Video - Shooting Colt's 1849 Pocket Pistol

duelist1954 · November 10, 2011, 07:03 PM

In this video we'll shoot the little .32 caliber Colt replica. This was Colt's best selling revolver during the cap and ball era.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ptTCAcpbe0

zullo74 · November 10, 2011, 08:59 PM

Mike,

That would be a .31 caliber Colt Pocket. Good video though.

duelist1954 · November 11, 2011, 09:38 AM

Good catch. I don't know what I'm saying sometimes.

DrLaw · November 11, 2011, 10:17 AM

I'm going to have to try the 4F trick in mine. Thanks for the video.

The Doc is out now.

zullo74 · November 11, 2011, 11:25 AM

The Ruger Old Army maual says you can use BP from 4Fg-1Fg....here is the excerpt....

AMMUNITION
The “Old Army” is a muzzle loading, percussion revolver intended solely for use with Black Powder. It should never, under any circumstances, be loaded with any type of smokeless powder as the result could be damage to the revolver and injury to the shooter or bystanders. Black Powder is usually classified by powder grain size, with “Fg” being the largest granulation and “FFFFg” being the smallest granulation normally available. Any granulation within these gradations could be used in the “Old Army”; normally, however, “FFFg” is the preferred grain size. Replica black powder such as Pyrodex may be used, so long as suggested loading data is strictly adhered to.

Hardcase · November 11, 2011, 12:18 PM

Another nice one, Mike. Funny thing, I was just looking at the Wells Fargo and civilian pocket pistols at Cabela's. The cased set Wells Fargo with all the little goodies is on sale and I've got a bunch of gift certificates...I think I'm gonna buy myself an early Christmas present!

About the capping issue on that revolver - if you're only loading four chambers, I wonder if it wouldn't be easier to go ahead and cap the cylinder off the revolver. I know the rule about when to cap, but it seems to me that as long as you put the cylinder back on with the empty in line with the hammer, you're safe. I'm just wondering because hereabouts it's getting kind of chilly out and when I have to cap a cylinder by hand, my fingers get awfully darn sore pretty quick. Just a thought - and I'm open to hear why it might be a bad one.

duelist1954 · November 11, 2011, 07:51 PM

On or off the gun, I still have o cap the 1849 by hand because the opening to the nipples is too small for either of my cappers.

Aguila Blanca · November 12, 2011, 12:01 AM

So why did you remove the wedge retaining screw? The purpose of that screw is to ensure that the wedge does NOT get separated from the gun and lost. The barrel comes off the frame without removing that screw. I know it does, because I'm working on an authentic pre-Civil war example of the 1849 right now.

duelist1954 · November 12, 2011, 10:19 AM

I have a couple of pistols where, if I don't remove the wedge completely it tends to turn slightly so the corner hits the arbor when I re-install the barrel. I find it is easier to just take it off...my Paterson is the same way, but my other C&Bs are ok in that regard.

Aguila Blanca · November 12, 2011, 11:40 AM

Fair enough. But I wish that had been explained in the video. The video conveys the impression that removal of the screw is necessary to take down the firearm, and that's not at all accurate.

Smokin'Joe · November 12, 2011, 11:52 AM

Mike, You can take the screw out or leave it in, I don't care. You do good work.
Joe

OutlawJoseyWales · November 12, 2011, 12:08 PM

Another well well done video. Thanks.
I'm also cool with the wedge screw removal, that's just your thing.
BP revolvers are very interesting to me BECAUSE of the unique, archaic and individualistic nature of dealing with them. It's one of the things, besides the history, that makes them much more fun than just punching paper with store-bought.
Thanks again.
OJW

November 10, 2011, 07:03 PM	#1
duelist1954 Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2011 Location: Central Pennsylvania Posts: 382	Video - Shooting Colt's 1849 Pocket Pistol In this video we'll shoot the little .32 caliber Colt replica. This was Colt's best selling revolver during the cap and ball era. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ptTCAcpbe0

November 11, 2011, 10:17 AM	#4
DrLaw Senior Member Join Date: June 3, 2007 Location: Wild Western Illinois Posts: 559	I'm going to have to try the 4F trick in mine. Thanks for the video. The Doc is out now. __________________ General McAuliffe said it best "Nuts."

