Blackpowder hiking handguns?

[CountryGent]

Sort of a front-stuffer parallels to this thread:

Your "going for a walk" gun(s)?

One of those simple pleasures of life is going for a vigorous walk, day hike, or even bicycling. In recent memory I've been enjoying doing so for cardiovascular exercise, but also times of solitude. Such outings are good for the body and soul, but, like so many activities, going armed is...

www.northwestfirearms.com

If you carry a blackpowder handgun whilst on hikes and such, what do you carry? How are they loaded? Any neato pics? Thanks.

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[Andy54Hawken]

Uberti 1851 "London" Navy in flap holster

• Andy54Hawken
• Jun 22, 2024

Uberti "London Model " 1851 Navy

• Andy54Hawken
• May 5, 2024

Colt's 1851 "Navy" revolver is a nice choice.
20 - 22 grains of 2F and a .375 round ball
For walking around I load all six chambers...but only cap 5 of them.
Leaving the chamber under the hammer un-capped.

A Colt model 1860 Army is also a fine choice.
25 -28 grains of 2F and a .454 round ball.
Again...loading six chambers...but only capping 5.

Those two are my favorite cap and ball revolvers.
Light , easy pointing...easy to shoot and more "oomph" than what is shown on paper ballistic charts when hitting a target.
Andy

 

[Craig Lister]

Very Nice Boot Knife Andy!

 

[CountryGent]

Agreed. Very nice looking blade.

 

[Bobbygun]

I dunno. Like the song says:

My very first pistol was a cap and ball Colt
Shoot as fast as lightnin', but she loads a mite slow
Loads a mite slow as I soon found out
It can get you into trouble, but it can't get you out
(from The Devil's Right Hand - written by Steve Earle)

Okay, so I don't actually own a blackpowder handgun, just a rifle. I sure do have fun shooting my son's Pietta revolver though.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Very Nice Boot Knife Andy!

Agreed. Very nice looking blade.

Thanks fellas....
The knife was made by Doc Brown...the same guy who made my Hawken and Longrifle.
Andy

 

[dangerranger60]

I have a couple of BP cartridge guns. I have carried them around the ranch. They are kind of fun, and I love the cloud of smoke, but I hate the cleaning after. DR

 

[Capn Jack]

I wouldn't carry a BP weapon into the woods in summer due to the possible fire hazard from burning wads.

 

[Joe13]

Are we sure this shouldn't just be renamed "What does Andy carry on a hike?"….

 

[Capn Jack]

Andy just, "Grins 'em down".

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Just tossing this out to consider....

I find that cleaning black powder firearms ain't the hardship that "common wisdom" says it is.

Water...soapy water cleans fast and easy...then dry your firearm...follow that with a lightly oiled patch down the bore .
Along with a wipe down with a lightly oiled rag.....easy.
Check in a few days , in case of rust...if any is found...again...an oily rag or patch solves the problem.

That is if you use actual black powder.
Pyrodex or other black powder substitutes are from the Devil ...and are far more corrosive than their ad copy states.
They will cause rust , pitting and corrosion far faster than actual black powder.

If you want a quick and sleazy clean up ....
Using Windex with ammonia for your first clean...then soapy water...then dry and oil.

Andy

 

[Bobbygun]

I find that cleaning black powder firearms ain't the hardship that "common wisdom" says it is.

I agree completely. Even with Pyrodex. I do take the process outside where I use a gallon bucket filled with steaming hot soapy water and make a bit of a mess in the driveway. But it doesn't take as long as running patch after patch after patch after... for my modern rifles. Same for the revolver. Man, I love shooting modern revolvers, but it so much easier to clean a pistol with a magazine. For my son's BP revolver, I go back to the bucket outside.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Are we sure this shouldn't just be renamed "What does Andy carry on a hike?"….

Thank you for this...needed a laugh.....

While not a black powder handgun....
I have been known to carry this rifle ( and knife ) around while hiking .
Andy

.54 Caliber Hawken Rifle

• Andy54Hawken
• Dec 30, 2024

3 shots fired off hand at 50 yards from my Hawken Rifle

• Andy54Hawken
• Oct 5, 2024

Hawken Rifle , shooting pouch and hunting knife

• Andy54Hawken
• Dec 31, 2024

 

[lucusloc]

Are we sure this shouldn't just be renamed "What does Andy carry on a hike?"….

lol, this might be more accurate here than not.

I wouldn't carry a BP weapon into the woods in summer due to the possible fire hazard from burning wads.

And this might be a good reason why. I haven not been in the BP space very long so I may be doing it wrong, but I have noticed that BP guns are quite a bit more sparky than modern arms. In my very sort time shooting them I have even see a bit of burny patch(?) embering away down range for a good few seconds before it went out. This seems to be supported by common wisdom, as I have heard elsewhere that great care should be taken when shooting BP in dry conditions.

