Cap & Ball for Christmas

Fella's;

The cap-n-ball bug is one that's never bit me.  But, when Scheel's moved to the new store there was much confusion.  They had some very good deals to lure folks in, but there were a lot of new employees, etc., etc..  In any case I saw, and walked on by, a Ruger stainless .45 Old Army priced at $250.00.  I still wonder if I wasn't a dumb ass not to buy it, but hell, I still don't need one.

Hmmmph!  900F

I got the 1860 steel frame Navy .44 from Cabelas.  I like and enjoy shooting it.

Edited by BEAR

Muleskinner wrote: I'd get the steel New Army.  Stonger, better for hunting.  They are a hoot to shoot if you can get to a farm or someplace people can't complain about smoke.

I can shoot pistols right at my house.  I don't shoot a couple hundred rounds of 44 mag or 45 acp even, just because it's rude, but I shoot the 22rf, 380 and 38sp all the time no complaints. 

I don't really need the cap & ball for hunting, I have 44 & 45 for that, if I want, although c&b for squirrel or fool hen could be fun. 

The 1858 runs about $30 over the 1851 and I can get the steel frame repos for about $30 over brass frame ones.  I was thinking brass only because it looks better and if I wear it out, I could just get another in steel, a person really needs at least two anyway.

I was leaning towards the 1858 (closed top) vs 1851 (open top) more for ease of cleaning, than strength, no wedge to remove and replace.

I can come up with no practical reason to get one, 38 cheaper to shoot, more accurate and easier to clean, but I've always thought they would be fun.  I've shot the single shot BP pistols and they were fun enough and not that terrible to clean.  I think C&P could become addictive, but I've had worst habits.

All STEEL is the best bet....period! 

Now for my free advice...and we all know what anything free is worth.........The 1858 Remmy has a tendency to lock up from powder fowling when shooting a lot....just requires dropping cylinder out and cleaning....some Ballistol is good for this to keep it running with less tear down.
  I don't know of a 1860 Navy but there is a 1860 ARMY .44 caliber that was the backbone of the Union troops in the Civil War & some rebs who captured some of them....one of the best bar none. The 1851 Navy in all steel and .36 caliber is rated as one of the best grips/pointing of them all. 
  My vote is for the 1860 Army all steel.  Cleaning is not all that bad....break down and clean with hot, soapy water, scrub with toothbrush any areas that are hard to get to, use dental pick to clean tite areas of any BP residue & when clean...oil it down to preserve from rust.  Make sure to clean the nipples too with a pick and use Ballistol to lube them & the threads (turn them out for this). 
  These are lots of fun but even the "mighty" .44 1860 Army is only as powerful as an anemic .38 Spl load.  For REAL power you need to go to the BIG WALKER COLT......or one of the slightly smaller Dragoons.
  Now there are places that offer replacement cylinders for most C&B revolvers to convert them to center-fire.  These are drop in and can make the .44 cal into reliable center-fire's.  Depending on the revolver they range from .38 Spl to .45 Colt & others. 

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Edited by Irish Bird Dog