I am a machinist and can testify, your work is only as good as your tools. You have a great looking set of drivers.

I ended up with a colt navy and a new army (I guess it's called) from Pietta. The man who gave them to me didn't like them and traded me for a couple of antique felling axes. I really like the idea of using black powder arms and want to get some more, but have never used them before. Man am I grateful for your channel! I am approaching black powder shooting now with a great deal more confidence. Thank you sir.

Thanks. I'm glad you enjoy the videos. I have guns I've used Ballisol on for 15 years that still have great color case hardening. I've never been impressed with Uberti's CCH on handguns, which I have often told them...you can see how seriously they take me...*LOL*

Mike, I'm just getting back into black powder muzzleloading after a 40 year hiatus. Much has changed since the mid 70's. Thank you very much for your videos!!! They are proving to be invaluable to me!

Dear Mike: I haven't been continuously involved with Cap and Ball Revolvers and Black Powder like you have, but my first 1851 Navy predates the Italian replicas, it was a Civil War Veteran acquired in 1954 from my Great Grandfather, he himself NOT a Civil War Veteran, along with a box of gear and a completely dried out and useless belt and holster. My methods of cleaning are similar to yours except for the use of a variety of bore brushes sized for barrel, cylinder AND nipple threads and Brass "tooth brushes" as well. Early on I actually boiled the parts in the traditional soapy water solution then in a hot water and soluble oil mix, then drying everything with a hair dryer which got me in trouble with my mother. I have since graduated to Ballistol, Ballistol and water, then finally a wiped on coating of RIG which does a great job of protecting CLEAN metal from corrosion and moisture. Given my long use of various brushes, I am a little curious as to the reasons you do not use them, especially on cylinder throats, forcing cones on the barrels, and in the rifling itself where that soft pure lead tends to smear. I have had at times resorted to Shooters Choice mixed with Kroil and vigorous brushing after a long soak to remove lead from these areas. I began my association with percussion revolver at the age of 13 in 1954 aided with advice and training, and can't believe that the brushes and some kind of lead removal solution are not necessary, at least periodically. Do you have any advice about these matters, or am I just wasting my time and energy?

I SOOOO hope I'm not being repetitious Mike. Well done! As one who both taught and "administrated" police officers for many years, I ABSOLUTELY believe commendations for great work should never be neglected! As one who recently disassembled his Colt 1860 Army to weld the previously damaged hammer face (Previous owner apparently allowed his g-kids to indiscriminately dryfire the gun in between dumping in into a cement mixer!), and who had NO IDEA how to reassemble it, I THANK YOU SO MUCH! :^)

Wow, that is pretty interesting cleaning. I have a large plastic square tub I pour soapy boiling water into and throw the barrel assembly and cylinder into it. After soaking for 5 minutes I use my barrel brush, scrub brush till they're clean and set them out. The residual heat of the boiling water dries them completely. I spend most of the time with the action/grip parts which do NOT get put in the water. To each his own.

I use a mop bucket filled with hot water and brushes/jags. Place parts on oven pan covered in tin foil at 150 degrees for 30 mins. Lightly wipe down with olive oil after removing from oven. A light surface rust will appear during bake process but easily wipes away. Never had a problem with this approach. Best benefit is the metal soaks up the olive oil and seasons it in such a way that future cleanups are effortless.

Thanks for sharing that. I really appreciate you sharing your time and expertise in these videos. You make this stuff much easier for the rest of us.

thank you for saying that this video is only the barrel and cylinder, I need to see the action disassembly mainly so it was nice to know.

Yes. You remove the screw in the barrel assembly to drop the complete loading lever assembly. Then you remove the only screw to separate the rammer from the loading lever.

Perfect video and exactly what I was looking for! Thank you!

I'm glad it helped you.

Great video. Thank you for making this.

Good luck with it. I think you'll like it.

I used ballistol for the first time ever the other day to clean my guns and it was so much easier and faster.

Excellent video I have a Uberti 1851 Navy being delivered this week.

thanks for putting this on here it was very helpfull

Yes. That's what I use on my flintlocks.

