My idea for long term loading

[Stormson]

44 Dave

When I intend to keep a revolver loaded I add a card wad over the powder, then my lubed wad.
Any gook over the ball will be a magnet for dust and dirt, when carried for a while, which will scrub it's way down the barrel when fired.

I had thought about something over ball just to help aid with moisture... But was on the fence about it for the heat problems that Doc mentioned. Never actually considered the gunk and crud factor, but your right I guess it would... One more reason not to do it, thanks!

[Stormson]

rodwhaincamo-

I've been considering trying some on my rifle patches instead of using grape seed oil, but I think I'll try the ole Ballistol and water mix first.

Man I wish I could get Ballistol around here...Dont know why but NO ONE carries the stuff? Can get it online of course, but since she is the "keeper of the greenback" its just ALLOT easier to point at something on the shelf and say I need that then to order it... LOL

Gatofeo's lube was found by said fellow, and it's a very old recipe.

2 parts paraffin, 2 parts mutton tallow, and 1 part beeswax.

That does sound like it would be really good in the summertime...

[rodwhaincamo]

I got mine from Dixie Gun Works, but all they seem to sell is the aerosol. I have some in my cart at Amazon now.

I'm told you can go to their site and click on available stores. Maybe you'll get lucky.

[Doc Hoy]

If you can get to a gun show, I have seen guys who sell Ballistol at the gun shows. I looked at gun shows in western VA and did not see any but I dint look very hard.

Being a cheapskate is a real plus. No body can squeeze a nickel tighter than I can. It prompts one to be resourceful and imaginative.

Those are the punches I am talking about. I see the price is eight bucks vice ten.

I don't want to push, but a drill press is a nice thing to have.

[dbc3]

Also, check out trackofthewolf.com

[thallub]

My muzzleloader rifles are often left loaded for months at a time. They always go boom when they are supposed to.

[Stormson]

If you can get to a gun show, I have seen guys who sell Ballistol at the gun shows. I looked at gun shows in western VA and did not see any but I dint look very hard.

LOL.. Man Im so far back in the sticks, they have to truck SUNLIGHT in to us...

Seriously.. No gun shows around here... There are serious pluses to living back here in the middle of nowhere... But there are also some serious drawbacks...Gun shows are one of them. Still.. wouldnt trade it for anything in the world.. except maybe someplace even MORE remote! LOL

I don't want to push, but a drill press is a nice thing to have.

You aint lieing there! I would LOVE to have one... But being a poor boy and all.. Eh.. its ON the list, but its pretty far down ya know? One day!

[g.willikers]

Poor Man's drill press attachment for electric drills:
http://www.harborfreight.com/angle-d...ide-95622.html

Good wads can be made from sheets of automotive gasket, too.

[Stormson]

Poor Man's drill press attachment for electric drills:
http://www.harborfreight.com/angle-d...ide-95622.html

Hmm.. THAT look pretty cool even if I wasnt so poor (and cheap! LOL)... Just for the portability factor.

[DD4lifeusmc]

For what it's worth I do sell pure beeswax 1# blocks and 4 oz tubs

Back in the day the settlers , pioneers and civil war era peoples.
Used different tallows based on what was available in their area.
Mountainmen were known to make tallow from bear fat and other
game.
Hog lard is basically just tallow as it is rendered in the same way.
Hog lard is readily available at most any grocery store.

Some shooters tout the benefits of one over another, so it is each to his own.

As I said in a PM I'd be careful using that bol wax you got.
The MSDS for it says it gives off hydro carbons when heated, which leads
me to believe is has petroleum products in it.
Petroleum based products are claimed to give a hard fouling in BP guns

As to the punches. You don't need to use a drill press. A hand held drill will work as well.
One thing I would suggest. Place a stout rubber mat under the felt to protect the cutting edge of the tool

[Stormson]

For what it's worth I do sell pure beeswax 1# blocks and 4 oz tubs

Yup.. May have to get some from ya... Just hate to waste the bol-wax now that I got it, without even trying ya know?

Back in the day the settlers , pioneers and civil war era peoples.
Used different tallows based on what was available in their area.
Mountainmen were known to make tallow from bear fat and other
game.
Hog lard is basically just tallow as it is rendered in the same way.
Hog lard is readily available at most any grocery store.

I been happy with the Amor brand lard so far.. Like you say, it IS tallow, just from pigs... And its CHEAP!

As to the punches. You don't need to use a drill press. A hand held drill will work as well.
One thing I would suggest. Place a stout rubber mat under the felt to protect the cutting edge of the tool

Yup.. have already decided I'll go with the drill bit kind... I figure if worse comes to worse, I can still hammer punch with them if Im careful enough.

Hmm.. hadnt thought about rubber... Was just gonna use a scrap piece of plywood... Didnt realize the cutting edges where that soft.. Would be a good precaution I guess.

