Most reliable BP pistol out of the box?

detroiter711 · March 6, 2016, 11:10 PM

So I know that BP pistols have come a long way in regards to reliability. However, there does seem to still be the occasional lemon or return out there. All things being equal, what do you think is the most reliable out of the box cap and ball pistol? Personally, I think that the Uberti 1858 is a contender, but admittedly, my experience with these firearms is limited to my own Pietta brasser.

brotherg · March 6, 2016, 11:23 PM

I bought one. Love it! Bought another 1860 Colt army and it needed a little work on the rammer. A few forum questions and a little grinding and it is a great shooter. Some might have sent it back for another, I figure I am going to work on it sooner or later, so sooner is is not as good as later but it beats a poke in the eye. My remy was good right out of the box. I expect it and my colt will be good for a long time.

roashooter · March 6, 2016, 11:26 PM

Ruger Old Army......yes they are discontinued...but many new ones can still be found...as well as used...and the accolade...."finest black powder pistol ever made" is still a fact....

Model12Win · March 7, 2016, 12:00 AM

The ROA is the pinnacle of the percussion revolver weapon system.

They do not fail. If it misfires, you are the problem. YOU are the failure. These guns are perfection.

Buy one.

smee78 · March 7, 2016, 12:06 AM

Ruger Old Army is THE black powder pistol for me. It has never let me down and has always gone bang. For me there really are the best and I love the adj sight to help me dial in when needed when I test different loads.

Bishop Creek · March 7, 2016, 12:10 AM

I was going to answer Pietta 1858 Remington at first as I have four of them, but yeah, my ROA is the best cap and ball revolver I own.

**4V50 Gary** · March 7, 2016, 10:38 AM

Ruger Old Army. Some guy at Ben Avery is selling two of them, one for $550 and another for $500.

brotherg · March 7, 2016, 11:56 AM

I like the Ruger. One could say it is not "Authentic" in that it only resembles the guns of the old days. You could also say if the cartridge had failed to come about it is what the BP gun would become. I do not have one, I have handled a few, never shot one. It appears to be an iron brick as far as reliability is concerned and a fine pistol. If you want a fine replica of the old guns the Uberti Remington will likely satisfy. Looking at the internals these guns should last years when properly cared for.

jmar · March 7, 2016, 12:00 PM

The Ruger Old Army should be the best as it has an extra 150 years of engineering.

deerslayer303 · March 7, 2016, 12:38 PM

Yep I say Ruger Old Army also! If you want a reliable pistol that is built like a tank to launch projectiles pushed by black powder then YEAH, its King! But its not MY personal GO TO cap and ball revolver! I prefer the guns that closely resemble what my ancestors used and prefer to use them much in the way they would have or as close as I can or whatever. Same reason I bought and sold an Inline .50 cal rifle and went with a more traditional looking side lock. If I want to shoot deer with a scoped rifle capable of 200 yards I will grab my 30-30. Which in my state and the area I hunt, we can use what ever we want for the entire season. This is not meant to bash the ROA, it is a FINE cap and ball revolver! Just my "opinion" which are like ya know, everyone has one!

wogpotter · March 7, 2016, 12:43 PM

Its a shame the ROA is discontinued.
It would have been my first choice for your answer.

deerslayer303 · March 7, 2016, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Its a shame the ROA is discontinued.

Yes it is. I once sent an email to Ruger asking for its return. It was a thread on here I think asking members to do so.

Hawg · March 7, 2016, 06:34 PM

Quote:

I prefer the guns that closely resemble what my ancestors used and prefer to use them much in the way they would have or as close as I can or whatever.

This ^^^ I wouldn't foul my hands on a ROA.

cheatin charlie · March 7, 2016, 08:19 PM

For a first time buyer the Remington 1858 is the most reliable out of the box
pistol made as of now. It needs some tweeking but usually works. Also 1858
bashes some peoples knuckle and soon become sore after a couple shots. I
prefer Colt copies for SASS but they require more work to get them 100%
reliable.

