
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