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24 Comments

  3. Good article! I suggest for further reading, the excellent “Percussion Revolvers”, by Mike Cumpston and Johnny Bates. It covers the various revolvers in detail, with tips on maintenance and cleaning, as well as disassembly. It could help a lot if you’re still uncertain — even after the excellent comparison the article gave — which revolver is for you.

    Another cleaning hint is to never lube your revolver with petroleum based greases or oils. They can combine with bp residues and make a hard to clean mess. Natural lubes keep fouling soft and make cleaning easier. Ballistol is one such lube and cleaner. There are many recipes for homemade lubes, such as beeswax and olive oil (the cheap olive oil, from Target and similar stores, not extra virgin oil) in 4 parts oil to one part wax (by weight) in cold climates, up to a 50/50 mix for Texas summers! My favorite is the “Gatofeo” lube, which includes sheep tallow. Go to thehighroad.org and search for “gatofeo lube” for more info, and for recipes of other shooters who chimed in.

  4. A couple decades ago my wife gave me two black powder revolver kits for Christmas. She told me later they were $75 or so each. They sat for a long time, one day when my project list was short and winter was cold I got to work on them. Loosely based on the 1851 Colt they are .44 caliber with round barrels and brass frames. They shoot beautifully with 25 grain charges. We won’t be shooting them a lot, I consider them my last line of defense. Cleaned up and put up, when the day comes each of my Sons will be given one in a presentation box. I think these kits are well over $200 these days. I have a.50 caliber Hawken kit on the way as a project for the present cold winter and a hedge against the likely severe gun control attempts of the incoming communist administration.
    Thank you for bringing this subject to our attention!

    1. If you really want to go Hard Core Mad Max, Google slam fire shot gun. You can legally in most locals make one from parts at your big box lumber plumbing section.

  5. Brass Framed cap and ball do not do well with full military loading. The above .44 using 25 grains is a decent load. A little like firing 38 P+ in an older 38 not a good idea over time.

    Steel framed are almost bullet proof unless you foolishly use smokeless powder.

    I’d not feel under gunned with a steel framed new army 44 with conical and full military loading. You can file CAREFULLY the front sight to get your point of aim correct. Dabs of bright yellow fingernail polish makes for better sight picture.

    REMEMBER no pistol punches through modern body armor, Two in the ARMOR means NOTHING as they shoot you. Belly Shots as body armor isn’t there. Lot’s of major blood vessels and CNS potential there.

    1. Michael,
      The enemy snipers in Iraq learned early to shoot “around” body armor. Our Marines and US Army warriors were commonly shot in the buttocks or thighs, a wound that could kill them, or at least end their tour.
      One of my civilian contractor partners, a State Trooper from a southern state, was hit in his left shoulder by a sniper’s bullet that did not penetrate his skin. He was going up the steps to a lookout tower near Baghdad. To his left, a step or two ahead of him and above him, was a US soldier. As they approached the top step the soldier was struck in his left hip by the sniper’s bullet, which passed through and struck the contractor in his left shoulder. The spent projectile fell to one of the steps and rested there.
      The US Warrior survived. My contractor friend received a bad bruise but nothing more.
      God was watching over them both.

      Semper Fi

  6. The demand for ammo is so great, all the usual reloading powders are gone. However there is a new powder they found at the bottom of the barrel called Vectan.
    Ordered up some for a friend’s 300 Win Mag, an equivalent of H4831 to H1000, called TU-8000. The price is attractive, only $25.00 for 1.1 pounds. Found this a Graf’s and Sons.

    Keeping black powder dry could be a problem, but black powder works. There is plenty of BP for sale. Although we are not this desperate yet, there are lots of video on YouTube showing how to load a 12ga shotgun like muzzle loader. Just install a 204 primer in the brass after the plastic hull is cut away. Use Pryrodex. Read up on how to load a black powder shotgun.

    1. blackhorn209(dot)com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/b209blackpowdercartridgedata
      A loading data sheet for people wanting to load cartridges with Blackhorn 209 [a modern black powder substitute.]