Over the years I have owned 3 Ruger old armies and sold them all because
although they are strong they are also heavy and the bore is high in the hand.
Even in target shooting I believe they are way too heavy to shoot one handed.
If Ruger would make a 36 caliber on the Single Six frame I would probably
find some money to buy a pair. Don't believe Old Armies don't jam up with
cap debris I have seen it happen. Although the chance of a Ruger breaking
anything is small remember there are no parts left at all.

One last thought a pistol is a personnal thing and what feels good to you may
not feel good to someone else. I can shoot any pistol good off a bench with
two hands but drawing from a holster and hitting target on the clock is a whole different ball game.

Model12Win · March 7, 2016, 10:50 PM

It is cool that the ROA is a modern C&B revolver.

The fact that it is a "new" design isn't so big a deal as I once thought... it's still a C&B gun, it's still got the feeling. Just that "Ol Bill (Ruger)" had the balls to make a truly modern designed C&B is neat. I prefer the old guns, the old designs, due to historical reasons... but the ROA is undoubtedly a great C&B revolver.

deerslayer303 · March 7, 2016, 10:59 PM

^^ I agree. They are a great revolver. The one I had would flat out SHOOT. But once I picked up a NMA, and then oh boy I held a '60 it was all over. If Ruger started producing them again they will have NO trouble selling them. Plenty of folks LOVE them as with Inlines, just not my cup of tea.

**4V50 Gary** · March 7, 2016, 11:30 PM

Unless Ruger's inventory system changed, marketing projects what sales would be and then schedules the object's run for the year. I don't understand why the ROA can be given a limited run every five years.

salvadore · March 10, 2016, 08:14 PM

Tell us how you really feel Hawgy

roashooter · March 10, 2016, 08:31 PM

"I wouldn't foul my hands on a ROA."

I feel exactly the same way about 58 remmies......

Hawg · March 10, 2016, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Tell us how you really feel Hawgy

I'd be banned for life if I did.

salvadore · March 10, 2016, 08:32 PM

I bought an Uberti 58 Navy recently that is very nice.

salvadore · March 10, 2016, 08:34 PM

Hawgy, if you shaved and got a haircut......

Beagle333 · March 10, 2016, 09:11 PM

Well.... I don't want one, since I'm an 1860 man all the way.... but I did write to them yesterday, just because I got that kinda time and like to get answers, and got this back today.....

This e-mail is in response to your question or comment of 03/09/2016
Request No: 3xxxxxxx

Comment / question:
Why doesn't Ruger offer an occasional run of the Ruger Old Army black powder revolvers? There is a huge demand for those, and it might not support a fully maintained line, but it would certainly sell out a special run every few years.

Response:
Unfortunately, we have no plans at this time to reintroduce this model.
We will pass along your request to our sales and marketing department for future consideration. Please keep checking our website for updates, new models, and availability. Thank you for your interest in Ruger.

My personal thinking is that it's because of liability. In today's world, I imagine they would have to put a safety on it for legal reasons and that would probably really hurt sales if it weren't the original ROA, not to mention a costly redesign of the thing.

deerslayer303 · March 10, 2016, 09:16 PM

Well that's a copy and pasted blanket response. That's exactly what I got back from them some time ago when I wrote them. Bill is gone now and that was his baby from what I've read. So the new bean counters at Ruger probably will never bring the ROA back. Too busy making pistols out of recycled soda bottles.

Model12Win · March 10, 2016, 10:06 PM

Would you men say that Remington's New Model Army is more reliable, generally speaking, than one of Sam Colt's belt/holster pistols?

March 6, 2016, 11:10 PM	#1
detroiter711 Member Join Date: February 3, 2016 Posts: 21	Most reliable BP pistol out of the box? So I know that BP pistols have come a long way in regards to reliability. However, there does seem to still be the occasional lemon or return out there. All things being equal, what do you think is the most reliable out of the box cap and ball pistol? Personally, I think that the Uberti 1858 is a contender, but admittedly, my experience with these firearms is limited to my own Pietta brasser.

