Mike, I appreciate the honesty of your videos. When the light hammer spring didn't set off the caps, I think some unscrupulous people would have been tempted to leave that part out. Also, it doesn't bother me in the least that you show the loading sequence every time you bring out a cap and ball gun. It gives the viewer a chance to get a close-up look at the gun you're working with. The viewer can see the finish of the gun, as well as how smoothly the cylinder turns, how easy or difficult it is to load the gun, etc. Great work. Keep the videos coming!!

I agree. I never tire of watching the loading.

Yet again a find another of your videos covering the exact issues I've been confronting , I love your work my friend

Been shooting single shot muzzle loaders for a few weeks but tomorrow (hopefully) will shoot my 1851 for the first time. I thank you for showing the loading sequences it really does make us newbies have an easier time seeing how it is done!

A very interesting video. I knew nothing about ball & cap revolvers and little about historic firearms. Thanks and I look forward to you next video.

Mike you’re a wealth of knowledge! Keep up the good work!

Very informative video! I totally agree on showing the loading sequence on all vids for the reasons you gave.

Mike, I really enjoy your videos. I particularly like the honesty,it's refreshing to see.Your knowledge of cap and ball revolvers has been an encouraging nudge for me to get involved in blackpowder shooting. This was something I wanted to do 15 years ago, but friends told me it was too dangerous and too much work. Thanks Mike for the enjoyable videos,because of your videos I will be spending some money and looking forward to a new experience in shooting.

Thank you for the great videos. I learn something from you every time.

Nice job on that final group.

In self quarantine doing this social distancing so I have been going through all of your great videos. So much good content. Some I even forgot about. Just know that even though there will always be people who have negative things to say, most people are thankful and enjoy the videos.

I think you got me with that last round....Thanks Mike ,I always enjoy your vids.

Props to you, Mike, for showing the (potentially) embarassing results exactly as they happened. One of the reasons I value your videos is because you never hide it if something goes wrong.

Keep on showing those loading scenes, this is what 30% of the fun I think BTW. Good work Duelist.... as always

Thanks for all your vids Mike!!

Another excellent video Mike, thank you.

Bro your awesome keep doing what your doing, especially what you were saying about the loading part, I've seen you do it several times but I can always skip it , but don't as for your cowboy load , I will never carry with an empty chamber and I appreciate your teachings thank you

the last group was outstanding !

Wow off hand and on target! you sir are a great shootist!

This is the first video I have ever seen of a cap and ball and I do appreciate you showing it off. Thank you!

That last group was perfect 👌

The Navy is really the most gorgeous revolver ever made! I love your videos! Would you check out the Navy I’m building?

Thanks for the tool set description on these guns

Colt Navy 1851 an work of art 💖

th i just got the exact same one and you explained it so well thank you

Great video as always Mike. I just grind off on both sides of my factory mainspring with my benchgrinder. I do it just a little at a time on each side of the spring & then test it to make sure it still will pop caps until I grind more. I do that so I won't grind off too much & make the spring too weak. Then I reblue it where I ground it down. The trick is to learn when to stop grinding. I ruined one spring learning. But factory springs are cheap and this way, I can set the tension to my desire.

Yeah I just purchased the Pietta 1851 navy .36 cal, I really like this gun, pretty accurate. Both the Springs broke. Hand and Spring & the Trigger bolt spring. I had this gun for one week. I really hope that this is not a common issue. I really do enjoy watching your video's I have learned from watching them.

Like your accuracy - good shooting

Hi Mike, I added the Wolff 32285 reduced power spring to my four Pietta 1858 Remingtons and have had zero fail to fire after many hundreds of shots. However, that same spring in a Pietta 1860 Army showed the same cap fail to fire rate that your video shows. What's nice about using the reduced power spring in both the 1858 and 1860 is that the reduced trigger pull is like having done a trigger job. The reduced power spring is useful using the Taylor conversion cylinders, no firing pin peening.

Thanks. Do it every time.