      The information might be of use to people. An how to article might be of use to people too.

      1. Thanks! Always need more data. More data means more options. Never know when one will run into obscure components and might need to make use of them. Black powder out of a 29 inch 8mm Mauser, or long barreled shot gun just might make them think all you got is muskets! Just like 4831, fill up the case and stuff a bullet in there. There is always one more way to have fun with black powder.

        1. People starting Black Powder shooting should avail them of all the free information around. … Stay with SurvivalBlog and people like Tunnel Rabbit as a place to start.

          From the internet: usermanuals(dot)tech/d/lyman-black-powder-instructions-manual/part1#1
          Lyman Black Powder Instructions Manual

          A free 48 page manual for Lyman Products [PFD file or printable.]. This is NOT NOT NOT a manual for developing amounts (loads) inside a rifle. The excellent paper manuals cost money.

          ~~>This site allows people to just look at basic information ~without actually downloading anything. [Especially important, for people concerned about ‘trackers and viruses’ on their computers.]

          ~Hard Copy manuals are sold on line for loading data. Powder Substitutes [In my experience] come with a specification sheet. Plus as cited above, manufacturers will have information on the Internet.
          *****
          *****
          A collection of ~manufacturer’s information might be of use to people. It’s always good to have an understanding of the basics. = Stay with SurvivalBlog.

          The Internet has a lot of free information, and instruction videos; often the videos will come directly from a manufacturer.

          At this point, as our World turns on its axis, a lot of people would like to know how to load Black Powder and the Substitutes, into the empty cases they have accumulated.

          The link above for blackhorn 209 substitute has specifications for the older cartridges.
          Fortunately, for me at least, a .357/.38 special revolver is considered an old timer. The ‘pressures’ developed by blackhorn 209 is touted as being much lower than modern ammunition too.

          [‘Seeing how’ ~ I have an uncanny resemblance to Elmer Fudd, I worry about a firearm blowing-up in my face!]

          1. Trail Boss Powder

            Trailboss can still be found, and is an alternative for brass case black powder loadings, and can also be used in modern firearm without the risk of corrosive salts.

            Trail Boss that was developed for reduced pressure loads for Cowboy shooting. It is modern powder that may still be found for sale. I used for subsonic and plinking loads. It is a pleasure to shoot. Any cartridge up to .3006 can be loaded with Trail Boss. In the absences of load data for any cartridge, determine the depth of the bullet inside the case, and fill up the case with Trail Boss to the point where the powder is no higher in the case than the bottom of the bullet seats in the case. Do not compress this powder, or safe pressures could be exceeded. Because velocities are under 1800 fps, inexpensive and available lead cast bullets, and hard cast copper plated bullets, such as Berry’s Bullets, can be used. Last time I bought plated bullets, they were .10 cents each for 150 grain flat nose. I choose these because they require no lubrication, and are accurate at subsonic speeds. 16 grains of Trail Boss is the sweet spot for .3006 for accuracy, and a velocity just under 1,800 fps that does not strip off the plating.

    2. Tunnel Rabbit I know that the 303 British was originally a compressed black power load under a 200 grain round nosed lead bullet. I loaded some for reenactments for Zulu era. Most Cartridges of that time were also BP before smokeless became popular.

      When I was in the Philippines I did some hunting using 38 Special BP reloads that were primered by reforming the old used primer and loaded with strike anywhere match heads. They actually worked well with hand cast wheel weight bullets. I recall a few hang fires and a dud or two but under Marcos ammo was very hard to get. I understood some old Jap 7.7 was also done that way. Not a surprise as the 303 and the 7.7 were kissing cousins.

  7. It’s a good school in here…Looking at reloading basics and self-defense alternatives.

    I Picked up some Fort Scott, TUI 223 at a local building center on Sunday.

    Solid copper it was the last two boxes~ It’s still America in much of patriot, redoubt regions.

