Brief range report.

jeager106 · June 4, 2014, 04:23 PM

I cleaned up the "no name" black powder revovler, lubed it, charged it with
25 grains of 3fg Swiss, .454 balls, #11 caps, card wad over powder, no lube over the ball.
It started raining hard just as I capped the thing but benched it
at 25 yards anyway.
I managed to put 5 shots into 2 1/4 inch with a flyer out to 3 1/2 inches.
I think it shoots pretty darned good for the $80 bucks I paid for it.
I'll have a lot of fun with this inexpensive play toy.
I wish I could regulate the fixed sights to hit p.o.a. tho.
It hits 2 inches high & about that to the right.

HI MIKE!!!!!!

Mike Weber · June 4, 2014, 05:31 PM

Howdy Del:
Glad you got that issue with your stuck nipples sorted out.

Most of em do shoot high back during the CW they set the sites up for 100 yards. Don't ask me why? Then when they started making repro C&B guns they set the sites up the same way. I don't mess around with the sites much just find out where they are hitting at given ranges and adjust my aim accordingly. This has always been more of an issue for me with Remington clones than with Colts as the Colts tend to shoot closer to POA for me.

jeager106 · June 4, 2014, 05:54 PM

Mike I suspect that "back in the day" a handgun was a point & shoot propostion anyway.
I've read some accounts of the Civil War that officers shot at the belt buckle area of an enemy target hoping to hit in the chest area.
Few inlisted men owned revolvers from what I've read about those times.

Mike Weber · June 4, 2014, 06:36 PM

Most musketry training of that time also recommended aiming for the belt buckle for a chest hit.

Hellgate · June 5, 2014, 12:03 AM

At 75 feet, 2" high & 2" right is pretty darned good. If you were daring, you could cut the notch a little over to the left a bit. The formula for correction is:
Correction X is to the sight radius as 2.5" is to 900 inches (distance to target). If your sight radius is 10" then the equation to solve is X/10=2.5/900
X=25/900 which is .028" correction to "move" the rear sight over. I.E. you could file/cut/dremel the rear notch so its center is moved over about .03" to bring it to zero off windage wise.

Before touching the sights I would shoot it more with different loads and maybe even different ball sizes like .451 or .457 and 20 & 30 gr powder charges. Also shooting the gun a bit might make it settle in to where the POI might shift a bit. I would be happy with that lille windage being off at that distance. Also shooting the gun from a rest vs two handed vs one handed will make a big difference where it hits so try different holds before messing with the sights.

Most of my Colt style C&Bs have the rear notch deepened a bit and widened or tweaked to one side a bit from how they came from the factory. Deepening the notch will also lower the POI. If a gun is shooting very high you can grind down the hammer tip to lower the rear sight and recut the notch.

jeager106 · June 5, 2014, 08:43 AM

I've done that widen notch trick & it works if careful.
Since this is no historically correct repro, being stainless with white plastic grips (uggghhh), I could file a dovetail, install a fixed back sight, even do the same for the front, & drift adjust them.
Might one day.
For now I'll just play with loads as that's fun as heck.
"Didja hit it? Don't know. Can't see for all the smoke!"

Smelling the white smoke got me addicted again. Might have to play with my .40, .45, & .58 flinters.

All handmade by Keith Lilse, a.k.a. birddog6.
Anyone hear from him as he was active on black powder forums?
birddog6, rifle maker.

June 4, 2014, 05:31 PM	#2
Mike Weber Senior Member Join Date: April 24, 2002 Location: Northern California Posts: 238	Howdy Del: Glad you got that issue with your stuck nipples sorted out. Most of em do shoot high back during the CW they set the sites up for 100 yards. Don't ask me why? Then when they started making repro C&B guns they set the sites up the same way. I don't mess around with the sites much just find out where they are hitting at given ranges and adjust my aim accordingly. This has always been more of an issue for me with Remington clones than with Colts as the Colts tend to shoot closer to POA for me. __________________ M. Weber "Molon labe" http://shootersfreehold.com/ A place for firearms enthusiasts to congregate.

