thinking about getting into bp revolver shooting

C

cbuck

New member
ive been thinkng about getting a bp revolver an was wondering what would be a good gun. not just something thats a starter and will fall apart after a year or so shooting but a decent gun.

also what would be the total cost of everything(tools, caps, balls, bp etc)? i already have some cleaning supplies for other guns so im hoping that stuff should work for cleaning thegun
 
First, read this BP primer located here:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207028

It's the "sticky" at the top of discussion index about shooting BP. It doesn't go into costs but is a great place to start.

I thought I would get into BP with one gun and my initial purchase was a Uberti 1858 Remington .44. This has become one of my favorite BP guns to shoot. I was hooked as of my first shot and within a month of buying that first revolver, I bought 4 more. So be careful. This BP thing is a love it or hate it deal. Loving it seems to become an obsession for some.

Keyboard wars have been waged on who makes the best BP revolvers, Uberti or Pietta and then there's the Ruger Old Army. Personally, I feel they are all good guns. Ruger is in its own class because their gun is not a clone of any civil war era revolver, although very similar. And, it's a Ruger. Uberti has a better reputation than Pietta for quality it seems but I think Pietta has improved their manufacturing process in very recent years and makes a well made gun. Perhaps their reputation is/will improve. I own both brands and both have performed flawlessly for me. All my BP guns are under a year old (except the Ruger, bought used) and are used often. The most I paid for any of them was $365 for my Uberti 1847 Walker. I think I probably spent <$150 on all the other stuff I've bought to support my BP habit, not counting ammo, powder and wads.
 
The various Pietta Remington .44's that are available from Cabela's probably represent the "best value" that can be found anywhere.

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/brow...TEGORY_SEQ_104503680?WTz_l=SBC;MMcat104792580

That doesn't mean that there aren't better or more expensive models to chose from. But hands down they're the best bang for the buck. Their cost goes up and down $20 or so depending on whether they're listed as being on sale, or if they have a shipping promotion or not.
However Cabela's has a no questions asked return policy and looking at the number of their sales and the many favorable user reviews, the Pietta Remington .44's have the highest overall level of customer satisfaction.
For a novice to buy another brand or model would be a decision totally based on their own personal preference and finances which no one could possibly predict for another person.
There are no bad choices to be made among any of the C&B's anyway. But buying one of the Cabela's Pietta Remington .44's is indisputably the most popular choice for a 1st C&B purchase in America.
A person can't go wrong because if they don't like it they can simply send it back.
Make sure to buy a hardened revolver nipple wrench that fits the Remington's nipples like this RMC wrench from Mile High Shooters Supply on eBay. (Made by Rigthnour Mfg. Co. Part # ML063)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nipple-wrench-R...607061?pt=Vintage_Hunting&hash=item564360d595

http://stores.ebay.com/Mile-High-Shooters-Supply?_trksid=p4340.l2563
 
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Cbuck

If you visit the Cabela's site you will find a starter kit with a brass Remington and a couple of supplies.

I would STAY AWAY FROM THIS STARTER SET.

Get together a list of the supplies which YOU THINK you will need, guided by the information you get from that postit and buy the stuff individually.

Make sure you get some hearing protection and eye protection.
 
i'm with doc, STAY AWAY FROM THE STARTER KITS, you"ll save money by jusy buying what you need , eye, hearing protection is a must , like doc said.
but be warned, after you shoot yours, you"ll want more:D!!!
 
And not that Cabelas has that .44 Remington on sale right now for $199.99. (It's a Pietta, by the way.)

Here's mine, and a target showing the second cylinder-full EVER SHOT from that revolver, at 50 yards using a Keith hold:

DSCN0543.jpg
 
A +1 on what Doc said on the "starter kits". You sound like if you want to get into it, you want a good pistol that will provide good service - again, a +1 to what has been said. I've shot Colt replicas and Remington replicas - in 36 and 44. The Remington that was mentioned is an excellent gun that will provide good service in the years to come and also provide you with a lot of enjoyment. I don't know if you are new to BP or not so will mention a few suppliers as well that you can google.

Track Of The Wolf - a great on-line catalog - they carry just about everything you need in accessories as well as guns and gun parts - some pistol, rifle and shotgun - I've dealt with them for years and they are good folks

Dixie Gun Works - been around a lot of years and they have a lot to offer in guns and accessories

A suggestion on accessories - you'll need some type of powder container and probably one of the best things for shooting pistols would be to get a flask - there are a variety of styles out there

Powder measure - for starting out, a good adjustable measure that will allow you to measure a variety of load sizes until you find out what works best for you - there are some good brass ones out there

Percussion Caps - size will depend on the pistol you buy and what they recommend - whatever pistol you get, somebody on here will probably have one like it and can be of help in advising you on load sizes, ball sizes, cap sizes, etc.

