Revolvers, Crisco, Corn Meal & Cream of Wheat?

[rayjd2]

In my defense, I said might.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Lard was used on these revolvers back in the day, the only mention of BP revolvers blowing up (literally cylinder is now useless) that I can confirm are from Walkers and some of the ones made here in the States War.

Walker: original conical bullets were loaded backwards. 1/3 sent back for repair. Can't find any reports of the round balls doing that.
CSA: who knows? Those reports could've been chainfires, it's just apochraphyl.

What might be a good remedy is to smear some crisco or lard around the base of each cap AFTER you put it on the nipple. That should seal it quite well.

Lard may have been used by some gentleman farmer out for an afternoons pistol shooting, but for the thousands of revolvers used during The War it was stuff a paper cartridge into the cylinder, stomp it down , cap and fire as quickly as possible. An officer might lard seal the first unfired cylinder before the battle and his two backup cylinders, but past that who would spare the time while being shot at? There would have been some occasions, especially in the Southern armys were lard would have been in short supply having been eaten by soldiers so hungry that some ate their leather shoes.

[hudson29]

Speaking of nice smells like fried chicken in revolvers, I wonder how bacon grease might work . . .

[hudson29]

I don't know enough to say, but found this thread in a google search. One guy mentions your excess pressure concerns, but nothing is more is said about it. It seems that the over bullet grease just helps keep the fouling soft, and that chain fires seem to be caused more from ill fitting caps than a spark bypassing the bullet from the mouth. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=548565

This was a very useful link. I like the pictures of the cartridges & box for them. A split barrel was not what I was referring to. Somewhere on one of the MN posts years ago someone posted some pictures of a bulged barrel in a rifle he had found someplace. The story was that someone had fired it without cleaning it first and that the bullet had created some sort of hydraulic lock that had bulged the barrel.

I have often read about how important it is to clean and dry a barrel on ANY gun before firing it to prevent damage. And then we come to our old crocks and we are told to use Crisco, Butter Bore or something else. Outside of that one story no one has anything bad to say about this practice and it may offer some help with the fouling and, of course, possibly the aroma.

I'm still not sure why it is OK, but it does seem to be a practice harmless to the revolver and may offer some benefits. I like the smell of bacon.

I guess I will not be afraid to try it . . .

[Longcolt44]

Here is a picture of millman shooting one of my 1860 Armys.

[Junk Yard Dog]

1858 Remington.

[millman]

Here is a picture of millman shooting one of my 1860 Armys.

That was a good day.

[entropy]

Here is a picture of millman shooting one of my 1860 Armys.

That's an 1858 Remington.

Dagnabit, JYD beat me to it!

[walnut red]

I always suspected that most chain fires, and I've had a couple, were actually caused by loose caps falling off and flash going down the nipple. I cannot see how spark can get down a properly fitting ball, greased or not.

[Darryl]

I always suspected that most chain fires, and I've had a couple, were actually caused by loose caps falling off and flash going down the nipple. I cannot see how spark can get down a properly fitting ball, greased or not.

It is the reason they make wonder wads or suggest something over the ball. My chain fire left the cap in tact. It was still good. Can't figure out why, probably should have gone off.

D

[hudson29]

Two of our listmates have had chainfire incidents so for whatever reason, chainfire is a real danger. I was looking over a Uberti Colt 1851 .36 Navy last night to see what would happen if it suffered a chainfire. It would not be pretty, the end of the barrel & wedge are right in the way.