I had a Relipca Arms 1847 Colt Walker with a very heavy main spring. I found that with the rosewood grip removed from the handle, (I was constantly trying to make the action better) the hammer moved quite flawlessly and that at the end of the hammer stroke while cocking it back it would glide nicely to the third click. This led to the realization that the rosewood grip was somehow creating too much friction on the spring itself. I just wanted to point this out because the spring, if it can contact the wood at all will malfunction and with my old Walker it did just that. Also, the Walker did not have a very positive fastening to the trigger guard so I think it is possible that without extreme care installing the spring perfectly aligned that your experience may have been flawed due to friction of the spring against the rosewood grip. Perhaps you may want to try her with caps only in a vice with while you have no grip installed just to rule out friction against the wood as a factor in the lightened spring's failure.

I would add a spacer to the original spring or thin it as mentioned before. Those are very nice pistols and on my list of things to buy. Great video as usual.

Great video Mike! Thank you!

I noticed the same thing recently on a couple of T&E guns. I don't know when they made the changes, but it must have been in the past couple of years.

Would love a video explaining the differences in the 1851s

Mike, I am so glad that you realize the importance of including the loading sequence in your cap and ball pistol videos. While it is true that we subscribers have seen the loading sequence many times there is still always that first time for everyone, and seeing your method for loading is extremely useful for novices like myself. When I first saw one of your cap and ball videos I had many questions, most of which involved the loading process: what is the powder charge, do you use lubed patches or not, and if you do, do you grease the end of the cylinders as well, do you use corn meal or cream of wheat cereal between the powder and ball, etc. Your videos have helped me a great deal and besides, they are fun to watch ! Please continue to show the loading process in your videos. I also love the TOW flintlock kit making videos and look forward to seeing them. Great work !

A most excellent, fun, and thorough review. I enjoy using a loading lever and paper cartridges. There are many KZfaq videos on making paper cartridges using cigarette rolling papers. The double wide cigarette rolling papers make two paper cartridges from one sheet of rolling paper. And using either corn meal or grits for filler inside the paper cartridges. There's a big debate as to whether which is best. Peace

I see, thanks for the insight!

Hi, Mike. Thanks for all of your helpful, informative videos on BP revolvers. This past year I got the fever and quickly amassed a decent collection of replica shooters. I was wandering, what distance do you find is proper for sighting in these guns? 15 yards? 25 yards? I'm ready to fine tune several guns now and just want to make sure I'm doing them justice. Thanks, and keep up the excellent work!

I've got a replica 1860 Colt Army 44 that I got from Dixie Gun Works back in the late 60's, it was made in Belgium, you might remember an article in the Cowboy Chronicle about the Belgium made Colt replica's a while back. The cylinder binds up after 2-3 shots, to the point where it takes one hand to cock it and another to help turn the cylinder. I wonder if the barrel wedge might be involved in that one? Happens almost every time you shoot a cylinder load.

GREAT VIDEO

That’s the one I want!

Drop a #10 stainless steel split lock washer down the arbor channel. This is the "poor man's fix" for the short arbor issue.

Hi Shugo, what Mike's video didn't show is that if he tried to fire the cylinders that didn't fire again, the cap would have probably fired using the reduced power spring. The first hit that doesn't fire the cap seats it firmly on the nipple and then the second hit will usually fire it. At least, that's how the reduced power spring worked with my 1860 Army that had misfires. My 1858 Remingtons fire every time, the first time, with the reduced power spring. Regards, Richard

My trigger spring in my 1860 army Pietta I bought a week ago broke with 2 days of me fidgeting with it, never even fired it. Wire spring on order right now.

Hi, I got a Pietta 1851 navy as my first revolver and about 1 month after it came the trigger spring broke, so I bought a colt SAA spring (which was the only one they had) by Hienie and it is too short to engage the trigger with the hammer notches I'm wondering what to do.

I make mine out of two pounds of lamb's tallow melted with one pound of beeswax. I haven't used a commercial lube in over 15 years...couldn't even tell you what's on the market today. 50% 50% beeswax to olive oil is also a very good lube and pretty easy to get the supplies. You might want to start there, but I get my lamb's tallow for either US Wellness meats or from Dixie Gun Works if USWM is out of stock.

yes that OEM main spring taken from the front end suspension of a Freightliner truck drops lile the hammer of Thor. It will even make RWS caps work on Slixshot nipples. At least that is my experience so it is a trade off of trigger pull to ignition.

How are you colt London models holding up to the test of time. I ask as I just ordered one today. Thank You

I saw one guy do a video actually doubling the springs and he said it worked great

Yes. You may need to pinch them for a secure fit.

