The Mystery gun

WhiteFeather93 · October 20, 2005, 11:09 PM

Here is a real stumper. I am 19. I had been interested in going bear hunting for some time. In Pa you are not allowed to get a handgun until you 21 (Bull &^%&) but I did not want to go bear hunting without a back up. I've heard some bad stories. So I asked my gun guy if he had any black powder pistols, I,e. Cap and ball 1851 confederate something of the like. You can buy them at 18. He said he could get one but then he pulled out one he remembered he had. It needed to be put together and I was very up to the task. I really can't say how old it is but its like nothing I've never seen. Its a Uberti .44 cal cap and ball pistol. But it looks like a cattleman. It does not have a rod for packing the powder or ball. It did come with a nipple pick, but that is all. The guy I bought it from knows nothing about it, other than he got it in trade and didn't want it. Has anybody heard of Uberti making a black powder cattleman? If anyone wants a picture just give me your email. I really would like to know something about this pistol. Thank you.

Jim Watson · October 20, 2005, 11:25 PM

I know the gun you are talking about. It is a SAA modified to cap and ball, for sale in repressive jurisdictions, by mailorder, or to minors.
I understand - you can look and see - that the hammer nose, frame opening for it, and cylinder nipples are offset so as to make converting it to cartridge difficult. I don't see why it won't work for you, but the lack of a loading lever might be inconvenient for shooting a lot on the range. Won't matter while you are fighting off those bears. Do you have a Bowie knife, too?

WhiteFeather93 · October 20, 2005, 11:40 PM

Will a Kar-Bar suffice?

Thats the odd thing nothing is offset. My friend "Chris" has a ruger single action revolver and his cylinder fits in it. I have been warned not to shoot cartidge rounds out of it. I don't quite believe the reason though. I have been told that they use a weaker metal for making black powder revolvers and it would not hold up to a cartridge. Which brings me to another question. Don't they make black powder cartridge rounds? I could have sworn I heard something of the sort.

Jim Watson · October 20, 2005, 11:58 PM

Well, you just knocked my ideas about the thing in the head. Without the offsets I thought it had, I don't know how the BATF passed it as being a reproduction muzzleloader. But they did 'cause they have been sold mailorder without registration.

I don't believe the business about "weaker metal." Most of the original design cap and ball revolvers are not real strong by design. You can get cartridge conversion cylinders for some of them but they warn you to stick with the low powered "cowboy" ammo.

As far as black powder cartridges go, I loaded some today and will shoot them tomorrow. Not difficult but not quite like loading with smokeless.

capnball · October 29, 2005, 06:21 PM

You can makeyourown BP cartrdges with cigarett papers.

October 20, 2005, 11:09 PM	#1
WhiteFeather93 Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 2005 Location: Oley Pa Posts: 281	The Mystery gun Here is a real stumper. I am 19. I had been interested in going bear hunting for some time. In Pa you are not allowed to get a handgun until you 21 (Bull &^%&) but I did not want to go bear hunting without a back up. I've heard some bad stories. So I asked my gun guy if he had any black powder pistols, I,e. Cap and ball 1851 confederate something of the like. You can buy them at 18. He said he could get one but then he pulled out one he remembered he had. It needed to be put together and I was very up to the task. I really can't say how old it is but its like nothing I've never seen. Its a Uberti .44 cal cap and ball pistol. But it looks like a cattleman. It does not have a rod for packing the powder or ball. It did come with a nipple pick, but that is all. The guy I bought it from knows nothing about it, other than he got it in trade and didn't want it. Has anybody heard of Uberti making a black powder cattleman? If anyone wants a picture just give me your email. I really would like to know something about this pistol. Thank you.

October 20, 2005, 11:25 PM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 19,186	I know the gun you are talking about. It is a SAA modified to cap and ball, for sale in repressive jurisdictions, by mailorder, or to minors. I understand - you can look and see - that the hammer nose, frame opening for it, and cylinder nipples are offset so as to make converting it to cartridge difficult. I don't see why it won't work for you, but the lack of a loading lever might be inconvenient for shooting a lot on the range. Won't matter while you are fighting off those bears. Do you have a Bowie knife, too?

October 20, 2005, 11:40 PM	#3
WhiteFeather93 Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 2005 Location: Oley Pa Posts: 281	Will a Kar-Bar suffice? Thats the odd thing nothing is offset. My friend "Chris" has a ruger single action revolver and his cylinder fits in it. I have been warned not to shoot cartidge rounds out of it. I don't quite believe the reason though. I have been told that they use a weaker metal for making black powder revolvers and it would not hold up to a cartridge. Which brings me to another question. Don't they make black powder cartridge rounds? I could have sworn I heard something of the sort.

October 20, 2005, 11:58 PM	#4
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 19,186	Well, you just knocked my ideas about the thing in the head. Without the offsets I thought it had, I don't know how the BATF passed it as being a reproduction muzzleloader. But they did 'cause they have been sold mailorder without registration. I don't believe the business about "weaker metal." Most of the original design cap and ball revolvers are not real strong by design. You can get cartridge conversion cylinders for some of them but they warn you to stick with the low powered "cowboy" ammo. As far as black powder cartridges go, I loaded some today and will shoot them tomorrow. Not difficult but not quite like loading with smokeless.

October 29, 2005, 06:21 PM	#5
capnball Junior Member Join Date: October 29, 2005 Location: North East Ohio Posts: 3	You can makeyourown BP cartrdges with cigarett papers.