I would love to hear Andy's take on this, if there is a way to mitigate the spark problem or if it is just something you have to be aware of and control for. From my anecdotal evidence it seems to be a problem for a noob BP enthusiast at the very least, and that may be reason enough to eschew the practice in the summer months.

As for myself any defensive arms will take advantage of the most modern standards available. I simply have way more faith that cartridge based arms will go "Bang!" when needed, and will do so with far more power and accuracy than equivalent older style arms will. They are more resilient to weather and other kinds of adversity and I prefer to take whatever edge I can get when the chips are down, even if it is only a few percent more in performance over something else (depending on what/how you are measuring). For deep woods carry that means .357Mag/10mm minimums, and while I know there are many BP guns that can reach equivalent energies, none that I know of do so with the same reliability as a cartridge based firearm.

Now is all of this worry over the smallest fraction of cases? Absolutely yes. I have personally seen large cats and bears skeddaddle from a few 9mm rounds popped into the dirt, and I am sure even BP firearms, when treated correctly, will have a failure-to-fire rate low enough to put such happenstance well into the "exception" range rather than the "rule". Does this mean I think 9mm (or even BP) is the go-to choice if you are planning on facing large cats and bears? Absolutely not, as my metrics mean I will absolutely plan for worst case if I can afford to do so, and the slightly more added weight from a 10mm is worth the price in capability over the 9mm if the largest threat I may face is double the size of human threats.

But that is just my calculus, YMMV.

 

[crstrode]

I wouldn't carry a BP weapon into the woods in summer due to the possible fire hazard from burning wads.

The solution to this non-problem is to not use a wad in your black powder revolver. Wads are not traditional and are not needed. Ball directly over powder, and a bit of waxy lube over the ball is the ticket.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

As far as wads go ....
In cap and ball revolvers , I don't use 'em.....
Ain't a historically correct loading method.
I just use powder and a lead round ball or bullets...no wads...no corneal filler....etc....
Colonel Colt makes no mention of anything like that in his period loading instructions.

When shooting firearms and using wads...or patching....
After shooting...I have seen them smolder....at times. / not often...easy enough to walk over to 'em and stomp 'em out.
I don't really overly worry about a fire hazard here.
However....
I also ain't sayin' that it don't exist....Just that I don't overly worry bout it.
Andy

 

[Capn Jack]

The solution to this non-problem is to not use a wad in your black powder revolver. Wads are not traditional and are not needed. Ball directly over powder, and a bit of waxy lube over the ball is the ticket.

Sorry Andy, I stand corrected.
I was thinking in terms of my single shot pistol. It loads a patched ball.

 

[Bobbygun]

I just use powder and a lead round ball or bullets...no wads...no corneal filler....etc....

I'm gonna go about a quarter of an inch out on a limb and say you have MUCH more experience with a cap and ball revolver than I do, despite my vast experience of having taken my son and his revolver out THREE times and shooting around 200 round balls between us . We've always used wads. I think there was something in the documentation that came with the revolver talking about them preventing some sort of a chain reaction where the fire from one chamber lights another. What's your take on this. Being a noob, I suppose I always err on the side of caution. Sorry if I'm not quite using the correct terminology. Thanks.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I'm gonna go about a quarter of an inch out on a limb and say you have MUCH more experience with a cap and ball revolver than I do, despite my vast experience of having taken my son and his revolver out THREE times and shooting around 200 round balls between us . We've always used wads. I think there was something in the documentation that came with the revolver talking about them preventing some sort of a chain reaction where the fire from one chamber lights another. What's your take on this. Being a noob, I suppose I always err on the side of caution. Sorry if I'm not quite using the correct terminology. Thanks.

You should branch out more...

Chain fires have happened.
In the 1850's and 60's the Army investigated this issue...and even tried to ignite the powder in a loaded chamber directly in a assembled revolver.

Long story short...
The Army stated that a proper fitted round ball and bullet will prevent a chain fire.
A proper fitted round ball / bullet is one that when being seated...has a ring / sliver of lead "shaved " off when done.
No need for wads or lube.
Please note that I am not saying that chain fires do not happen....just not as often as common wisdom makes it out.

Wads and lube do help in keeping the chamber and bore "clean"....or at least keep them cleaner when firing.

In regards to shooting....
I prefer to shoot a certain way....however that don't mean that everyone needs to shoot as I do.
Shoot how you wish...shoot well....shoot safely .
Andy

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Just tossing this out there.....

I do enjoy muzzle loading firearms ( Duh )
And do know a bit about them.
That said...I don't know everything and hope that I don't come across as one who thinks he does....

In any event ...if anyone would like some one on one instruction or time with a muzzle loader....
I would be happy to help...either at Greene's Gun Shop / The Hawken Shop , or with a trip to the gun club I belong to.
Andy