June 4, 2014, 06:36 PM	#4
Mike Weber Senior Member Join Date: April 24, 2002 Location: Northern California Posts: 238	Most musketry training of that time also recommended aiming for the belt buckle for a chest hit. __________________ M. Weber "Molon labe" http://shootersfreehold.com/ A place for firearms enthusiasts to congregate.

June 5, 2014, 12:03 AM	#5
Hellgate Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2010 Location: Orygun Posts: 869	At 75 feet, 2" high & 2" right is pretty darned good. If you were daring, you could cut the notch a little over to the left a bit. The formula for correction is: Correction X is to the sight radius as 2.5" is to 900 inches (distance to target). If your sight radius is 10" then the equation to solve is X/10=2.5/900 X=25/900 which is .028" correction to "move" the rear sight over. I.E. you could file/cut/dremel the rear notch so its center is moved over about .03" to bring it to zero off windage wise. Before touching the sights I would shoot it more with different loads and maybe even different ball sizes like .451 or .457 and 20 & 30 gr powder charges. Also shooting the gun a bit might make it settle in to where the POI might shift a bit. I would be happy with that lille windage being off at that distance. Also shooting the gun from a rest vs two handed vs one handed will make a big difference where it hits so try different holds before messing with the sights. Most of my Colt style C&Bs have the rear notch deepened a bit and widened or tweaked to one side a bit from how they came from the factory. Deepening the notch will also lower the POI. If a gun is shooting very high you can grind down the hammer tip to lower the rear sight and recut the notch. __________________ With over 15 perCUSSIN' revolvers, I've been called the Imelda Marcos of cap & ball. SASS#3302 (Life), SASS Regulator, NRA (Life), Dirty Gamey Bastards #129 Wolverton Mtn. Peacekeepers (WA), former Orygun Cowboy (Ranger, Posse from Hell)

June 4, 2014, 04:23 PM	#1
jeager106 Junior member Join Date: November 24, 2006 Location: N.E. Oh. Posts: 527	Brief range report. I cleaned up the "no name" black powder revovler, lubed it, charged it with 25 grains of 3fg Swiss, .454 balls, #11 caps, card wad over powder, no lube over the ball. It started raining hard just as I capped the thing but benched it at 25 yards anyway. I managed to put 5 shots into 2 1/4 inch with a flyer out to 3 1/2 inches. I think it shoots pretty darned good for the $80 bucks I paid for it. I'll have a lot of fun with this inexpensive play toy. I wish I could regulate the fixed sights to hit p.o.a. tho. It hits 2 inches high & about that to the right. *HI MIKE!!!!!!*

June 4, 2014, 05:54 PM	#3
jeager106 Junior member Join Date: November 24, 2006 Location: N.E. Oh. Posts: 527	Mike I suspect that "back in the day" a handgun was a point & shoot propostion anyway. I've read some accounts of the Civil War that officers shot at the belt buckle area of an enemy target hoping to hit in the chest area. Few inlisted men owned revolvers from what I've read about those times.

June 5, 2014, 08:43 AM	#6
jeager106 Junior member Join Date: November 24, 2006 Location: N.E. Oh. Posts: 527	I've done that widen notch trick & it works if careful. Since this is no historically correct repro, being stainless with white plastic grips (uggghhh), I could file a dovetail, install a fixed back sight, even do the same for the front, & drift adjust them. Might one day. For now I'll just play with loads as that's fun as heck. "Didja hit it? Don't know. Can't see for all the smoke!" Smelling the white smoke got me addicted again. Might have to play with my .40, .45, & .58 flinters. All handmade by Keith Lilse, a.k.a. birddog6. Anyone hear from him as he was active on black powder forums? birddog6, rifle maker.