[enyaw]

One thing is that taking a cold gun into a warm house can get condensation inthe chambers. Use a soft padded gun case/tote and leave it in the cold. Put the gun in it before entering the warm house.

Using 777 powder the lube is smokeless type right? Smokeless lube is hard and withstands heat and cold.

Having a cap&baller loaded forlong periods a person can make lube pills that have a lot of paraffine wax to them if they need a grease cookie or lube pill.
Personnelly I'd leave any kind of lube out of the gun besides smokeless lube if it's to be loaded a long time.
A person can take the toilet ring wax stuff and put a little under the shoulder of the nipples and screw them in and they would be sealed. Same thing with putting the toilet wax ring stuff over the end of the chamber over the ball. That would seal it real well.

I've heard that a proper tight fitting cap seals the rear of the nipple. If there aren't any tight fitting caps for your nipples then.....find a size cap that's too small for the cones and then use a drill to spin the nipples and a stone to stone them to make the small overly tight caps fit well but real snug.
If a person is careful they can put a thin layer of that sticky toilet wax stuff on the sides of the nipples cones and then slip the caps on and that would seal them.

I'd opt for sealing the caps on the cones with finger nail polish or that stuff that's like the nail polish made for sealing primers in cartridges.
Actually sealing the cap&baller with the nail polish or primer sealer everywhere moisture can enter the chambers would work. Leaving any lube ,except smokeless lube, out of the chambers to be sealed would be a sure fire way to know the wax/lube isn't going to leach or migrate into the powder.

Only a sure fire method of sealing the guns from moisture or rain or wet snow would satisfy me if I want the gun to fire when it's needed. That would be the nail polish or primer sealer for cardridges.

[ZVP]

BP C&B for a house gun?
Why not!
I'm all in favor if that's what ya hot best with!
Personally, I use a Chief's Special but I would't hesitate grabbing my short barreled '58 if I had to!
Loaded with 250 gr Conicals, it'd work!
As with you guys, I do worry about long term powder storage tho.
ZVP

[Stormson]

One thing is that taking a cold gun into a warm house can get condensation inthe chambers. Use a soft padded gun case/tote and leave it in the cold. Put the gun in it before entering the warm house.

Yeah I got a case for that.. Wont be a BIG problem as it will usually be home, just sitting around waiting for the chance to go to out and shoot... I just figure, that hey, as long I have it it may as well be useful even while sitting idle... An unloaded it gun is, of course, something akin to a hammer with no nails...

Using 777 powder the lube is smokeless type right? Smokeless lube is hard and withstands heat and cold.

I wasnt aware that I could use smokeless lube? Arnt they petroleum based? How do they do with the fouling of BP?

Having a cap&baller loaded forlong periods a person can make lube pills that have a lot of paraffine wax to them if they need a grease cookie or lube pill.

That was my idea... A lard and wax pill, mixed slightly hard... But as an ADDED protection, a thin cardboard "wad" soaked in the wax alone between the pill and the powder.

Only a sure fire method of sealing the guns from moisture or rain or wet snow would satisfy me if I want the gun to fire when it's needed. That would be the nail polish or primer sealer for cardridges.

Ive heard of sealing the cps with nail polish before... But wouldnt that get pretty messy or build up after while? Does it get burned off? Whats the trade off with it? I got an ol' lady with two daughters, so pilfering a bit of polish here and there shouldnt be TOO hard... Just dont look forward to trying to explain if I get caught! LOL

[swathdiver]

No problems with gook being over the ball when lubing over the ball if your lube is hard and not soft.

[enyaw]

I thought the idea was to have a cap&baller loaded a long time and be assured it'll blast the ever livin crap outta some antaganist that is invading the sactuary of ones home?
That leaves the need fer lube in the chambers for fouling control out of the picture. The gun would be very effective at close range,like across the bedroom or living room, without any lube in it.

That makes sealing the ends where any moisture can enter the paramont concern. That makes any kind of sealer that's effective good to go.

Using alcohol,not Jack Daniels or Segrams Seven, the 91% type that evaperates but wipes out by disolving oil and grease. Mineral spirits would be even better since it has no water in it at all. Brake parts cleaner or carburater cleaner spray would work real well to flush out any contaminates like oil from the chambers,nipple threads,nipples ect.ect.

Using that primer sealer/nail polish (clear type not red unless ya like some color on yer gun but they do have black) around the shoulder of the nipples where moistue can actually get in thru the threads and around the inserted caps edge and then around the edge of the balls/bullets in the chambers would seal er up well. You could stick yer gun in the creek for a coupla hours and test it out. It would fire.

I wouldn't worry about any residue left from the nail polish. Even if there was some left ,I mean, it's not like you'd be with General Custer fightin off a mob of the most fierce warriors like the Native American Indian inside yer house.