Balls - the manual with the pistol you get will probably recommend a size or you can ask on here - depends on caliber, etc. "swaged balls" can be purchased in boxes of 100 - after a while, if you are so inclined, you may want to get into casting your own

Powder - you'll be using either real Black Powder or a substitute - depends on what you have available locally

Cleaning kit - these pistols create a lot of "foouling" - hot soapy water works good to clean with - if you don't get it cleaned good, what fouling is left can easily cause rust - I'd recommend a pistol cleaning kit of some sort that has a bore brush as well as a jag (most kits do) that will fit the caliber of your pistol and cleaning patches - store bought or home made from one of your better half's finest sheets!? :D Some type of oil or other rust preventative to oil it down after you clean it - everybody has their favorite - WD40, gunoil, etc. - I use pure virgin olive oil most of the time

Lube - some type to cover the balls in the chamber after you've seated the ball in the cylinder - some have their own formula - Crisco works well to start with - I melt up a pound of Crisco along with the wax from a toilet ring - the toilet rings aren't pure beeswax anymore but the mixture of that and the crisco seems to work well for me - it all depends on the temperature you're shooting in - but Crisco will work fine to start out

Capper - this isn't necessar to start with as you can put the caps on the nipples by hand (just as many did originally) - but if you find a capper that will allow you to fit a cap on the nipple of your revolver, it speeds things up

Like anything else in this life, "you get what you pay for" - that doesn't mean you have to purchase the most expensive item - just be prudent and look for the best quality at the price you want to pay.

I'm sure others will chime in here with help. Welcome aboard and good luck in your new adventure - all I can say is that you're gonna love it! Lot's of good fellows on here with lots of experience so don't be afraid to ask! The only dumb question is the one you don't ask! Have fun! :)
 
Great list bedbug. I would recommend the Pietta Remington 1858. $200 is hard to beat. These are trouble free revolvers, excellent to cut your BP teeth on. You well learn the loading and cleaning routines and then be ready for any model out their. Welcome to the asylum and be careful, these are very additive.
 
thanks for all the help, after doing some more research into them i had another question. some of these guns say they have brass frames, and from related searches some say that steel frames are more sturdy and that they can also take the conversion cylinders to shoot cartridge ammo. will the difference of brass verse steal make a big difference in the long run if im not using the conversion cylinder (i have other firearms that i shoot with caridge ammo so i dont see a point to them)
 
Yes the frame material can make a considerable difference in the longevity of the gun and how much powder can be safely loaded into it without causing premature frame wear.
With brass frames it's recommended to only load 25 grains of powder or less, whereas steel frames can be loaded with up to 40 grains of powder.
So buying a brass frame will limit the shooting enjoyment to "mostly" only milder target loads.
If a person wants to enjoy full house BP loads then buy a steel frame and don't look back. It will last a lifetime. :)
 
In my experience, from what I've personally seen over a few decades, the steel-framed guns are generally better fitted and finished than the brass-framed guns.
The manufacturer knows that the brass-framed revolver will be sold for less money, so he invests less time and effort in it. I've seen rifled (steel) bores on the brass-framed versions full of machining marks. Obviously, the machining marks in the bore weren't polished out before it was rifled. In the steel-framed guns, they usually have nice, shiny bores with only a trace of machining marks, indicating they received some amount of polish before rifling.
Go the few extra bucks and get a steel-framed gun. It's worth it. It will also give you the option of firing full-power loads, if you wish. The long-term durability is yet another factor.
Some folks think brass looks nice. Me, I see it's yellow as a caution sign.
 
They wear out quickly and "shoot loose." They are basically junk!
Click to expand...
That's a bit of hyperbole. If abused with heavy loads they will wear out much faster than a steel frame gun. If treated well they can last a lifetime and provide much good service.
 
Very much hyperbole. Brass frames are not the strongest ... but they are historically [more] accurate for some models. They are what they are, but they are not junk.
 
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I recently purchased a brass framed Pietta copy of a "Confederate" Colt model 1851 .36 cal. revolver.

It's a Colt in the same way that a Fabrique Nationale Auto-5 Shotgun manufactured in Belgium is a Browning.

In the Civil War, many a weak-framed Confederate Colt dropped Yankee troopers with stronger framed guns. (And vice versa sometimes!)

My brasser is a purty, purty gun. I know it'sframe isn't as strong as a steel frame, but my 1930 Police Positive isn't built to shoot +P ammo either, and I almost never do, but on those occasions where it has to do bedside HD duty, do I load it with +P? Most definitely.

I see the brass framed Colt the same way. For play, light loads. For gunfights, heavy loads.

Having said all that I would like to get a steel frame. I would swear I saw one for sale for $90 on-line somewhere a month or so ago. but Taylors & Company is the only source I can find now who currently sells them and they want almost as much for that one part as I paid for my entire gun. Kind of makes me wonder if these frames are generic parts, and one manufacturer makes them and all the gun manufacturers like Pietta, Umberti, and everybody else buys from that source???