March 7, 2016, 12:00 AM	#4
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	The ROA is the pinnacle of the percussion revolver weapon system. They do not fail. If it misfires, you are the problem. YOU are the failure. These guns are perfection. Buy one. Last edited by Model12Win; March 7, 2016 at 12:18 AM.

March 7, 2016, 12:06 AM	#5
smee78 Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2008 Location: South Carolina Posts: 2,952	Ruger Old Army is THE black powder pistol for me. It has never let me down and has always gone bang. For me there really are the best and I love the adj sight to help me dial in when needed when I test different loads. __________________ We know exactly where one cow with Mad-cow-disease is located, among the millions and millions of cows in America, but we haven't got a clue where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are

March 7, 2016, 10:38 AM	#7
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 22,306	Ruger Old Army. Some guy at Ben Avery is selling two of them, one for $550 and another for $500. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

March 7, 2016, 12:38 PM	#10
deerslayer303 Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2011 Location: Leesville SC Posts: 2,704	Yep I say Ruger Old Army also! If you want a reliable pistol that is built like a tank to launch projectiles pushed by black powder then YEAH, its King! But its not MY personal GO TO cap and ball revolver! I prefer the guns that closely resemble what my ancestors used and prefer to use them much in the way they would have or as close as I can or whatever. Same reason I bought and sold an Inline .50 cal rifle and went with a more traditional looking side lock. If I want to shoot deer with a scoped rifle capable of 200 yards I will grab my 30-30. Which in my state and the area I hunt, we can use what ever we want for the entire season. This is not meant to bash the ROA, it is a FINE cap and ball revolver! Just my "opinion" which are like ya know, everyone has one! __________________ "I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery." - Thomas Jefferson Last edited by deerslayer303; March 7, 2016 at 07:03 PM.

March 6, 2016, 11:23 PM	#2
brotherg Member Join Date: February 6, 2016 Location: Payne Springs, Texas Posts: 56	I bought one. Love it! Bought another 1860 Colt army and it needed a little work on the rammer. A few forum questions and a little grinding and it is a great shooter. Some might have sent it back for another, I figure I am going to work on it sooner or later, so sooner is is not as good as later but it beats a poke in the eye. My remy was good right out of the box. I expect it and my colt will be good for a long time.

March 6, 2016, 11:26 PM	#3
roashooter Junior member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Posts: 508	Ruger Old Army......yes they are discontinued...but many new ones can still be found...as well as used...and the accolade...."finest black powder pistol ever made" is still a fact....

March 7, 2016, 12:10 AM	#6
Bishop Creek Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Posts: 568	I was going to answer Pietta 1858 Remington at first as I have four of them, but yeah, my ROA is the best cap and ball revolver I own.

March 7, 2016, 11:56 AM	#8
brotherg Member Join Date: February 6, 2016 Location: Payne Springs, Texas Posts: 56	I like the Ruger. One could say it is not "Authentic" in that it only resembles the guns of the old days. You could also say if the cartridge had failed to come about it is what the BP gun would become. I do not have one, I have handled a few, never shot one. It appears to be an iron brick as far as reliability is concerned and a fine pistol. If you want a fine replica of the old guns the Uberti Remington will likely satisfy. Looking at the internals these guns should last years when properly cared for.

March 7, 2016, 12:00 PM	#9
jmar Member Join Date: February 27, 2016 Posts: 49	The Ruger Old Army should be the best as it has an extra 150 years of engineering.

March 7, 2016, 12:43 PM	#11
wogpotter Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2004 Posts: 4,811	Its a shame the ROA is discontinued. It would have been my first choice for your answer.