There would be a measely one or two or maybe three home invaders waiting to be totally shocked and awed at the sound and flash and smoke of a hot loaded cap&baller revolver. After the first coupla shots they would be scrambling over one another and the one or two on the floor to get the hell outta there.

After six shots from a well balanced ergonomical cap&baller the only thing left would be to open some windows to let the smoke out and then it would be clear enough to have the coronor man come and remove the dead bodies before the dog licked up the blood and got parasites........unless you had some spare cylinders to slap in the gun and use the corpses for a little target shooting and testing loads while waiting fer the cops to come by and take yer statements.

Anywhoooo.....conicals are fun to play with and experiment to see what would work better.....ball or conical but I'd opt fer the balls since they make a fierce wound channel and let you get more powder in the chambers to get the velosity up.

I have to admit that I've left a Colt Cap&baller loaded for months with a lube pill right on the powder and just a snug cap on the cones and no chamber covering of toilet wax or grease of any kind. It would fire normally.

My lube pills would be the kind I call,"warm weather" lube pills that would be dry and solid even when it's 90 degrees and sittin in the sun. I'd make small batches of lube pills and test them sittin on tissue paper to see if any lube stuff leaches out onto the paper over time in the hot weather.

I'd opt fer no lube stuff at all in a defensive firearms chambers though. I'd want 100% sure fire loads ifin I might have to defend the wife and dogs from a home invader and all I had was a cap&baller revolver.

When I hunt with my Hawken rifle and may be in rain storms and wet snow days and all I use the toilet wax ring sticky stuff to seal the nipple,caps,and a wax paper stuck to the muzzle. It has never failed me even after days of down pours.

I like to use the example of my brother dropping my rifle in a grassy ditch we were crossing while hunting. A grass ditch running with water from the week long down pour. There my rifle was down under the water. I pulled if out and just went on my way. Days later when I fired the gun it went off as if it had been in the desert dry and never in the rain or under the water.

Anyone ever try using FFFFg blackpowder fer a lil more pep to the loads in a cap&baller? I tested it a coupla times. More pep. Didn't hurt the gun any. Did seem like more penetration on old dead trees and the like.

I damaged a cap&baller using FFFg 777 powder though. That stuff is hot.
I used 27gr. loads in a Colt and it slammed the cylinder back so hard it peened the recoil shields ring back there. Was real fast and accurate though.

[rodwhaincamo]

"There would be a measely one or two or maybe three home invaders waiting to be totally shocked and awed at the sound and flash and smoke of a hot loaded cap&baller revolver. After the first coupla shots they would be scrambling over one another and the one or two on the floor to get the hell outta there."

This is one of the things I've often considered when speaking of a revolver. A typical burglary has desperate or lazy people looking for quick and easy money, and want no part of a gun fight.

Where one might have reason to be concerned would be if they have ties to nefarious organizations or owe money to the wrong people. Although it is certainly possible to have determined thugs if you had pointed the finger at one of the said individuals or even were the mistaken recipient of retaliation as they got the address wrong.

In regards to ball vs conical, it's been said that CW vets stated the ball was much more effective on men, that the conicals simply zipped through but left them more than willing to continue. I've wondered if it's not the speed at which these are traveling vs the slower conicals, which ought to increase it's expansion, though maybe the slightly more blunt round frontal area is less pointy that the RN and even more so than the Picket types.

I load my cap n ball pistol after cleaning, and had been loading a ball using 30-35 grns of 3F Triple 7 with no lube.

But I had Accurate Molds create me a bullet specifically for this, which is shorter than a ball so as to keep the weight closer to that of a ball, but has a wide meplat (.375") with the idea that any expansion begins there, and without any expansion the wound starts there.

But I also had the driving bands widened so as to create more pressure, which creates more velocity. And with it being shorter than a ball I could load more powder. This bullet weighs 170 grns, and I'd guess that I could probably get similar velocities as with a RB. In essence it ought to perform about as well or better than a .45 ACP +P.

http://accuratemolds.com/bullet_deta...=45-170C-D.png

On an aside, this ought to work well (in theory) with Pietta pistols with the slower twist. I just received my mold, and am still working on my new Pietta '58, but am anxious to try many things to see how it works.

I had also created a bullet that's roughly the length of a ball. It's the same basic design and weighs 195 grns.

http://accuratemolds.com/bullet_deta...=45-195C-D.png

[DD4lifeusmc]

While it is possible for condensatin to form it will normally be on the outside.
If you have a properly fitted pressed in ball, very unlikely any moisture will go past the ball.
If you are loading for home defense, you son't need to worry about fouling
as you will likelyonly fire 6 rounds unless you got spare cylinders.
Thus I wouldn't worry about lubed wads.
But if you are concerned about powder degradation.
Use 25gr powder, a thin non lubed wad, a lubed wad and then your projectile.
Me I load 30 gr, in a paper cartrifdge then a lubed conical.
use a dab of my beeswax / lard mix on nipples and press the cap on.
Never failed to go boom.
I sometimes leave loaded as long as a year (I rotate revolvers) they go out and come in from the cold either in a leather holster or cloth case.