Awesome stuff! Bought my first blackpowder revolver yesterday, a factory chrome plated Colt Pocket 1849 5" ... just a small .32 but I have time to buy more :) This video was _really_ useful ! BOTH thumbs up!

Exactly the same

I'm not into black powder yet but i will be someday. Very interesting. Thanks.

THANKS MIKE!

Yes

Not yet. I'll try to work one into the schedule

Merci beaucoup ,cela aide parfaitement !

I Have a hard time taking apart and putting together. with out a cam. thank you mike.

Thanks for this!

Thanks Mike

Okay, thank you very much! :)

Remingtons are notorious for fouling, and my guns are no exception. After firing every cylinder full of rounds, I pull out the basepin and spray it with aerosol Balistol. If the action still feels gummy, I'll pull the cylinder and wipe its face and wipe the back of the barrel with an alcohol soaked patch.

Thank you!

I can't answer that yet, but I'll be experimenting with Rand CLP soon and I'll let you know.

Yes. Pyrodex is basically black powder with a reduced sulphur content.

What is the PH of the salts left behind by the black powder?

This is the first bp gun I owned I can't wait to go shoot had it for two days but I'm gonna wait til I have all the right stuff to clean it to load it right etc... My friends made fun of me cause I got this kinda gun but I think it teaches you a lot in resonseabltiy just cause the way you gotta take care of it etc and I already think these kinda gun are gonna always be my fav it's like a chick u know you more then just like your totally into them, sorry if ya don't feel what I'm feelin but I really like these guns I just got the navy colt 44 and I can't stop thinking about goin out shooting w my lady and we both come back home and clean it together. I kinda lucked out my lady loves guns and already has many of her own so this piece to our collection is awesome and we already picking out another one for her. Take care ,,,,,Mr J

you are the best

Do you take it apart to this level after every range day? EDIT: Thanks for the videos! I have no one to teach me black powder so your channel has been a HUGE help! I only wish I discovered black powder sooner!

I would expect it to fit the Remington and the Rogers & Spencer. I am not positive, but I think the single shot pistols will need a bigger wrench. But the best thing to do is to email or call Track of the Wolf and tell them what gun or guns you need a nipple wrench for, and they will recommend wrenches that will fit.

I have a Tipton jag set

You're a huge Balistol fan I can see :)

Only two companies make them, regardless of who sells them, so I'd do some web searching to find the best price. Midway USA or Cabela's are generally good places to start.

I usually just break them down to major components and remove the nipples, but I had several requests for a disassembly video, and that allowed me to kill two birds with one stone. I break them down totally a few times a year and go over every part.

@duelist1954 thanks great video this will help me out a lot, I have the brass frame model will it disassemble the same way?

hey,i've been using wheel cleaner (not brake cleaner) to clean up black powder and pyrodex residue for awhile now,works better than anything i ever used before.just thought i'd pass it on.

I've not shot .38 caliber Kirst converters, so I can't say for certain. But I have shot Howell .38LC conversions and you can shoot some .38 Spl rounds in them. But I've found that any bullets bigger than 125-grains will be too long for the chambers.

could you provide a link to the screwdrivers you used on this particular gun? I just got into black powder revolvers and shot it for the first time today and had a blast! Your videos have been extremely helpful!

GREAT video! One question, do you ever scrub the bore/chambers with brushes, or do the jags clean them just as well? Thanks!

First try putting the barrel on sideways to see if the problem is the arbor or the alignment pins on the frame. If it is the arbor I'd go over the arbor and the arbor hole in the barrel with 320 grit emery cloth.

the greatest part about ballistol is that it is harmless. You can drink it, and there's even a variant of ballistol for wound care, stomach aches and skin care.

It is a water soluble oil.

