1851 Navy, new guy

Overbowed · June 19, 2011, 08:26 PM

Recently bought myself a birthday/fathers day present from Cabelas. A 1851 Navy 36 cal. I've been reading all I can find on BP revolvers and today I pulled the barrel, cylinder, and nipples and washed them in HOT soapy(Dawn) water. I used pipe cleaners and patches to clean everything then dried it all and applied some virgin olive oil plus anti-seize on the nipple threads. Put some #10 CCI caps on and fired them. 3 popped the first time but I had to shoot the other 3 a second time. They fit perfect for what it's worth. That's as far as I have got in this new hobby.

I have other pistols, a rifle, and shotguns but this looks like a fun new addition to the arsenal. Bought some Pyrodex P too since they did not have BP in stock. If I really like it I'm already thinking about a 1860 and molding my own balls but one step at a time...

Hawg · June 19, 2011, 08:30 PM

Welcome to the dark side.

Doc Hoy · June 19, 2011, 08:53 PM

If you live near a Harbor Freight, they have a bag of nylon brushes that work well for cleaning. They are cheap and are of good enough quality to last relatively long for cleaning. The bag contains around six or eight brushes of different sizes and some are just right for bore, chambers, arbor hole and nipple holes.

They sell them online too but the shipping takes the price up.

Overbowed · June 19, 2011, 11:39 PM

I do not live all that close but thanks for the heads up. Once in a while I am in a part of town where one is close though.
Any suggestions are more than welcome.
My biggest concern after all my reading was "gun oil". The fellow at the store admittedly did not know much about black powder and what gun oil to use. Better than just saying something just to make a sale. I appreciate that.
thanks again.

the rifleer · June 20, 2011, 12:13 AM

You use regular gun oil. You will learn very quickly that black powder is very messy, but very fun. It will take you couple cylinders to get the loading process down and once you do, it will be like clock work.

The main thing is cleaning. Like I said, its messy. Luckily its pretty easy to clean up, just use soap and water. Make sure you get it all off, I just use paper towels and Q-tips. Once I get it all the nasty black powder residue off, just clean it like a regular gun and make sure its dry before you put it back together.

It will only take a drop or two of oil for the whole gun, it doesn't take much.

radom · June 20, 2011, 03:11 AM

Only thing I can add to all the above is to use anti-seize on the nipples. The stuff for car and truck engines bolts will work just fine.

Doc Hoy · June 20, 2011, 06:15 AM

I like taking the nipples out everytime I clean the revolver. I oil them before reassembly and I don't make them very tight.

I own 33 revolvers and I can get the nipples out of every last one of them without having to resort to profanity.

I don't use antiseize but I think that for some, it is a good idea.

Hawg · June 20, 2011, 03:49 PM

You can use regular gun oil in the action but not the bore and chambers unless you clean it out before you shoot it.

wogpotter · June 20, 2011, 04:38 PM

Get a few wood toothpicks. They are perfect "handles" for cleaning/lubing drying nipples, just shove 'em in the hole.

Andy Griffith · June 20, 2011, 05:00 PM

Also, the wooden sticks used to skewer meat on the grill are great for cleaning out the nipple threads in the cylinder, and also the crud out of the stop notches.

Noz · June 21, 2011, 09:55 AM

Get introduced to Ballistol.

Best lube product for all black powder guns.

Use Bore Butter on the arbor.

I wash my guns with water, pull a bore snake through the barrels, run a shotgun mop into the chambers, spray with moose milk(my preference is 7 parts water to 1 part Ballistol), blow dry with an air compressor and put them away for the next shoot. If I were going to not shoot within a couple or three weeks I would dose them down with Remoil for storage knowing I would have to clean them before I fired them again.
I keep antiseize on the nipple threads and I do not clean them after every shoot.[/I]

June 19, 2011, 08:53 PM	#3
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	OB'ed If you live near a Harbor Freight, they have a bag of nylon brushes that work well for cleaning. They are cheap and are of good enough quality to last relatively long for cleaning. The bag contains around six or eight brushes of different sizes and some are just right for bore, chambers, arbor hole and nipple holes. They sell them online too but the shipping takes the price up. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

