The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - What's a "day's shooting" with a percussion revolver?

Noz · December 15, 2011, 10:01 AM

Loading time is the biggest rascal to slow your shooting days!
It takes as long to load a pair of cap and ball revolvers as it takes for 2 shooters to cycle through a stage. Pretty quick with some practice
I often shoot multiple revolvers (no spare cylinders) and average around 30 shots per revolver in a six hour shooting session. I also shoot some R/F and some Centerfire inbetween.
I use a loading stand and try to let the revolvers cool at least 3 minutes before reloading, so's to avoid any glowing embers.
Not necessary. The "glowing embers" are seen in muzzle loading rifles and shotguns and are remnants of the patches.
Yea a shooting session takes a while and if you use either Crisco or Wads makes a difference in reload time! Wads are so much faster! I still measure each chamber because I fill from the Flask to a measure and into the chamber to avoid spills. I just feel better NOT loading directlly from the Flask for safety's sake.
By the time you have shot 5-6 rounds from a revolver, step back from the firing line, de-cap anything left on the nipples and get your loading supplies out any possibility of fire left in the chambers is so remote that your chances of winning the lottery are higher. But if it makes you feel better, go for it.
Clean-up is a chore none of us BP shooters can avoid but it can be postphoned a day or so with Pyrodex or some of the other Synthetics.
For Competition shooters, the count differs because of the stages and usually one needs to clean every day.
In a match, I wipe the face of the cylinders at the end of the days shooting. I then add a bit of lube to the arbor, recharge each chamber with real black powder in anticipation of the next day's shooting and put them away for the night.
Recteational shooters shoot at a different pace and the number of shots is usually less per day. Still you can easilly start having fun and easilly crank-off 60 shots in a day!
So what is a shooting day? with BP a lot less than costly centerfire shooting or rimfire shooting but they just don't have the same "Kick" that Black Powder Cap and Ball Revolvers give! BP/C&B is just so much more relaxing to shoot!
Black powder shooting is not cheaper per shot than the average centerfire shots, just lots more fun!
That's why I got into the hobby I wanted to get more bang for my buck!
Yup! Lots of bang, smoke and fire.
ZVP

December 15, 2011, 10:01 AM	#7
Noz Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Posts: 643	Loading time is the biggest rascal to slow your shooting days! It takes as long to load a pair of cap and ball revolvers as it takes for 2 shooters to cycle through a stage. Pretty quick with some practice I often shoot multiple revolvers (no spare cylinders) and average around 30 shots per revolver in a six hour shooting session. I also shoot some R/F and some Centerfire inbetween. I use a loading stand and try to let the revolvers cool at least 3 minutes before reloading, so's to avoid any glowing embers. Not necessary. The "glowing embers" are seen in muzzle loading rifles and shotguns and are remnants of the patches. Yea a shooting session takes a while and if you use either Crisco or Wads makes a difference in reload time! Wads are so much faster! I still measure each chamber because I fill from the Flask to a measure and into the chamber to avoid spills. I just feel better NOT loading directlly from the Flask for safety's sake. By the time you have shot 5-6 rounds from a revolver, step back from the firing line, de-cap anything left on the nipples and get your loading supplies out any possibility of fire left in the chambers is so remote that your chances of winning the lottery are higher. But if it makes you feel better, go for it. Clean-up is a chore none of us BP shooters can avoid but it can be postphoned a day or so with Pyrodex or some of the other Synthetics. For Competition shooters, the count differs because of the stages and usually one needs to clean every day. In a match, I wipe the face of the cylinders at the end of the days shooting. I then add a bit of lube to the arbor, recharge each chamber with real black powder in anticipation of the next day's shooting and put them away for the night. Recteational shooters shoot at a different pace and the number of shots is usually less per day. Still you can easilly start having fun and easilly crank-off 60 shots in a day! So what is a shooting day? with BP a lot less than costly centerfire shooting or rimfire shooting but they just don't have the same "Kick" that Black Powder Cap and Ball Revolvers give! BP/C&B is just so much more relaxing to shoot! Black powder shooting is not cheaper per shot than the average centerfire shots, just lots more fun! That's why I got into the hobby I wanted to get more bang for my buck! Yup! Lots of bang, smoke and fire. ZVP