[enyaw]

I learned way back in the beginning of my blackpowder life that the condensation can form where the powder is inside when a cold gun goes into the warm house.

Not wanting to debate with anyone that has different experiences but just wanting to let less experienced Folks know about the anomaly condensation.

How it forms in a chamber where there wouldn't be much air left in there from loading correctly I really don't know.

I just read about the condensation thing in Muzzleloading Magazines and books and learned the hard way that the condensation happens.

I did ,in the past, take a cold gun in a warm house and ,not every time, have a misfire at the next attempt to fire the rifle.

Funny thing.....it doesn't seem to happen with black powder cartridges. Maybe because the powder is warmed slowly because of being insulated in the brass case?

Now, I'm at a lose for good thunkin knowledge when it comes to blackpowder substitutes that aren't as hydroscopic (sucking up moisture like a sponge) as the actual blackpowder.

I wanted to add sumpthin bout lube pills. When I mix my recipie I will sometimes add a little water to the wax/lube mix. Seems to make the lube work better. Wonder if I'm dillusional or not bout this?

[Stormson]

All great points guys!

Not sure I was being quite as clear as I could have though... Defense is not the main purpose here... More of an afterthought really.

Heres the deal. I love to shoot, and I have fallen for this BP thing in a big way! But I also have a pretty crazy life. Me and the ol' lady are living in two places, about 15 miles apart and trying to rebuild two trailers as rentals. Im pretty disabled at this point, but still try to work when I can,as well as slowly working on both of these places, she still works in a store. She has a couple kids, one of which is graduating this year, and I have a couple of my own, as well as a couple I try to keep an eye on for my previous partner who died, leaving them orphans, though grown (for the most part). If any of you have teens and\or young adults, then, LOL, yeah... You can see why I say I have a pretty crazy life right?

So.. Anyway... What all this boils down to is that, while Id LIKE to be out shooting, hunting or fishing every day, the fact is I simply dont HAVE any sort of routine in my life any longer.. Im the "go to guy" for all the youngun's and the ol' lady, as well as having some projects that I can do as I feel like, but others that need immediate attention. Sometimes I could go shoot twice a week... Sometimes once.. And sometimes I dont see a break for myself for months on end.

Now.. That being said, I have truly fallen in love with this neat little piece. View it as almost the perfect "kit gun".. My utility sidearm, that basically I see as the workhorse of my collection. I can load for whatever job needs done, and its handy, cheap to shoot, and just plain cool to have around LOL. The problem comes in when i DONT need it for anything for long periods. I just cant see leaving it empty when its so useful. I could also see loading it up, thinking I'll get to shoot tomorrow, but being called away and not getting back out for months. The idea of defense itself is sort of secondary.. I have a Mossburg 500 as my main home defense arm, but it never hurts to have a few back ups within arms reach either... I just figured IF it would get a break from time to time anyway, then it may as well be ready all the same. Still, being that it will probably get FAR more use as a trail gun, varmint gun, and taking out wayward tin cans, then it ever will fighting off the Mongolian hoards ( ), the idea of keeping it lubed for the times I DO get to fire it just seemed pretty important.

Where it to be ONLY a defense arm I wouldnt worry so much, and probably wouldnt use any wad either, as the cops would almost certainly take it away after a break in in which I had to use it... And by the time I got it back, it would be in sad shape from not being cleaned anyway. But since I will be using it as an "all around workhorse", I need to take care of it as well as I can... Plus, every once in awhile I MIGHT just get lucky enough to grab it, head out and have time to run a few cylinders though it JUST for me LOL... Would be nice when that does happen, if it didnt bind up by the second one, ya know?

Anyway.. LOTS of good stuff from all you guys, and from a few different viewpoints, which is exactly what I need, thanks!

[enyaw]

Stormson,

I see where yer comin from. It's hard and rocky out there on the trail and all.

Seeing as you really don't need another home defense weapon since the shotgun is plenty I'd advise you to just keep a flask with the spout on it fer yer charge of powder and a brass capper and some lead balls with the gun that's lightly oiled with that yellow stuff blackpowder lube so it's all there ready to go.

Doesn't take long at all to load er up right? Get a partitioned wood box with the little lock key and all from Cabelas to keep the gun and loadin stuff all in the same place. Keep the key well hidden from any children. Don't want kids messin with the big guys stuff right?

