Black powder cap & ball pistols?

[Deleted member 79987]

It is an awesome part of our history to learn about by doing. Just figuring out loads, selecting the right balls, and different methods for preventing flashovers can really teach you about what it took safely and reliably maintain the firearms. I would like to get a flintlock now, but they are more spendy than the percussions.

Lol "preventing flashovers"?? That doesn't sound good whatever it is.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

30 years ago my dad convinced his good friend to let my dad borrow a couple of cap and ball 44 revolvers. My dad's friend never fired them they were just an investment for doomsday and trading fodder when "Federal Reserve Notes" had no value.

Well, my dad and I bought balls and caps and lube and powder, and we took them out and shot them.

They handled well and although they were very large and heavy for what was a fairly weak level of stopping power (maybe on par with a 38 special) I generally had a favorable opinion of the guns.

However despite my best efforts to clean them, they rusted badly --even the stainless steel one rusted a little. The blued one rusted a lot. I did clean them with hot soapy water, and I knew not to clean them the way a normal smokeless powder firearm with non-corrosive priming should be cleaned. Still, what I did was not good enough.

 

[handloader]

I have read that militaries used conical bullets in them. Conicals would increase accuracy at range.