BP percussion revolver shooters

Poodleshooter · January 24, 2001, 12:16 PM

Does anyone else have one of the '58 Remington copies sold by Cabelas? I've never been able to get any accuracy with this thing. I've only tried round ball, but I've run it from 15-30 grains in 5 grain increments and haven't found the sweet spot yet. It only retains 1/2 of the #11 caps on the nipples at any given shot. #10's won't fit on my weapon (they won't allow cylinder rotation). I also have some problems getting it to lock up solidly on 1 or 2 chambers per rotation (I have to manually rotate the cylinder to lock it into place). It's a great wall hanger though!
So what are your repro revolvers like? (Notice to Ruger Old Army shooters-don't rub it in!!!)

Bill Mitchell · January 24, 2001, 01:53 PM

Howdy,

I have a Pietta 1858 Remington (same as Cabela's). I have only plinked around with it a few times. Try the RWS #10 caps, they might work better for you. Remingtons are popular in CAS since they have a stronger frame than the Colt BP pistols, but extreme accuracy isn't a requirement for CAS.

Bellicose BIll

Doegetter · January 24, 2001, 05:27 PM

Try going up to 40-45 grains of ffg. I get them in the black a 25 yds with this combo. If it is not locking up properly, it could be a factory defect. Using #11 caps, I pinch the shroud slighly and they stay on ok. I had to file down the front blade sight slightly cause it was shooting too low. Good luck.
P.S. only use this load in a steel full frame revolver, never go over 30 grains in brass frames.
Aaron

Spadone · January 27, 2001, 05:26 AM

I have a .36 Rem. Only tried round ball, but it wouldn't group neither. Pistol functioned fine though. Maybe I haven't tinkered enough with it.

**4V50 Gary** · January 27, 2001, 11:06 AM

Get a micrometer and measure each cylinder. Sometimes they're not evenly bored out and this could lead to inaccuracy problems. Also get it tuned since it seems like there's problems with the hand/pawl in rotating the cylinder fully (could lead to spitting which shaves off a bit from the ball, giving you a lopsided nonconcentric missle). Finally, you may want to lightly polish the action for a crisper trigger pull.

Alex Johnson · January 28, 2001, 10:59 PM

My dad's got a Pietta 1858 Remington copy. He's been shooting competition for years and holds a Master's rating. In his hand's I've seen him put five shots in one ragged hole on a standard slow fire target at 50 feet. Not exactly sure what load he uses, I figure it's about 25 grains of P pyrodex, a .44 caliber wonder wad and a .451 swaged roundball. The sights are poorly regulated on this particular gun since it does group about 3-4 inches to the left of point of aim and a little low. I just built an 1858 off of one of Dixie's kits and I shortend the barrel down a couple of inches and installed a thinner front sight on the barrel. After some regulating, it groups point of aim at 50 feet. This would be easy to do on one of the Cabela's revolvers too, fact I think my father wants me to regulate his sometime in the near future.

Poodleshooter · January 29, 2001, 11:12 AM

My "light polishing" may have had something to do with it's present inability to cycle reliably. The action is probably 3x as smooth now. Silly me, I thought that that barely connected sliver of metal flashing on the pawl was due to a bad casting/machining job. Apparently they allotted for bad machining when they designed this weapon! Tolerances on these guns are not the best.
On a side note: Does anyone know what parts need to be altered for the gun to cycle and lock up on some cylinders, but not all of them? I never touched the cylinder, so that's out...

**4V50 Gary** · January 29, 2001, 12:51 PM

Good move Poodleshooter. Save expensive parts for last and touching the cylinder is much more costly if you err than some internal part.

The bolt (or cylinder) stop is a fitted item. The first thing done is to ensure it fits through the window. The second is to ensure that it secures the cylinder with minimal movement when locked up and hammer down on nipple. The final adjustment is internal and that is timing. Unlocking before the pawl rotates the cylinder and locking before the pawl completes the cylinder's rotation.