A thin film of that Bore Butter yellow lube stuff or even Ballistol will help keep the gun from rusting. Now and then pick it up and feel it up and fondle yer firearm looking for any sign of rust.

Ifin you keep the gun in a sealed bread bag ,or whatever, and use that rust block paper Brownelles (gun smithing supply)sells in the bag with the gun there will be no rust.

Cabelas sells those "Wonder Seals" you can use fer lube pills for fouling control when shooting. Make yer own is better and relaxing.

Use bees Wax or Soy wax and paraffin wax and a lube type stuff in equal amounts in a glass measuring cup that's heat resistant. Melt the equal amounts of the two waxes and the lube stuff(can be Crisco,Olive oil, Canola oil, corn oil, or any organic type oil greasy stuff). Mix it well.

Pour the melted wax/lube on a pan of boiling(not rolling) hot water.
The lube wax mix floats on the hot water.

Let the water with lube stuff floating on it cool till the layer of wax/lube can come off and be handled. Put it (pan of water with the wax/lube solid sheet) on it in the freezer if possible to harden the wax sheet that forms to get it out of the pan with the water easily. The wax sheet has to be cold and solid to handle it to get it off the water.

You will end up with a sheet of lube/wax that can be punched with a lube pill/grease cookie punch to make lube pils to place on the powder under the balls when loadin the cap&baller. The best way to do it....lube pill ON the powder UNDER the balls.

Putting the hot liquid wax/lube on the hot water in the pan and letting it cool makes you a sheet of lube/wax for lube pills that will ALL be the same thickness.

Depending what you like in the way of lube pill thickness......1/8th inch or 1/4th inch or 3/16ths inch is in the ball park.

It's good to have all the lube pills the same thickness.

Get two brass tubes from the hardware store. One tube the size you want yer lube pills and one the next size bigger. The smaller brass tube is a perfect fit inside the next size bigger brass tube. Very handy the way that works out.

Cut a piece of the brass tube the size yer pills will be about half inch or a little longer to "solder inside the end" of the larger diameter brass tube you leave long as it was when you bought it. Leave some of the smaller size sticking out the end of the larger tube. That makes punching the wax sheet to punch out lube pills easier......using only one thickness of tube to cut into the wax/lube sheet.

I had a muzzleloader shop at one time and I made those lube pill punches from the brass tubes and sold them in the shop. They are handy made from the nice brass tubing sold in hardware stores. The tubing is about a foot long for each piece. They are sold in inches and not .001's inch so a caliper is handy to have to measure the inside diameter unless you're good at converting fractions of an inch to .001's of an inch.

That way when you use the small diameter end of the punch to punch out lube pills from the wax sheet you made. The pills will go into the smaller end and then quickly enter the larger diameter long brass tube so......the pills are not sticking to the sides of a tight tube since they will all get squished that way on their way up and out of the top of the lube pill cutter. Making the whole lube pill cutter about 6-8 inches long works well.

The nice uniform perfectly round and pretty lube pills will come out the top of the brass tube with some in a section with all the lube pills stuck together very neatly. They come apart readily by sorta sliding the end ones off sideways.
Very handy. They can be put in rows in something like an "ALTOIDS" tin redtangular box you can find in most hardware stores near the front where the candy bars are by the cash registers. Those "ALTOIDS" tin boxes are just the thing for carrying lube pills around while shooting. The tins fit in a back pocket real well. They have little hinged tops that open and close easy.

The pills are right when you can handle them,of course, but.....need to be soft enough you can squish them fairly easily between yer fingers. Lube pills that are too hard don't fight fouling well. The softer the better but.....hot weather needs stiffer wax in the pills so theyn don't get too soft to handle. In cold weather the pills need to be softer because the cold makes the lube pills hard.
Vary the amount of the paraffin in the recipie to get it right for the current weather. Stat with all the two types wax and the lube stuff in equal amount. That's the best place to start and maybe end up. Equal amounts.

Lube pills for cap&ballers are about the same as lube pills/grease cookies for blackpowder cartridges. It's a damned if you do and damned if you don't when it comes to the softness part. Soft works better but too soft causes some trouble. Gotta kinda experiment to get it right the way you like yer lube pills.

Using the lube pills on the powder has the lube/wax(some of it ,not all of it) melt when the powder burns and the melted wax/lube gets splashed out of the chamber and gets on the arbor and at the end of the cylinder and seals that so powder takes a good while to get in the space between the arbor(cylinder pin) and the cylinders center hole.

If the lube pills are the right recipie you will be able to shoot a hundred or close to two hundred balls without fouling the barrel too much or the cylinder dragging. Barrel stays clean enough(you will see black stuff in the barrel but that is the lube/wax doing it's job keeping the fouling from sticking.