Anybody know where else I could buy a steel frame for my gun?
 
A First Revolver

Believe I would have to call up Cabela's and buy that 1858 New Army in .44 while they are $199.99 + about $ 16.00 S&H. You will have something that will last you a life time. I've owned one of my 58s for 20 some years and it's just starting to get broke in good. They are Pietta, and there's nothing in the world wrong with them. Like others have posted, Cabela's stand buy there products. If you are not happy with what you buy just call them, and send it back. That's all there is to it. I bought 4 steel model's befour I got the brass .44 Colt 51 revolver to plink around with. Have to keep the powder charge low on the brass frames so it will last. Heck even if I had a couple 58, 60, or 51s when Cabela's puts them at $199.99 it's hard to not buy another one. I'm sure if you got the 58 Army, and shot it you will be back for another model. I tried to stick with the .44s but just had to try out a .36 cal steel frame 51, now I want the 58 New Army Police in .36 to go with it. Think about it. Be safe. ShotPut.
 
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From the evidence I've seen, the Confederate brass-framed revolvers are not historically correct. (The Remington .31 pocket revolver WAS made by Remington in a brass-framed version, but none of the .36 or .44's were.)

As far as I know the only two brass-framed revolvers produced by the Confederacy were the Griswold and Gunnison, and the Spiller and Burr. The Griswold and Gunnison was a fairly accurate copy of the Colt 1851 Navy, and the Spiller and Burr was similar to a Remington, but that's about as far as it went.

So I believe that most of the brass-framed "copies" of Colt or Remington revolvers are in the realm of "fantasy" guns, similar to the .44 caliber 1851 Navies, that never existed back in the day.

There may have been a few small manufacturers making brass-framed copies of Colts or others of which I am not aware. If so, if anyone can provide specific information or a link, please post them.
 
The .44 brass, of course IS a fantasy gun, and I don't normally like them, however, one night last year Cabela's was selling them for $129.
Man, I grabbed a couple for presents for friends.
I keep dropping by there, but haven't seen that deal since then.
But $129, I don't care if you fire it or use it to crack walnuts, that's a deal.

OJW
 
tpelle said:
From the evidence I've seen, the Confederate brass-framed revolvers are not historically correct. (The Remington .31 pocket revolver WAS made by Remington in a brass-framed version, but none of the .36 or .44's were.)

As far as I know the only two brass-framed revolvers produced by the Confederacy were the Griswold and Gunnison, and the Spiller and Burr. The Griswold and Gunnison was a fairly accurate copy of the Colt 1851 Navy, and the Spiller and Burr was similar to a Remington, but that's about as far as it went.

So I believe that most of the brass-framed "copies" of Colt or Remington revolvers are in the realm of "fantasy" guns, similar to the .44 caliber 1851 Navies, that never existed back in the day.

There may have been a few small manufacturers making brass-framed copies of Colts or others of which I am not aware. If so, if anyone can provide specific information or a link, please post them.
Click to expand...

The current repros of the Griswold and Gunnison and the Spiller and Burr are fairly accurate reproductions of the revolvers made by the South during the Civil War. The G&G, while copying most of the features of the '51 Colt Navy, had a round barrel (like the iron framed Leech and Rigdon) instead of the Colt's octagonal barrel. The Spiller and Burr was a Southern copy of the Whitney revolver, not the Remington. Total production of the G&G was in the neighborhood of 3700 revolvers while 1250 Spiller and Burr revolvers were produced by the company and the Confederate government.

There was a third manufacturer of brass framed Confederate revolvers. T.W. Cofer and Co of Portsmouth, VA made a brass framed .36 caliber revolver with a spur trigger. The Cofer is generally considered a secondary or Confederate Associated revolver. While the actual number made is unknown; it is believed that around 150 were made with 80 some odd of them being bought by the State of Virginia to outfit the 5th VA Cavalry.

Another brass framed revolver that is identified as a Confederate firearm is the Schneider and Glassick. It would have been a true brass framed octgonal barreled copy of the '51 Colt, if it had ever gone into production. Again, no one knows how many were actually made; but the only known examples have serial numbers under 25.

There never was a brass framed Texas Remington or Confederate Remington. Nor were there any .44 caliber '51 Navies (Armies?) with either brass or steel (iron) frames (or 5 inch barrels either for that matter). These were all inventions by the Italian reproduction manufacturers.

Now; back to the original post:

I am a Colt shooter. Remingtons do not feel right in my hands. I've had a few different Remingtons, and could just never get used to them.

With that said, for a beginning C&B revolver, the Remington is probably the easiest one to get started with. It does not have all of the idiosyncracies that the Colt style revolver does.

AND.............What Bedbugbilly said +1
 
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