Update on first cap and ball experience

[Dingo Donahue]

Follow-up from my post from a few days ago: I ended up just using some crisco to lube over the ball. It was a little messy, my fingers were all slippery after shooting a few cylinders. I’ve since procured some beeswax and will make my own concoction to have something thicker in the future.

 

The gun is an old ASM 1860 from I believe the early 90s. These guns don’t seem to have a very good reputation. The mainspring was missing on this revolver when it was given to me, but I was able to order a replacement pretty easily. 
 

Some of the caps took 2 hammer drops to set off, but it could be I didn’t have them on snug enough at first, and the initial hammer drop just seated the cap firmly against the nipple. I was pretty cautious putting those caps behind loaded chambers.

 

The action is a bit rough, and the hammer doesn’t seem to drop with as much force as you’d expect given the resistance you get while cocking it. The forcing cone also seems to contact the top of the cylinder once the wedge is in place, so I’m guessing the arbor is not aligned perfectly. It fired just fine, I kept the powder charge under 20gr just to play it safe. 
 

I think I’d like an 1851 with a steel frame to play with in the near future. 
 

 

[Black Angus McPherson]

19 minutes ago, Dingo Donahue said:

Follow-up from my post from a few days ago: I ended up just using some crisco to lube over the ball. It was a little messy, my fingers were all slippery after shooting a few cylinders. I’ve since procured some beeswax and will make my own concoction to have something thicker in the future.

 

The gun is an old ASM 1860 from I believe the early 90s. These guns don’t seem to have a very good reputation. The mainspring was missing on this revolver when it was given to me, but I was able to order a replacement pretty easily. 
 

Some of the caps took 2 hammer drops to set off, but it could be I didn’t have them on snug enough at first, and the initial hammer drop just seated the cap firmly against the nipple.I was pretty cautious putting those caps behind loaded chambers.

 

The action is a bit rough, and the hammer doesn’t seem to drop with as much force as you’d expect given the resistance you get while cocking it. The forcing cone also seems to contact the top of the cylinder once the wedge is in place, so I’m guessing the arbor is not aligned perfectly. It fired just fine, I kept the powder charge under 20gr just to play it safe. 
 

I think I’d like an 1851 with a steel frame to play with in the near future. 
 

 

 

I melt Crisco and pour into an old toothpaste tube.  Let it harden and you can squeeze it out from there.  That saves on some of the mess.  In mid-summer it gets too runny and I've made up a mix of Crisco and bees wax for when it's too hot for just Crisco.  I pour that mix into an old medicine bottle and use a small knife to apply it to the cylinders from that.  You'll get plenty of recipes here for lubes.  Lots of folks just use over powder wads.  I just prefer putting lube over the balls.

 

"I was pretty cautious putting those caps behind loaded chambers"  And well you should be.  There are some pretty horrific photos floating around the wire that show what can happen to a thumb when seating a cap goes bad.  Always use a piece of dowel rod or deer antler for that last push of the cap onto the nipple.  I use some deer antler I shaped for the purpose.

 

Check the sides of the hammer to see if it's dragging against the frame when it's falling.  If it is you can smooth up the hammer and/or frame to solve that problem.

 

However you decide to do it you're in for a lot of fun.

 

Angus

[Griff]

+1 to the deer antler "pusher", or as I do, the back side of the brass capper.  If you're insistent on lubing over the balls, use a popsicle stick or tongue depressor..

[Sedalia Dave]

I you're interested I have a spare 44 cal 1860 that I am willing to sell. Arbor length and bolt notch issues have been fixed and it has had the nipples replaced. Off hand I don't remember if they are Slix, Treso or Ampco.

 

BTW find a better powder than Pyrodex. It is 10 times more corrosive than any other powder.

[ORNERY OAF]

Goex,swiss,shutzen.....use the real deal. I carved a small stick with a flat end on one to seat and settle the caps, the other end scoops the crisco out of the tin and in to the cylinder endsI Griff said popsicle sticks, same thing and probably easier and no carving involved

[Eyesa Horg]

A 3" honey dipper works well for seating caps. Around $12 on Amazon for a few dozen! My own limited experience with lube over the balls was that most of it is gone after the first or second shot and your hand and gun now wear it! I use a lubed wad under the ball in my 1860's and haven't had any issues. My hands stay clean as well. Just my experience using real black.

[Tequila Shooter]

Just looking at your picture I think Black Angus brought up a good suggestion, check the hammer to see if it’s dragging on the frame.  I don’t see your capper in the picture, if you’re not using one I’d strongly advise getting one, you want to make sure that the cap is seated all the way down on the nipple.  

[Doc McCoy, SASS #8381]

I use the wads between powder and ball.  Back when I was using lube over the ball I used a butter knife to apply the grease.  Then I got out my big ol’ horse syringe filled with grease and a 4” long 14 ga. needle to apply it.  I bent the end o the needle to make it easier to get into the chamber.  It was also a lot of fun being the “Doc” running around with that big syringe & needle!  Surprising how many cowboys are needle shy!  It worked well too, but was harder in cool weather and impractical in cold weather.

The wads are much more simple to use.

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

I keep my big ol' horse syringe (actually a glue syringe) in a pocket during cold weather.  The shortening flows well then.  I just place a bead around the edge of the balls after seating them.  Like EH said, grease can fly all over so I don't use much.  Grease particularly likes to land on my shooting glasses.

[Marauder SASS #13056]

It is pretty common for the hammers to rub on points of friction.  Just look at the parts and you will see where they rub.  It normally doesn't take much to smooth out those spots so you can usually use a fine file - if you are gentle.  Better yet, use a find stone.  Often times the burr is on the frame.

 

If you remove the hammer, you can just use very fine sand paper setting on a piece of glass then rub the hammer over it.  Usually doing mostly polishing and not removing metal. And it is pretty normal that one side will be rubbing more than the other.