If any time the cylinder does drag from fouling then.....take out yer VISINE EYE DROPS little bottle you filled with blackpowder cleaning solvent or plain water and drop a few drops on the arbor at the front of the cylinder with the gun pointing up and spin the cylinder and it will break free and spin like new from the watery solvent stuff getting in the space where the arbor is in the front of the cylinder. It's best to have the chambers loaded when you do that with the water /solvent so you don't get watery stuff down in the chamber. Load the chambers but leave the caps off till yer ready to shoot again.

If you have to shoot yer gun and have no time to clean right after the shooting then.......use a non-corrosive black powder substitute like......ALLIANT BLACK MZ powder. It is supposed to be non corrosive so cleaning can be delayed a day or so. It's good powder.

The 777 Hodgdon powder is non corrosive also I thunk. The Pyrodex is corrosive but is a good powder as is the black powder corrosive but a very good powder. Goex is a good powder. Swiss is a good powder.

Alright.....I took the time to "two finger type" this out. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.......you better make use of the info to make yer cap&ball revolver shooting more efficient and harmonious and GET OUT THERE AND DO SOME SHOOING.

All the ornery Hombre here will concure I'd suspect.

If you have any trouble making a lube pill punch from the brass hardware store brass tubes because of soldering ill skill or trouble deburring the edges that are cut off or trouble cutting a piece off( a very fine jewlers saw can work as can a pipe cutter from the hardware store but that makes the ends curl inward some and that needs removed with a file) then........ask about it here. These Hombre "know stuff" and will be happy to help. Just don't leave solder or burrs inside the lube pillpunch. The inside needs to be smooth so the pills can move thru the tube to come out the top.


You can buy lube pills/grease cookie cutter tubes all ready made up different places. Buffalo Arms is one place to ask bout it. Black Powder forums and Black Powder shooting supply places will have them occaisionally.

I have some wool wad cutters from Buffalo Arms that go in my reloading press and I can cut strips of wool wadding material and then punch out wool wads like they were made of butter. Punches them out perfectly and just like the commercial retail sold types.

Wool wads soaked in wax/lube stuff help with loading the cap&baller revolvers. Some Hombre and Hombrettes swear by the wool wads with the lube/wax saturated into them. Some innovative folks actually make little balls of the lube/wax and just throw one in on the powder that the lead ball squishes when it's loaded. That's alright but doesn't seal the way a good fit lube pill does. Seals so there are no chain fires caused from/at the front of the chambers.

I like the pure lube/wax lube pills but lots of Hombre and Hombretees like the greasy/wax wool wads to place on the powder under the lead balls. They say.....the stiff wool wads scrape the barrel and the front half of the chambers clean each time one flies down the bore. I bet that's true too!

Later Hombre.
Good shootin and be careful. Cap&baller revolvers are REAL GUNS and can/do KILL. Ask the spirits of the folks Wild Bill Hickock shot some 36 calibre balls into. They will tell ya ifin you can conjure their spirits up outta the graves where they are pushin up daisies.

[Stormson]

Seeing as you really don't need another home defense weapon since the shotgun is plenty I'd advise you to just keep a flask with the spout on it fer yer charge of powder and a brass capper and some lead balls with the gun that's lightly oiled with that yellow stuff blackpowder lube so it's all there ready to go.

Doesn't take long at all to load er up right? Get a partitioned wood box with the little lock key and all from Cabelas to keep the gun and loadin stuff all in the same place. Keep the key well hidden from any children. Don't want kids messin with the big guys stuff right?

Yeah, thats an idea too... And I probably will get much faster as i get more practice... But.. I dont know.. LOL, It just "feels" wrong somehow to not have it loaded ya know? I know, it sounds weird, but there is just something not right about an unloaded weapon that cant be brought to bear in a second or two. im well past the age of little kids... The youngest graduates HS in a couple months, the oldest 26. They are all well versed in firearms use and safety (though the oldest boy DOES think i have lost my mind, liking that "old time stuff" so much LOL), so Im not terribly concerned on that front... The HS grad is the only one actually living with either of us, and she is a very good good girl who doesnt have people over without checking first. Besides shes staying with her mom at the other place, and the moms only firearm is always within reach, in her purse.

A thin film of that Bore Butter yellow lube stuff or even Ballistol will help keep the gun from rusting. Now and then pick it up and feel it up and fondle yer firearm looking for any sign of rust.

Ballistol! Man.. I cant understand why that stuff is SO hard to find? NO ONE carries it around here... But to see the vids and read here it is like some magical substance...I guess im gonna have to order some.. Itching to try it out!

Cabelas sells those "Wonder Seals" you can use fer lube pills for fouling control when shooting. Make yer own is better and relaxing.