I believe timing is adjusted by the height of the pawl. You could fiddle with the cylinder stop by playing with its tail (it rests on the hammer). Filing off the bottom would delay the unlocking. Peening it or welding metal onto it (the bottom of the cylinder stop) would speed it up. But I'd rather stick with lengthening or shortening the pawl.

Cap n ball · January 29, 2001, 01:29 PM

I've got a Pietta 1858 Remington brass frame. The workmanship is fair. At least there isn't any 'gapitis'. The main thing with obtaining accuracy is in tuning the front sight. To do this you need a file and an emory board. I shoot decent groups at thirty to fourty feet. (28 gr. 451 swagged ball.) I also reccommend that a little white out on the blade helps. The Pietta guns have some weak parts such as the spring on the hand. I had my gunsmith replace the spring with one he made from piano wire and it improved the cycling alot. I also noticed that the trigger catch is brittle and after a few hundred rounds it will show evidence of wear making cocking the hammer a very light affair indeed. I don't shoot it as much as I used to since I replaced it with the same model made by Uberti. They make a pretty high quality product in comparison. You still have to pinch those caps to get a good grip on the nipple.

Poodleshooter · January 30, 2001, 10:33 AM

One other question.. Does anyone know what thread size the nipples on the Pietta guns are?????? I'd like to replace them and see if that cures the problem with cap size. I'd rather standardize with #11's.

Poodleshooter · February 5, 2001, 03:57 PM

AHA! Solved my lockup problem. When the hammer was cocked with excessive lateral pressure towards the right side of the grip frame, the trigger/cylinder stop spring didn't have enough force to lift the cylinder stop fully. A tightening of the spring retaining screw solved this problem. Now to work on the timing so it quits spitting so much!

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January 24, 2001, 12:16 PM	#1
Poodleshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2000 Location: Floating down the James River in VA Posts: 2,599	Does anyone else have one of the '58 Remington copies sold by Cabelas? I've never been able to get any accuracy with this thing. I've only tried round ball, but I've run it from 15-30 grains in 5 grain increments and haven't found the sweet spot yet. It only retains 1/2 of the #11 caps on the nipples at any given shot. #10's won't fit on my weapon (they won't allow cylinder rotation). I also have some problems getting it to lock up solidly on 1 or 2 chambers per rotation (I have to manually rotate the cylinder to lock it into place). It's a great wall hanger though! So what are your repro revolvers like? (Notice to Ruger Old Army shooters-don't rub it in!!!)

January 24, 2001, 01:53 PM	#2
Bill Mitchell Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 15, 1998 Location: Roswell,GA Posts: 433	Howdy, I have a Pietta 1858 Remington (same as Cabela's). I have only plinked around with it a few times. Try the RWS #10 caps, they might work better for you. Remingtons are popular in CAS since they have a stronger frame than the Colt BP pistols, but extreme accuracy isn't a requirement for CAS. Bellicose BIll

January 24, 2001, 05:27 PM	#3
Doegetter Junior Member Join Date: January 15, 2001 Location: Beecher, Illinois Posts: 10	Try going up to 40-45 grains of ffg. I get them in the black a 25 yds with this combo. If it is not locking up properly, it could be a factory defect. Using #11 caps, I pinch the shroud slighly and they stay on ok. I had to file down the front blade sight slightly cause it was shooting too low. Good luck. P.S. only use this load in a steel full frame revolver, never go over 30 grains in brass frames. Aaron

January 27, 2001, 05:26 AM	#4
Spadone Member Join Date: July 3, 2000 Posts: 48	I have a .36 Rem. Only tried round ball, but it wouldn't group neither. Pistol functioned fine though. Maybe I haven't tinkered enough with it.

January 27, 2001, 11:06 AM	#5
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,829	Get a micrometer and measure each cylinder. Sometimes they're not evenly bored out and this could lead to inaccuracy problems. Also get it tuned since it seems like there's problems with the hand/pawl in rotating the cylinder fully (could lead to spitting which shaves off a bit from the ball, giving you a lopsided nonconcentric missle). Finally, you may want to lightly polish the action for a crisper trigger pull.