November 11, 2011, 12:18 PM	#6
Hardcase Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2009 Location: Sunny Southern Idaho Posts: 1,881	Another nice one, Mike. Funny thing, I was just looking at the Wells Fargo and civilian pocket pistols at Cabela's. The cased set Wells Fargo with all the little goodies is on sale and I've got a bunch of gift certificates...I think I'm gonna buy myself an early Christmas present! About the capping issue on that revolver - if you're only loading four chambers, I wonder if it wouldn't be easier to go ahead and cap the cylinder off the revolver. I know the rule about when to cap, but it seems to me that as long as you put the cylinder back on with the empty in line with the hammer, you're safe. I'm just wondering because hereabouts it's getting kind of chilly out and when I have to cap a cylinder by hand, my fingers get awfully darn sore pretty quick. Just a thought - and I'm open to hear why it might be a bad one. __________________ Well we don't rent pigs and I figure it's better to say it right out front because a man that does like to rent pigs is... he's hard to stop - Gus McCrae

November 10, 2011, 08:59 PM	#2
zullo74 Junior member Join Date: August 8, 2009 Posts: 374	Mike, That would be a .31 caliber Colt Pocket. Good video though.

November 11, 2011, 09:38 AM	#3
duelist1954 Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2011 Location: Central Pennsylvania Posts: 382	Good catch. I don't know what I'm saying sometimes.

November 11, 2011, 11:25 AM	#5
zullo74 Junior member Join Date: August 8, 2009 Posts: 374	The Ruger Old Army maual says you can use BP from 4Fg-1Fg....here is the excerpt.... AMMUNITION The “Old Army” is a muzzle loading, percussion revolver intended solely for use with Black Powder. It should never, under any circumstances, be loaded with any type of smokeless powder as the result could be damage to the revolver and injury to the shooter or bystanders. Black Powder is usually classified by powder grain size, with “Fg” being the largest granulation and “FFFFg” being the smallest granulation normally available. Any granulation within these gradations could be used in the “Old Army”; normally, however, “FFFg” is the preferred grain size. Replica black powder such as Pyrodex may be used, so long as suggested loading data is strictly adhered to.

November 11, 2011, 07:51 PM	#7
duelist1954 Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2011 Location: Central Pennsylvania Posts: 382	On or off the gun, I still have o cap the 1849 by hand because the opening to the nipples is too small for either of my cappers.

November 12, 2011, 12:01 AM	#8
Aguila Blanca Senior Member Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 4,836	So why did you remove the wedge retaining screw? The purpose of that screw is to ensure that the wedge does NOT get separated from the gun and lost. The barrel comes off the frame without removing that screw. I know it does, because I'm working on an authentic pre-Civil war example of the 1849 right now.

November 12, 2011, 10:19 AM	#9
duelist1954 Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2011 Location: Central Pennsylvania Posts: 382	I have a couple of pistols where, if I don't remove the wedge completely it tends to turn slightly so the corner hits the arbor when I re-install the barrel. I find it is easier to just take it off...my Paterson is the same way, but my other C&Bs are ok in that regard.

November 12, 2011, 11:40 AM	#10
Aguila Blanca Senior Member Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 4,836	Fair enough. But I wish that had been explained in the video. The video conveys the impression that removal of the screw is necessary to take down the firearm, and that's not at all accurate.

November 12, 2011, 11:52 AM	#11
Smokin'Joe Senior Member Join Date: December 27, 2010 Posts: 101	Mike, You can take the screw out or leave it in, I don't care. You do good work. Joe

November 12, 2011, 12:08 PM	#12
OutlawJoseyWales Senior Member Join Date: August 18, 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 187	Another well well done video. Thanks. I'm also cool with the wedge screw removal, that's just your thing. BP revolvers are very interesting to me BECAUSE of the unique, archaic and individualistic nature of dealing with them. It's one of the things, besides the history, that makes them much more fun than just punching paper with store-bought. Thanks again. OJW