New Colt Navy .44 reproduction

[FeLiX84]

My grandpa just gave me one of his blackpowder pistols and i am wondering what size ball does it shoot cause i can't find a .44 size just .454 .445 .43 any help would be great

[FeLiX84]

almost forgot to give you guys a pic


22093

[Steve499]

I'd go with .454 balls. The chambers shave off a ring from them when they're seated so they have to be bigger to start with. Some revolvers can use .451 balls and the Ruger New Army models want .457s but, except for the Ruger, most all will work fine with .454s.

Steve

[FeLiX84]

it doesn't matter that it is to big? i have a lot of guns just no blackpowder pistols so i am new to all this

[skeetabop]

Yes, it's ok it's bigger, you want it that way so it fits tightly in the cylinder. it will shave the soft lead off and fit nicely. I use .451 in my 1860 Colt, but the .454 will work also.
These guns can chain fire (that means some or all of the cylinders can go off at once). To prevent that, make sure all your nipples have percusion caps on them (#10's work the best with the my 1860).
Nice looking gun BTW.
Good shooting!

[pohill]

Not that it's a big deal, but that's the 1860 Colt Army .44 (not Navy). Round barrel, creeping loading lever.
I use .454 balls (they MUST shave a ring of lead when you ram them down, unles the chamber mouths are beveled) and #11 caps (#11 are bigger and have to be pinched to keep them on the nipples). Use something to seal off the ball-end of the chambers - Crisco or Bore Butter smeared over the balls, or lube pills (or lubed wads) under the balls.

[FeLiX84]

should i always use Crisco or Bore Butter and i was told just put some powder in the chamber and pack the ball... is this right no wad in there

[Hafoc]

You can do it either way. You can pack the ball directly on top of the powder and put grease in the chamber mouths on top of the ball, or you can put a lubed wad on top of the powder and pack the ball down on top of that. Either way will serve to reduce the chance of chain fires. Either way will put some lube down the bore to keep the black powder fouling soft.

Chain fires happen when the flash from one chamber firing sets off one or more of the others. Chamber's got a hole in each end; one in the front and one in back for the cap to flash through. You want to seal up both of those as best you can. The tight-fitting ball and the lube should take care of the front of the chamber. Having a cap properly seated on each nipple should take care of the back.

[FeLiX84]

i have another question i want to know how to take it apart before i shoot it.. i know that pin needs to come out but i cannot think of a way to get it out without scratching it any tips?

[pohill]

This link is a good place to get some basic answers. Taking the wedge out isn't hard - whack it with something soft. Be careful putting it back in - don't whack it too far.
http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/shenandoah/Choy.html

[faraway]

Felix, if for some reason you will be leaving it charged, use the ball and grease over the top. The lubricated wads, ok, but in the original period of use, not too common because of worries about powder contamination. The wedge, as noted, a soft mallet, piece of wood will work.
If you have an extra cylinder...do not do what they used to do (in battles anyway), tap the wedge loose with the cylinder. Marks up the wedge, and some trouble if a cap is struck on the spare cylinder...
After you disassemble and clean it, put some lube on the arbor (the pin on which the cylinder rotates), designed for that, and will keep it from powder binding somewhat longer

[KW-Bane]

I use a small wooden mallet made of hard wood, to "whack" the wedge out.

Crisco with bee's wax added works great.

For ball size...a small ring of lead should shaved off when being seated. I have used both .451 & .454 sizes in my '58 Rem replica, I did however stick with the .454's because they are more accurate. The .454's need just a bit more preasure to seat.

Make sure you don't crush the powder or leave any "gaps" of air between ball and powder. A wad or filler could be used to "fill in" the gap.

I've had lots of fun with mine!!