I use dish soap and hot water to clean the major parts, a long thin rag with a knot in it as a bore snake during that hot dish soap scrub, zippo lighter fluid to soak the nipples and their threads, the same zippo fluid and toilet paper to get tough spots, tight spots, and double check nothing left in the bore, if I'm not fully dissassembling the action I squirt a bunch in their and rinse it out with zippo, dry everything up and then coat the entire thing, every part except the nipples in a light crisco, swab some down the barrel, very light full coating in the cylinders and on the grips, everything, then wipe any excess off, put a dab on the nipple threads careful to not get any near the vent hole, and work it in to them and then put em back in the cylinder. Using the the crisco I lube the arbor a thin coat, then reassemble the whole thing. I wipe any greasyness lith a clean cotton cloth, and wipe the outside on large areas with a little of the zippo if it still feels greasy at all. This has gotten my revolver very clean and kept it well oiled between shooting sessions, and keeping the leather holster nice and moist with veg oil, crisco also, I have never seen a single speck of rust pop up and this has been true over timeframes of up to two years in a wet climate.

What size are the two Grace screwdrivers ?

Would you recommend the same use of ballistol and water with Pyrodex? I am new to BP and I don't know if the corrosive properties are different or not.

You Should do a video on how you now use the Rand CLP, I wonder if Rand is similar to Froglube, both have the vegetable base.

This is deep cleaning. I want to use my gun regularly, what should I do to keep it (relatively) clean without having to completely disassemble it?

I got a kirst conversion cylinder and cut the recoil shield on my 1858 steel frame a little deeper than I needed to. Maybe a lot deeper. I've shot the gun 10 times with cowboy loads and I can't see any damage at all. Will it eventually fail or is 10 shots a good test.

Really enjoy your videos. Had a quick question. Have you ever noticed Ballistol to remove or cause fading in the case color hardening? I have a Cimmaron/Uberti 1851 Navy that I use Ballistol on (which I love and works great) but I've noticed in the couple years I've owned it that the case color hardening went from vibrant to faintly noticeable and the frame now has that greyish look to it. Appreciate any input you may have and again great job with your videos.

Alignment pins are actually a loose fit. I worked on reducing the arbor diameter and got it down to a snug fit. Are wedges supposed to be so tight as to require a mallet tap to remove? Love your videos!

Would you go the same way for an original 1861 army?

Would this cleaning approach, using mostly Ballistol, also work for Blackpowder rifles?

I Got My Revolver fixed Taylor's and Company fix the spring for $20 Do I have to clean the Springs everytime I shoot the gun to clean it

Also, is CLP oil fine for these guns, as opposed to the pure ballistol? It is what I use in my other guns.

I recently bought a Pietta 1851 Navy .36 cal colt. You showed in your video the screw driver for this revolver. You did not mention the head size used on it. I am a beginner and do not want to buy a whole set if I cant just get the size I need. Could you please give me the size and brand name. BTW love all of your videos its what got me interested in the Pietta Navy colt. THANKS!!!!!

Did you refinish the grips on that. The one I got has a more red tint to the stain and I don't really like it. I was thinking of refinishing mine with a Moorish teak finish and possibly shining them up with a polyurethane finish. Of course the all time best would be ivory grips Ala Wild Bill.

Would cleaning it in a ultrasonic tank make it easer to give it a good cleaning?

can u fire 38 special through a kirst converter for 38 long colt

mike my pietta alchimista is getting some rust on the color case hardening what should i do

pretty much...won't fit Ruger Old Army revolvers because they need a specific Ruger wrench. But it will fit most Colt and Remington repros

I enjoy your videos, and will generally learn something each time I watch one. There is one problem with part one of cleaning. The entire frame assembly is not taken apart, then suddenly, it is apart. Since that has the major machinery, it needed to be covered. This is a minor point, but important. Keep up the good work?

I am new to cap and ball, just got my first revolver which is an 1860 Army by Pietta. I have been trying to remove the wedge for hours. I've tried to push it out with my thumb... I have hit it with a rubber mallet... I have tried a wooden dowel with the mallet etc. Please can you help me with any other tips or recommendations that may allow me to remove this wedge? I am thinking I have made a bad choice getting into this but I want to learn very much. Any and all help is very appreciated