March 7, 2016, 08:19 PM	#14
cheatin charlie Member Join Date: July 12, 2009 Posts: 54	For a first time buyer the Remington 1858 is the most reliable out of the box pistol made as of now. It needs some tweeking but usually works. Also 1858 bashes some peoples knuckle and soon become sore after a couple shots. I prefer Colt copies for SASS but they require more work to get them 100% reliable. Over the years I have owned 3 Ruger old armies and sold them all because although they are strong they are also heavy and the bore is high in the hand. Even in target shooting I believe they are way too heavy to shoot one handed. If Ruger would make a 36 caliber on the Single Six frame I would probably find some money to buy a pair. Don't believe Old Armies don't jam up with cap debris I have seen it happen. Although the chance of a Ruger breaking anything is small remember there are no parts left at all. One last thought a pistol is a personnal thing and what feels good to you may not feel good to someone else. I can shoot any pistol good off a bench with two hands but drawing from a holster and hitting target on the clock is a whole different ball game.

March 7, 2016, 10:50 PM	#15
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	It is cool that the ROA is a modern C&B revolver. The fact that it is a "new" design isn't so big a deal as I once thought... it's still a C&B gun, it's still got the feeling. Just that "Ol Bill (Ruger)" had the balls to make a truly modern designed C&B is neat. I prefer the old guns, the old designs, due to historical reasons... but the ROA is undoubtedly a great C&B revolver.

March 7, 2016, 10:59 PM	#16
deerslayer303 Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2011 Location: Leesville SC Posts: 2,704	^^ I agree. They are a great revolver. The one I had would flat out SHOOT. But once I picked up a NMA, and then oh boy I held a '60 it was all over. If Ruger started producing them again they will have NO trouble selling them. Plenty of folks LOVE them as with Inlines, just not my cup of tea. __________________ "I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery." - Thomas Jefferson

March 7, 2016, 11:30 PM	#17
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 22,306	Unless Ruger's inventory system changed, marketing projects what sales would be and then schedules the object's run for the year. I don't understand why the ROA can be given a limited run every five years. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

March 10, 2016, 08:14 PM	#18
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	Tell us how you really feel Hawgy

March 10, 2016, 08:31 PM	#19
roashooter Junior member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Posts: 508	"I wouldn't foul my hands on a ROA." I feel exactly the same way about 58 remmies......

March 10, 2016, 08:32 PM	#21
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	I bought an Uberti 58 Navy recently that is very nice.

March 10, 2016, 08:34 PM	#22
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	Hawgy, if you shaved and got a haircut......

March 10, 2016, 09:11 PM	#23
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	Well.... I don't want one, since I'm an 1860 man all the way.... but I did write to them yesterday, just because I got that kinda time and like to get answers, and got this back today..... This e-mail is in response to your question or comment of 03/09/2016 Request No: 3xxxxxxx Comment / question: Why doesn't Ruger offer an occasional run of the Ruger Old Army black powder revolvers? There is a huge demand for those, and it might not support a fully maintained line, but it would certainly sell out a special run every few years. Response: Unfortunately, we have no plans at this time to reintroduce this model. We will pass along your request to our sales and marketing department for future consideration. Please keep checking our website for updates, new models, and availability. Thank you for your interest in Ruger. My personal thinking is that it's because of liability. In today's world, I imagine they would have to put a safety on it for legal reasons and that would probably really hurt sales if it weren't the original ROA, not to mention a costly redesign of the thing. __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile. Last edited by Beagle333; March 10, 2016 at 09:16 PM.

March 10, 2016, 09:16 PM	#24
deerslayer303 Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2011 Location: Leesville SC Posts: 2,704	Well that's a copy and pasted blanket response. That's exactly what I got back from them some time ago when I wrote them. Bill is gone now and that was his baby from what I've read. So the new bean counters at Ruger probably will never bring the ROA back. Too busy making pistols out of recycled soda bottles.

March 10, 2016, 10:06 PM	#25
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	Would you men say that Remington's New Model Army is more reliable, generally speaking, than one of Sam Colt's belt/holster pistols?