January 28, 2001, 10:59 PM	#6
Alex Johnson Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2000 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 812	My dad's got a Pietta 1858 Remington copy. He's been shooting competition for years and holds a Master's rating. In his hand's I've seen him put five shots in one ragged hole on a standard slow fire target at 50 feet. Not exactly sure what load he uses, I figure it's about 25 grains of P pyrodex, a .44 caliber wonder wad and a .451 swaged roundball. The sights are poorly regulated on this particular gun since it does group about 3-4 inches to the left of point of aim and a little low. I just built an 1858 off of one of Dixie's kits and I shortend the barrel down a couple of inches and installed a thinner front sight on the barrel. After some regulating, it groups point of aim at 50 feet. This would be easy to do on one of the Cabela's revolvers too, fact I think my father wants me to regulate his sometime in the near future.

January 29, 2001, 11:12 AM	#7
Poodleshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2000 Location: Floating down the James River in VA Posts: 2,599	My "light polishing" may have had something to do with it's present inability to cycle reliably. The action is probably 3x as smooth now. Silly me, I thought that that barely connected sliver of metal flashing on the pawl was due to a bad casting/machining job. Apparently they allotted for bad machining when they designed this weapon! Tolerances on these guns are not the best. On a side note: Does anyone know what parts need to be altered for the gun to cycle and lock up on some cylinders, but not all of them? I never touched the cylinder, so that's out...

January 29, 2001, 12:51 PM	#8
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,829	Good move Poodleshooter. Save expensive parts for last and touching the cylinder is much more costly if you err than some internal part. The bolt (or cylinder) stop is a fitted item. The first thing done is to ensure it fits through the window. The second is to ensure that it secures the cylinder with minimal movement when locked up and hammer down on nipple. The final adjustment is internal and that is timing. Unlocking before the pawl rotates the cylinder and locking before the pawl completes the cylinder's rotation. I believe timing is adjusted by the height of the pawl. You could fiddle with the cylinder stop by playing with its tail (it rests on the hammer). Filing off the bottom would delay the unlocking. Peening it or welding metal onto it (the bottom of the cylinder stop) would speed it up. But I'd rather stick with lengthening or shortening the pawl.

January 29, 2001, 01:29 PM	#9
Cap n ball Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2000 Posts: 247	I've got a Pietta 1858 Remington brass frame. The workmanship is fair. At least there isn't any 'gapitis'. The main thing with obtaining accuracy is in tuning the front sight. To do this you need a file and an emory board. I shoot decent groups at thirty to fourty feet. (28 gr. 451 swagged ball.) I also reccommend that a little white out on the blade helps. The Pietta guns have some weak parts such as the spring on the hand. I had my gunsmith replace the spring with one he made from piano wire and it improved the cycling alot. I also noticed that the trigger catch is brittle and after a few hundred rounds it will show evidence of wear making cocking the hammer a very light affair indeed. I don't shoot it as much as I used to since I replaced it with the same model made by Uberti. They make a pretty high quality product in comparison. You still have to pinch those caps to get a good grip on the nipple.

January 30, 2001, 10:33 AM	#10
Poodleshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2000 Location: Floating down the James River in VA Posts: 2,599	One other question.. Does anyone know what thread size the nipples on the Pietta guns are?????? I'd like to replace them and see if that cures the problem with cap size. I'd rather standardize with #11's.

February 5, 2001, 03:57 PM	#11
Poodleshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2000 Location: Floating down the James River in VA Posts: 2,599	AHA! Solved my lockup problem. When the hammer was cocked with excessive lateral pressure towards the right side of the grip frame, the trigger/cylinder stop spring didn't have enough force to lift the cylinder stop fully. A tightening of the spring retaining screw solved this problem. Now to work on the timing so it quits spitting so much!