Use bees Wax or Soy wax and paraffin wax and a lube type stuff in equal amounts in a glass measuring cup that's heat resistant. Melt the equal amounts of the two waxes and the lube stuff(can be Crisco,Olive oil, Canola oil, corn oil, or any organic type oil greasy stuff). Mix it well.

Yup.. Been using the wonder wads, but WOW they are expensive for just a little felt and lube! I am wanting to try both soaking them in my own mix, and just plain wax\lard "pills" and see which I like best... Have me some punches coming so I can try making my own wads too...Its taking awhile to gather everything Im finding that I want or need.. But Im getting there!

Pour the melted wax/lube on a pan of boiling(not rolling) hot water.
The lube wax mix floats on the hot water.

THAT is an awesome idea! Youre right, that would make them all exactly the same... And I wouldnt have to sacrifice any of the bead pans! Im sure I will give this a shot once I get the basics down... Never would have thought of it!

Lube pills for cap&ballers are about the same as lube pills/grease cookies for blackpowder cartridges. It's a damned if you do and damned if you don't when it comes to the softness part. Soft works better but too soft causes some trouble. Gotta kinda experiment to get it right the way you like yer lube pills.

Exactly! This is what I was wondering about when I first posted, though I am gathering a TON of other info as well! I was thinking that if the pill or wad DID happen to get a little over soft, or even leak a little, maybe a thin round of waxed cardboard underneath (like punched from a milk carton as someone suggested, or even soaking cereal box stuff in pure wax) would help to protect the powder, or would it just kinda leak past the edges and still ruin the charge?

If any time the cylinder does drag from fouling then.....take out yer VISINE EYE DROPS little bottle you filled with blackpowder cleaning solvent or plain water and drop a few drops on the arbor at the front of the cylinder with the gun pointing up and spin the cylinder and it will break free and spin like new from the watery solvent stuff getting in the space where the arbor is in the front of the cylinder. It's best to have the chambers loaded when you do that with the water /solvent so you don't get watery stuff down in the chamber. Load the chambers but leave the caps off till yer ready to shoot again.

Another killer idea I would have never thought of! Gotta use up some visine now so i can use the bottle... Hmm.. Maybe should drink more so my eyes stay bloodshot for awhile? LOL Seriously, thats going in the possibles bag... And mines a Remmi, so I could just pop it out every few cylinders and head the problem off at the pass..

If you have to shoot yer gun and have no time to clean right after the shooting then.......use a non-corrosive black powder substitute like......ALLIANT BLACK MZ powder.

Been using the 777... In fact it is about all we can get around here.. But thats ok, cos mine seems to REALLY like the stuff so far... And clean up is a breeze so far with that and the wonderwads, with just a touch of lard between wad and ball for good measure.

Alright.....I took the time to "two finger type" this out. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.......you better make use of the info to make yer cap&ball revolver shooting more efficient and harmonious and GET OUT THERE AND DO SOME SHOOING.

Hehe.. Man I think you wrote an entire BP manual! And it sounds like you went to the same typing school as i did! LOL Yup... GOT get back out there this weekend or next week hopefully...Ya know its getting pretty bad when ya start thinking about faking your own death, just to get a little range time in!!!

You can buy lube pills/grease cookie cutter tubes all ready made up different places. Buffalo Arms is one place to ask bout it. Black Powder forums and Black Powder shooting supply places will have them occaisionally.

Ive already got a set of punches coming that I THINK where made for leather, maybe? They look pretty thick and should hold up pretty well.. But if not, then I'll start looking for the brass pipe you suggest... not gonna pay for a set like that every time I wanna make some pills or wads...

I like the pure lube/wax lube pills but lots of Hombre and Hombretees like the greasy/wax wool wads to place on the powder under the lead balls. They say.....the stiff wool wads scrape the barrel and the front half of the chambers clean each time one flies down the bore. I bet that's true too!

Gonna try to make some of both and see what works best...I am thinking the felt is gonna help more as well, but if it isnt allot of difference then Im probably gonna just go with pills... I guess thats allot of the fun, just trying different stuff and seeing what works best... Hehe, and I have a SLEW of stuff I wanna try!

Later Hombre.
Good shootin and be careful. Cap&baller revolvers are REAL GUNS and can/do KILL. Ask the spirits of the folks Wild Bill Hickock shot some 36 calibre balls into. They will tell ya ifin you can conjure their spirits up outta the graves where they are pushin up daisies.

Yup! Of that I have NO doubt! In fact, i would have no problem using it in that defense role if the need does arise! Later man, and thank you for all the great advice!

[enyaw]

Howdy Hombre!
You know Cabelas sells the Wonder Wads but also the Wonder Seals that are actually lube/pills in a jar. They's too expensive though.