June 20, 2011, 06:15 AM	#7
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	Radom has a good point I like taking the nipples out everytime I clean the revolver. I oil them before reassembly and I don't make them very tight. I own 33 revolvers and I can get the nipples out of every last one of them without having to resort to profanity. I don't use antiseize but I think that for some, it is a good idea. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

June 19, 2011, 08:26 PM	#1
Overbowed Junior Member Join Date: January 4, 2009 Location: SoCal Posts: 2	1851 Navy, new guy Recently bought myself a birthday/fathers day present from Cabelas. A 1851 Navy 36 cal. I've been reading all I can find on BP revolvers and today I pulled the barrel, cylinder, and nipples and washed them in HOT soapy(Dawn) water. I used pipe cleaners and patches to clean everything then dried it all and applied some virgin olive oil plus anti-seize on the nipple threads. Put some #10 CCI caps on and fired them. 3 popped the first time but I had to shoot the other 3 a second time. They fit perfect for what it's worth. That's as far as I have got in this new hobby. I have other pistols, a rifle, and shotguns but this looks like a fun new addition to the arsenal. Bought some Pyrodex P too since they did not have BP in stock. If I really like it I'm already thinking about a 1860 and molding my own balls but one step at a time...

June 19, 2011, 08:30 PM	#2
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,376	Welcome to the dark side.

June 19, 2011, 11:39 PM	#4
Overbowed Junior Member Join Date: January 4, 2009 Location: SoCal Posts: 2	I do not live all that close but thanks for the heads up. Once in a while I am in a part of town where one is close though. Any suggestions are more than welcome. My biggest concern after all my reading was "gun oil". The fellow at the store admittedly did not know much about black powder and what gun oil to use. Better than just saying something just to make a sale. I appreciate that. thanks again.

June 20, 2011, 12:13 AM	#5
the rifleer Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2008 Location: Sunny California Posts: 1,281	You use regular gun oil. You will learn very quickly that black powder is very messy, but very fun. It will take you couple cylinders to get the loading process down and once you do, it will be like clock work. The main thing is cleaning. Like I said, its messy. Luckily its pretty easy to clean up, just use soap and water. Make sure you get it all off, I just use paper towels and Q-tips. Once I get it all the nasty black powder residue off, just clean it like a regular gun and make sure its dry before you put it back together. It will only take a drop or two of oil for the whole gun, it doesn't take much.

June 20, 2011, 03:11 AM	#6
radom Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2000 Posts: 1,379	Only thing I can add to all the above is to use anti-seize on the nipples. The stuff for car and truck engines bolts will work just fine.

June 20, 2011, 03:49 PM	#8
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,376	You can use regular gun oil in the action but not the bore and chambers unless you clean it out before you shoot it.

June 20, 2011, 04:38 PM	#9
wogpotter Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2004 Posts: 4,811	Get a few wood toothpicks. They are perfect "handles" for cleaning/lubing drying nipples, just shove 'em in the hole.

June 20, 2011, 05:00 PM	#10
Andy Griffith Senior Member Join Date: May 14, 2009 Location: Macon Co. NC Posts: 591	Also, the wooden sticks used to skewer meat on the grill are great for cleaning out the nipple threads in the cylinder, and also the crud out of the stop notches.

June 21, 2011, 09:55 AM	#11
Noz Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Posts: 643	Get introduced to Ballistol. Best lube product for all black powder guns. Use Bore Butter on the arbor. I wash my guns with water, pull a bore snake through the barrels, run a shotgun mop into the chambers, spray with moose milk(my preference is 7 parts water to 1 part Ballistol), blow dry with an air compressor and put them away for the next shoot. If I were going to not shoot within a couple or three weeks I would dose them down with Remoil for storage knowing I would have to clean them before I fired them again. I keep antiseize on the nipple threads and I do not clean them after every shoot.[/I]