    You Can you still get your hardware and building supplies… in these blessed areas. Who your neighbors and friends are will mean alot in the years to come.

    Matt Bracken Has important insights in the last two weeks about what America will look like. I take the position of prayer and peace….With practical interpretation towards our Constitution.

    Trump made the deep state look bad for four years.

    Today, they are giving him the boot as a sendoff… retaliation (dishonor, fraud).. it’s actually a message for all patriots. The left-wing is an aggressive and violent / divisive force in America.

    God’s grace will help lead us. It’s the time we live in. We all have that unsettled feeling that our republic is sick…

    God bless you who love America, your familys and rural dwellers!

    2. You got that right- the left are violent and feeling emboldened by the media and the feds running interference for them. I seem to recall a politician bragging about a “civilian force to match the uniformed police in training and equipment”. My oh my the chickens have come home to roost; sad days ahead. Lord Jesus have mercy on us.

  9. Just watched a few clips from The Outlaw Josie Wales. The movie is painfully long. Maybe another day.

    BTW, how did he get the moniker Josie?

    Carry on

    1. “The film [The Outlaw Josey Wales] was adapted by Sonia Chernus and Philip Kaufman from author Asa Earl “Forrest” Carter’s 1972 novel The Rebel Outlaw: Josey Wales (republished, as shown in the movie’s opening credits, as Gone to Texas).” ~ Wikipedia

      Josey can be a nickname for Joseph or Josephine (according to the Internet). … I didn’t read the Book to try and figure out whether a ‘nickname or real name’ for Josey in the ~book. [It’s a fictional book and movie.]

      I did read a little bit about Asa Earl “Forrest” Carter on Wikipedia. Most likely, Asa E. Carter was NOT NOT ~ Black, Jewish or Catholic.
      [Conjecture on my part: Maybe, the book author liked the nickname ‘Forrest’ because he didn’t like being called ‘Ass-ah’ by everyone.]

  11. I knew nothing about BP ( except that my departed Dad had 2 wheel guns) until I bought what I thought was a kit. I got out to my truck with all the energy of a 5 yr old on Christmas morning, opened the box, and saw a fully functional Pietta brass frame .44. I was a bit disappointed that the weekend project I had envisioned had just evaporated!
    I went back into Cabelas, picked up all the necessary components to make it run, and headed home. I spent the next day on cloud 9!!! Although some people have had issues, mine was, and still is, a nail driver right out of the box.
    To my best guess, I have run about 900 rounds through it, give or take. Still as accurate as day 1.

    Given the clamp down on soft lead, I reclaim spent projectiles to melt and recast into usable BP projectiles. I have since expanded my BP Seed Spreaders to 3 more wheel guns and 2 long guns.

    I love the look on the faces of the youngins when I am more accurate with my ” old skool” sidearms than they are with their high speed, low drag new fangled slide guns!

  12. Rooster Cogburn: Why, by God, girl, that’s a Colt’s Dragoon! You’re no bigger than a corn nubbin, what’re you doing with all this pistol?

    Mattie Ross: It belonged to my father, he carried it bravely in the war, and I intend to kill Tom Chaney with it if the law fails to do so.

    Rooster Cogburn: Well, this’ll sure get the job done if you can find a fence post to rest it on while you take aim.
    —

    (what a great movie… yeah, get a cap and ball pistol for when the last of your brass cases finally wear out… )

  13. You know everyone that black powder will be highly regulated or banned from private ownership. Think it through any threat to their BS will be quashed very quickly Look at the purge going on now. Leftist groups destroying entire business districts are no problem, But lets go after the people on the storming on Jan 6 with everything they can. No mention of Nashville anymore But when they do it will involve a Black Powder explosive. Please remember Ashli in your prayers. God have mercy on us

    1. Yeah, where is the “news” about that investigation?
      Unarmed and wrapped in either a Trump flag or a “Don’t Tread On Me” flag. I’m still not sure which is was. MSM evidently doesn’t either.

      Semper Fi

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