What is your favorite bp revolver and why. And how many do you own. Love your vids.

Great day today on the range with the piette 1851 brass frame navy but not so good with the piette 1860

I use a standard toilet bowl base ring and grease each cylinder using a 'popsicle' stick to spread over each cylinder. In my .44, have used a thin non lubed wad as a spacer over a Pydroex pellet; I use 5 gr of FFFG dropped in the cylinder before the pellet. No misfires. Do the same with paper cartridges.

If you're going to shoot CAS (cowboy action) you'll need to change the trigger and main springs in these Italian repros, both BP and cartridge. The stock springs will fail with the high volume shooting you'll do in CAS. Most CAS shooters will use a lighter main (hammer) spring in their cartridge guns; however, you can just replace the stock one with an equivalent Wolff spring. Don't be disappointed with these Italian repros due to reliability; they just need a bit of tuning. Uberti offers a tuned model in their 1873 Cattleman CMS and competition models. I'm not sure to what extent they modify these, but they are slicker actions.

Ok. Thank you very much. I don't mean to bombard you with questions. I just know you know what you are talking about, and it can be hard to find reliable info. If I have anymore questions, I hope it wont bother you to ask them. Thank you again for all your help.

Good presentation. The last 15 seconds is a keeper.

Thanks Mike, you really teatch me a lot about the Navy -51.

Mike please test how long a loaded bp revolver can set and still fire......use cci caps

What type of grease do you use when you don't use the felt wads? And if you make it, what type would you recommend to buy? I've seen bore butter, but it looks to be more messy. What ever you use looks alot easier to manage. I have asked you a few questions already I know. Lol But I'm really trying to learn about the black powder stuff. Thank you for the help you have given me already.

Hi Mike. I suspect the tight wedge is to allow for wear in as the gun gets shot more. Sometime you have the time, could you test fire the London navy for accuracy, from a rest. Most cap and ball revolvers seem to shoot high, but I tested an Armi San Marco Navy in Italy and was amazed by its rifle like accuracy. We were consistently hitting eggs @ 20 meters using conicals and round balls.

Hi Bill, firmly is a relative thing. Of course the hammer mainspring is too light. Having said that, I almost 100% sure that the next hammer strike would fire the caps. Been there, done that. Regards, Richard

Need some help. I'm ordering an Uberti 1858 New army .44 revolver and was wondering which brand and number percussion caps to use? I've heard that Remington #10 work well with the Piette 1858, but I also know there are subtle differences between Uberti and Pietta. Long question short, will the Remington #10 percussion caps work well on the Uberti and not have issues, such as being too small or large?

I would only need to make a little bit at a time. And if Dixie Gunworks has the supplies that would be pretty easy to get to. I only live about 45 minutes away. I understand that lambs tallow can be seasonal. Is there a good substitute for it, that would make the lube the same constistancy as what you make? The bees wax/ olive oil 50-50 mixture? And how long does it take the lube mixture to harden?

For the record, a second hit did set the caps off.

Do you like the squared back trigger guard at all or just the fully rounded one on the 1851 Navy? Also, do you prefer the standard brass backstrap and trigger guard to the nickel plated ones or would you always go with the steel ones instead?

That was some good shooting on the last target! Way to go!

I shot black powder from the time I was 16-24 until I got hurt and the doc said I had to stop hunting. I never used wads on my revolvers I just lubed the cylinders last. Never had a chain fire. I did replace the factory nipples but I have no idea what brand. I’m 67 now. Don’t remember the make of my 1851 navy. It was Italian but not Pieta or Uberta and I’m to lazy to dig it out of the gun locker.

And also could I just rub a thick layed of bore butter on the roundball BEFORE loading it into the cylinder? Without using a wad or lube/grease over the END of the cylinder? I have seen some do this when shooting mini balls through rifles.

You are a fine shot.

Mike, Was there a specific reason that colt made the London navies with a steel grip backstrap in stead of the brass one?

Since I'm just an "occasional" BP shooter, think I'll stick with the original mainspring. My Lli Pietta "Colt" in .44 is beautifully smooth, as-is.

I tried the Heine music wire trigger spring in my Pietta and it was too short.

