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Old January 14, 2017, 01:41 PM   #1
BravoWhiskey
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Join Date: October 4, 2016
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Correct ball size for Colt Signature Series pocket revolver

I recently had the good fortune to be given a third-generation Colt "signature Series" pocket revolver by a good friend and gun guru as a Christmas present.
I believe it is a .31 cal "navy", if that makes any difference. I'm out shooting it for the first time today using .320" lead balls, which are far too small. I can compress them into the cylinder just using my finger. When shooting, sometimes the .320 balls will practically roll out of the cylinders. Before I buy another hundred that are either too small or too big, and relegate a new bag of balls to the smelting pot, what is the appropriate sized soft lead ball for this revolver? To be sure, this is not a .36. I tried to post a pic as an attachment, but not sure if it gets on this post.

(By the way, #10 CCI primers, which I use for my big .44's, are too small. This revolver seems to like Remington #11. Someone with lots of BP revolver experience should build a guide to calibers, ball sizes, and primers per size and make, with input from the salty members on this forum, to provide a useful resource.)
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Old January 14, 2017, 02:44 PM   #2
Oliver Sudden
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The best thing to do is measure the cylinder mouths and get a ball from .003 to .005 larger. The makers of these repro guns do very even in their own manufacturing. I shoot 31, 36 and 44 cap and ball and each time I get a different one of the same calibre it seems I have to start over. I'm told that's part of the fun. A trick that helps group size is to put a dry wad (even news print) over the powder if you use a lube wad under the ball.
My 31 revolver, I know it's a 1849 but with the square guard I like to think of it as a Dragoon! It's a no name replica that I refinished.

Last edited by Oliver Sudden; January 14, 2017 at 02:50 PM.
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Old January 14, 2017, 05:07 PM   #3
Hawg
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.323 should work if it's an 1849 pocket. The navies were .36 caliber.
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Old January 14, 2017, 07:48 PM   #4
44 Dave
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If you have a bought a box of .320, and want to use them just flatten them a little bit, and then the hard part in those little cylinders, load them flat up and down.
You can squash one at a time then measure it to see if .323 is what works.
I was given a hand full of .360 that I flattened and shot until the .380 mold for my Navy arrived.
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