Cap&Ball speedloader

[Tom Bullweed]

Loading my 1851s at the range in the traditional way (measure 25 grains of powder, put powder in chamber, put in wad, seat bullet) takes 4-5 minutes per pistola.

This speedloader cuts that time to 2 minutes and lets me measure powder in a much more controlled situation.

2" of 3/8" polytube from hardware store

3/8" poplar dowel cut to 7/16", glued to polytube

25 grains of powder

.454" round ball

Pull ball, pour powder seat wad, ram ball.

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

Used something similar for hunting loads.

Good that you found a way that works for you.

--Dawg

[Major Crimes]

This is a speed loader a friend made for me.

 

Diamond Curley has the metal version now

[Barry Sloe]

I'm going to have to try that (the tubing method).

 

BS

[Diamond Curly SASS#57086]

1 hour ago, Major Crimes said:

This is a speed loader a friend made for me.

 

Diamond Curley has the metal version now

 

I like my speed loader . Thanks again Major Crimes

[doc roy l. pain]

10 hours ago, Major Crimes said:

This is a speed loader a friend made for me.

 

Diamond Curley has the metal version now

Can you lay a cylinder over that and tip it up to load all five chambers with powder at once?  Like to find out more about this 

[J-BAR #18287]

I’m thinking if you consider the time it takes you to prep those gizmos and loaders and such, plus using them, you are not saving much, if any, time at all. (Compared to loading on the gun,)  But if you have fun with them knock yourselves out!  

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

I can load both of mine in less than 5 minutes. Speed loaders of any kind are just one more thing I have to carry around and maintain.

[Slowhand Bob, 24229]

I think the search is for whether it speeds up that time at the loading table??  Shux if we figure that time we spend at our (Big Blue, Big Red or whichenever) reloading  machine against our time at the loading table then there is 'no search' for a Holy Grail!!!  For some of us it gets a bit embarrassing sometimes when fokes at the loading table have to circle around us to keep the match moving.  As my times on the firing line would indicate, I choke under pressure and this even starts for me at the loading table when I get hold of a squirrelly cap or any of the other 2001 things that seem to crop up.

[J-BAR #18287]

8 minutes ago, Slowhand Bob, 24229 said:

I think the search is for whether it speeds up that time at the loading table??  Shux if we figure that time we spend at our (Big Blue, Big Red or whichenever) reloading  machine against our time at the loading table then there is 'no search' for a Holy Grail!!!  For some of us it gets a bit embarrassing sometimes when fokes at the loading table have to circle around us to keep the match moving.  As my times on the firing line would indicate, I choke under pressure and this even starts for me at the loading table when I get hold of a squirrelly cap or any of the other 2001 things that seem to crop up.

 
I’m confused...it sounds like you are recharging your chambers at the loading table?  The only thing I do at the loading table is put cartridges in the rifle and caps on the nipples.  Recharging the revolver chambers is done off the firing line. There is no SASS rule requiring percussion gun chambers to be recharged at the loading table.  I guess a club might have a local rule but I don’t see the point.

[Yusta B.]

I thought Cap&Ball and speedloader were mutually exclusive terms ........ who'd a thunk it ?

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

I generally reload at the unloading table, briefly pausing to check other shooter's guns.

And cap at the loading table.

Takes only a few shooters, performs a needed posse chore, and once I'm loaded, I'm free to do other things, like spot, time, etc

--Dawg

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

24 minutes ago, Yusta B. said:

I thought Cap&Ball and speedloader were mutually exclusive terms ........ who'd a thunk it ?

 

Well I suppose Sam Colt thunk it from the beginning.  Paterson flask:

 

[El CupAJoe]

I like paper cartridges myself, haven't tried them at a match yet, but it's how I carry my reloads to the range right now, I've been doing more Cap and Ball shooting since I'm low on primers and not likely to have ready access for a while.  it's a nice change for a bit.

[Major Crimes]

11 hours ago, doc roy l. pain said:

Can you lay a cylinder over that and tip it up to load all five chambers with powder at once?  Like to find out more about this 

 

Yes that's how it works.

 

The cavity holds 20g of black (you can make it to what you want) you then place the cylinder on the top and turn it all upside down to fill the chambers in the cylinder.

 

The really clever bit is if you use filler then you have three segments and you put the filler in first then put the next segment on and fill that with BP. Then you put the top on, place the cylinder on and tip it all upside down. As most of the guys are saying when you use straight powder there isn't a big time saving but to some it helps.

 

These were made for target shooting not Cowboy so that's why it has 6 chambers. You can make them with whatever you want (or put a foam ear plug in the 6th chamber). The plastic version is a little less maintenance heavy as it doesn't rust.

[Tom Bullweed]

I also charge my cylinders at the unloading table, but the priority has to be verifying that shooter's guns get emptied.  Even though the "speedloaders" can expedite charging, my goal is to reduce the # of steps so that I can charge and effectively check shooter's guns.  Having pre-measured loads should make this better.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

I never perform posse duties when loading  cylinders. It’s a great way to get distracted and make a mistake like loading a ball without powder. I can load my cylinders in less time without distractions and still have plenty of time for posse duties. 

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

That's the neat thing about cap guns.

Everyone eventually finds a way that works for them, and frequently, their way is slightly different, but it still works!

Have fun & be safe,

--Dawg

[Barry Sloe]

Used the tubing style speed loader today at a match.  Works great.  Only problem I had was that I can't count.  Almost loaded 6 chambers vs 5.  Caught it before I put the ball in. 

I'll be using this technique again. 

 

Oh, and I had a clean match. 

 

BS

[Tom Bullweed]

The tubes worked well for me on my first try.  Charges were more consistent.  I just carried tubes, oiled wads and my loading stand.

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

BS & TB:

Excellent!!

Glad this works well for you guys!

--Dawg

[Warden Callaway]

I came up with this years ago.  

 

 

[doc roy l. pain]

1 hour ago, Warden Callaway said:

I came up with this years ago.  

 

 

Another great idea Warden

[El CupAJoe]

On 11/14/2020 at 5:58 PM, Warden Callaway said:

I came up with this years ago.  

 

 

use some of these to pull out the plugs simultaneously!