Enjoyed the vid. I usually do, here. I also enjoy Capandball. Our Hungarian friend includes corn meal in the chambers so that the seated bullet is closer to the forcing cone. Does that matter? Does the corn meal affect the burning characteristics of the powder? Is it messy? Have you tried it? Thanks, and keep them coming.

That would be very messy, and inefficient. Most of the lube will be cut off by the chamber mouths and the lube under the ball will just contaminate the powder it touches. Minies and conical bullets can be lubed as you suggest because they have grease grooves

Mike, Just broke the trigger spring on my 1992 Cabelas Pietta 51 navy. I was going to order a Heinie spring from Brownells but 2 of the 3 reviews said they were too short for the Pietta Navy. Two comments on this video also state the same thing. Am I best off just ordering a flat spring of eBay or should I still order a Heinie?

Mike I noticed my 1973 Pietta and my new Pietta parts don't match. Springs, hammer, cylinder etc. any idea when they changed it up?

Mike has stated in several videos he prefers the ergonomics of the '51 Navy. That said, the reason he's done so many videos with it is because nearly everything he does or talks about with a '51 Navy applies to every Non-Paterson Colt.

That .36 is ringing that steel. Mike I went and bought me pietta 1851.36 caliber revolver yesterday it should here tommarrow. I still need powder ball and powder measure. Your recommendations?

I use Remington #10s. CCI #10s are too tight

I find the biggest problem with most repro pistols is that the mainspring is only half the poundage of originals, this causes misfires, caps to be blown back of the nipples on firing, and a general poor performance, if you fit a proper poundage mainspring you will have none of these problems.

Yes I like that u show loading them every time........good vid

Now this could be just my hearing , but it sounds like the bang wasn't as loud with the new spring the one's that did go off . Or was that just me . Anyway great video mate could of been a top video if you had video the changing of the spring . Great stuff mate

Today I changed the factory cones out of my pietti 1860 with slix shot cones. The only way I could get it to fire was to back the cones out almost a full turn. Any thoughts on this issue. Also after 25 shots or more my revolver is so dirty the action will barely operate.

Try the wolf spring with a taylor conversion cyl

cold you put an uberti mainspring on a pietta

I believe you only load five every time even when you're at the range because it's good to establish muscle memory so that you'll do it every time even in a pinch when you need to do it quickly and I think it would be nice to know you're good to go you know what I'm saying

I like these BP guns. shame that there is no place too shoot them in my area

Hi Mike would you please let me know what is the wire O.D. or gage # of the wolf wire Bolt and trigger spring ? I have a London 1851 and as most flat spring is broken . Thanks Frank

does anyone know where to get parts for an 1851 Navy I'm trying to get a steel frame for my brass frame revolver

You can do it on a Remington, but the integral grip frame makes it more difficult. You need to drill all the way through the gun. Then tap the back of the hole and, after the plunger and spring is installed you screw in a plug screw to tension it.

I've had this hat for almost 20 years...can't remember where I picked it up. Sorry.

GOOD SHOOTING.

I have a Brass frame 44 Pietta. The heinie spring is a bit too short, and doesn't engage the trigger. What can I do

What could potentially happen if the percussion cap was not entirely seated on the nipple and the hammer came down on it?

Where can I get a steel frame for My 1851 navy revolver it's got a Brass frame and i want to change it Can anyone help me.

Thanks, I enjoyed this, having shot a Uberti for years, I was instructed to add more powder, then to grease the ends of the balls no wadding. It hits as hard. Mine seems to smoke a lot less. Perhaps due to using more powder. Never had any missfires. When finished shooting, dissemble and clean then I use an old dental oil bath sterilizer to soak in hot oil. Clean dry and reassemble. I enjoy Black powder.

Maybe this is a silly question but Here it is. I get the whole 5 shot 1 for safety thing. But why not load all 6 but only cap 5? I am new to CB so please humor me.. once you shot 5 put on the last cap or do it just before you start shooting..

Hey Mike so my uberti 51 navy is still fairly brand new only about 9 cylinders through it all 20 grain loads of 777 behind a 380 rb and occasionally a .375 conical problem is I'm on my 3rd cylinder stop/bolt they keep breaking on the arm that interacts with the hammer what can I do to solve this

Just curious - my cylinder does not to rotate on half-cock. The cylinder actually gets caught on the bolt - presume I would need to change out the sear and bolt spring - or can it be adjusted??