Mike, thanks for the great video. I think it is the most thorough one I've seem. I just got the .36 Pietta 1851. When I cleaned the oil off, I used T6 foaming bore cleaner. (I once soaked a 9mm in mineral spirits to get all the oil off.) I wiped parts down with Hoppes and then oiled everything. After watching your video, I ordered Ballistol and plan to switch over to it. Out of curiosity, on the Ballistol website it notes that to clean black powder to use a 25%/75% mixture. You use a 10:1 mixture. I was also wondering what you use to clean and keep the wood looking good? Finally, what is the small wedge screw used for? I noticed it doesn't fit quite tight against the frame, like the other screws do. I suppose it's because my gun is new, but I had to put the butt on my leg and tap the barrel to get it to slide back on the frame. Anyway, keep up the great work! Us newbies need a mentor to help us along, and I'm sure I can speak for everyone when I say thank you.

Hi Mike, How does the loading lever on a 1860 Army come off? MW

Mike, What causes my 1860 to be so hard to take down? The arbor seems too large for the arbor hole. It's a new Uberti from Dixie Gunworks. The barrel assembly will not easily seat against the frame. Is there a fix? Thanks, Tom Ireland Hagerstown, MD

Thanks, I saw that you answered that question later in your video. Thank you I am new to Black Powder Percussion... Addicted now. I have not seen "Ballistol" around here... Can you tell me another equivalent oil? Plus I looked up that screw driver set that you have and it is in the $400 plus range... Could you list most common sizes needed for these guns as well as for the 1863 SAA's? Thanks again subed to your channel as well :)

Hi Mike: on your video you stated that you used 3 different bits to disassemble your Colt dragoon a 180-3, 270-4, and a 340-4. my question is this. Will these 3 bits also work on my 1860 army by Pietta? or will I need other size bits. and if I do need other bits, then what sizes do I need?... I also find your videos to be most informative and very useful...Thanks again Mike

what jag setup are you using?

thanks i think i must have misted a spot when i was cleaning

I think you missed one of Colt's most interesting C&P Revolvers, the 1855 Root. Do you have any experience repairing and restoring this model?

Yep, but HOW does it come off? :) Does it have a screw like the Navy?

Virtually forever. Unfired black powder is not corrosive

What do you think of a mixture of Alcohol, Peroxide and wood oil soap for cleaning?

Those should fit most Colts and Colt reproductions.

So the wedge in my 1860 Army isn't coming out. I've pressed it down with my thumb and no luck. Tried using a rubber mallet, no luck. Tried pulling on the other side while I press down and no luck. Is there another way I can get it out?

Any recommendations for a revolver that won’t break apart? Barrel wedge is removed, tried the loading lever trick and Nothing. Stuck pretty good..the pistol of quite rusted with surface rust so I imagine the issue is corrosion. I have yet to shoot this thing. Got it in in trade with a few sidelock rifles

Could I use water and Hoppe's if I don't have any Ballistol?

I clean my black powder weapons with Soap/Water and White Vinegar (50/50); then use Bio-diesel as lube. Very safe.

Is cleaning with hot soapy water bad for the gun?

What about taking barrel and grip off . Then put in a sonic cleaner. Minus grip of course .

what is the exact name of that wedge you hit with the plastic hammer in the beginning of the video...inherited a bp gun with markings made in italy and XI and that wedge is missing

How would i take the wedge out with out a plastic mallet and cant just push it out?

Originally water was the cleaner black powder breaks down with water

Mike, can I use straight Ballistol for cleaning my revolver? I use Pyrodex P.

What size heads are those screwdrivers?

VTI gun parts should be able to help you.

Where is part #2? I need some help resembling

Just picked up a walker and I can't the barrel off the arbor! I tried the loading lever trick you showed, but no luck. Any ideas?

What is the diff. Between the nipples on the pocket v the dragoons? They all seem to be interchangeable? Why do they specify the revolver when ordering?

This is just the kind of information I need as a novice black powder shooter. I have recently bought an Uberti Navy Colt in .36 calibre. I want to deep clean the weapon before I use it but need to put together a kit of tools. My one concern is removing the nipples - are nipple wrenches a standard size or do I need to buy one specifically for the manufacturer? Many thanks for your massively informative videos.

If the screws in this gun are easily messed up, can't you heat treat them to harden them, or but hardened screws ?