I've never used anything that works as well as lube pills for barrel fouling and arbor fouling problems in a cap&baller. The pill of wax/lube right on the powder works really well with any type lubey stuff in the wax. The pills don't completely melt from the "fire" of ignition. They ain't in the chamber/barrel very long at all after the ignition happens. They do get forced by the pressure against the walls of the chambers and barrel and deposit some film of wax/lube that the powder burn following can't stick much hard fouling on the barrel walls.

As far as using some form of cardboard wad or paper over the powder I'd thunk that if it's too thick it would protect the lube pill from the "Heat" and minimize the reason it's in there. When I load blackpowder cartridges I still put the lube/pill(disc of wax lube) right on the powder to get the full affect of it. The hard fiber wad that protects the base of the bullet is on the lube pill that's on the powder. I get good results that way.
So...who cares what I do right? Everyone developes their own personal way of loading the cap&ballers and it's sorta like a "Creed" an Hombre has that's personal. A Shrink(head shrinker) could tell a lot about a person by studying the way they load their guns.

If you wanted a card wad on the powder to keep any leaching of lube from the pill(they will leach some oily from them) with a loading that stayed in the chambers a long time then it's yer call. You thunk it's the way to go then....you do what you want to do period.What you learn is the "best".

I'd thunk about using something that would absorb any leaching from the lube pills. Like plain arse news paper or better yet "Cigarrette paper". It's nitrated and thus will burn if it's on the powder. Maybe not completely consumed since it's not in front of the heat long but still burn it's way down the barrel. That kinda paper absorbs oily stuff well. It's yer call though. You'll get more well versed in loading your own personal way and evolve into the certain type cap&baller shooting Hombre you're bound by fate to be. Remember to do it well.......become the gun....the bullet.....the powder.....be one with the process. You'll hit more bulls-eyes that way.

When you practice try to find a place where you can shoot and see(like kickin up dirt or whatever) where you hit to get your brain the instant feedback it likes so much. They say instant feed back is what the brain functions best with to get the process down pat and let the brain do it's thing sorta unimpeded. YOU KNOW....TRY too HARD AND YOU SCREW UP. Let the brain do what it learns to do and you'll be a natural at it....like Wild Bill or Bat Masterson. I don't think they did a lot of "thinking" while they shot their guns. I thunk they learned to do it and then let the brain do it's thing naturally the way it learned to do it best. They didn't try too hard and screw it up. They probably "let it go free" and their brains natural learning and controlng the shootin muscles responded well. Too bad fer the thing they were shootin at.
Maybe you've noticed...once you learn to shoot ifin you try too hard you screw up...when you just let it flow.....you do well. Become the gun....become the bullet.....become the powder. You'll do well Grass Hopper. ha ha ha ha

When you decide on a "recipie" of yer own then just do a test and lay a lube pill or two on a cigarrette paper for a week or even two or four and see how much leaching there might be. Then adjust the recipie for harder lube pills by adding more paraffin or bees wax to the mix. Then shoot with them and see if the barrel stays fouling free enough to keep shootin accurate by the wax/lube keeping any fouling in the barrel soft and minimized by blowing out cause it can't stick well.

[rodwhaincamo]

Felt wad material:

http://www.durofelt.com/image_26.html

[enyaw]

Thanks Rodwhaincamo fer posting that fer people. Good info Hombre.
DuraFelt is a good place the shop.

Buffalo Arms has those niffty wad cutters that go in a loading press that I like a lot. They cost but just one or two are needed. A cheapy single stage press is worth buying if a person makes enough wads....fer himself and friends that want a good deal on them.

Anyway....lots of people seem to like the wool wads saturated in lube/wax. Especially the ones that have a hard time handling lube pills.

The famous "Elmer Kieth" who wrote the books and came up with the idea of the 44 magnum used felt wads made from old western style hats. He put lube on them. Used them in his old original Navy Colt he stated would shoot thru the same hole all day long. He shot a proghorn from 600 yards once with a pistol and.....killed it. Must have ate it too.

I should add to this. Soy wax is good fer lube pill/grease cookie wax in place of the more expensive bees wax. The soy wax seems to have a lube effect of it's own to add to the effectiveness. It needs a little extra paraffine added to it in the hot weather. Bees wax on it's own isn;t a good bullet lube. Soy wax seems like it it a good one one it's own. Just my opinion.

Candle making places sell it(soy wax) in buckets of little wax beads and that makes it easy to use.

Last time I shot I tested that Alliant Black MZ powder and used some soy wax lube pills. Soy wax, paraffin wax, mutton tallow. It worked good. That powder worked good too. It's consistant and has good granuals and pours good and all that. I was havin a good shootin day when I tried it. The powder has a lot to do with that. Worked good in one of my Pietta Navy Colts.

That gun shoots well. Close tolerance between the diameter of the chambers and the barrel groove diameter. I shot over a hundred shots and had no barrel fouling problems. Thunk it was close to two hundred.