After three years of reading about cap-and-ball revolvers, studying them, watching probably hundreds of hours of videos about the subjects, I finally have my own .36 Colt 1851 Navy Yank by Pietta. I've learned this video by heart, I guess, and following your steps I had exactly zero issues in cleaning the factory oil, wiping off the occasional tooling gritty residue, and oiling it up for my first black powder experience. 😄 As soon as your awesome paper cartridge kit arrives here in Italy, I'm set and ready to make some smoke and flame!
I clean by fully disassembling, soaping and scrubbing with toothbrush, bore brush, and pipe cleaners, putting cleaned pieces in another container of clean water, towel drying every part while the oven preheats to 175 degrees, drying in the oven for 30 minutes, then coating all parts while hot with bore butter inside and out. Then I reassemble, turning every screw just tight enough to stay in place. I keep the mainspring as tight as possible, and the bolt spring just tight enough to reliably cycle and lock the cylinder. To load for carry, I use q-tips and pipe cleaners soaked in rubbing alcohol to remove all grease from the chambers and nipples I intend to load. I swing the cylinder slowly to help air dry, then wait 30 minutes for all alcohol to evaporate. Then I fill each chamber with powder and seat oversized balls to the same depth. Then I coat the tops of the loaded balls with bore butter and wipe all powder residue off the gun. Then I cap every nipple with tight fitting caps (CCI #10) and seat them by CAREFULLY pressing with slow firm pressure on the hammer resting on each nipple. I finally tighten the loading lever screw to the point it won’t easily fall down under recoil. This method has resulted in 100% reliable ignition and cycling, even after months sitting loaded.
That is what I do too. In my old age it is getting to be a real pain in the back.....literally. My Uberti Whitneyville Dragoon loves CCI #10 caps and J&D conical projectiles. I make real combustible cartridges with flash paper and flash glue that really keep the chambers clean when reloading. I really wish I had a trusted servant who would clean my BP firearms now, cut my lawn, and prune and clip my shrubs. I also wish I could find a detachable shoulder stock for the Walker and Whitneyville Dragoon.
I have always wanted to purchase a black powder firearm but have been reluctant due to my lack of knowledge, however I appreciate your extensive knowledge and sharing step by step approaches to the loading and care of black powder firearms.
Thanks very much! I’m glad the videos have been helpful. Be sure to check out my video on getting started in black powder shooting and feel free to let me know if you have questions. Thanks for watching!
Sorry I missed this, Dustin. I've been using Simple Green for years, but I occasionally miss the whole "let it dry" step and end up with some fine rust. You put me back on track!! Thanks. Congrats Steve!
Thanks for sharing your method. Pretty basic stuff, I agree. But nice to see it done. I own a .44 Pietta 1851 Reb revolver. Got mine in 1983 from Gander Mountain for under $50 (shipping included). Probably the BEST cap-n-ball revolver for the money, especially if you're not sure that you really want to get into the sport. Inexpensive but not cheap in construction. Good video.
I shoot an original 51 Navy that was manufactured in 1865 at least 3x a month and 6 to 8 full cylinders per session, the originals were made from wrought iron case hardened where needed, I strip it down to the screws and clean it completely every time I shoot it, when I first got it and stripped it down there was light surface rust through the frame and the action. For moose milk I use 2 parts water to 1 part Ballistol, it's readily available and fairly cheap where I live, considering the amount of $$$ I have invested in this revolver the extra time and money on Ballistol is totally worth it.
you sir have provided me a lot of information. I found a Second hand Armi San Marco 1860 Army revolver(.44 cal) for a good price. came with a bit of kit. I did not know about the Paper cartridges until your video. and before I even fire the weapon I wanted to learn all the things I could. I have owned a .50 cal CVA Bobcat sidelock percussion rifle. So I'm familiar with BP weapons. I still have all my kit from it so I have powder, pyrodex, cleaning stuff, and cap and ball. I converted mine to a musket cap. you have helped me greatly in learning the cleaning methods for my new pistol and the paper cartridges or lubing the cyclinder if not using prelubed paper cartridges. after a more close inspection I'm going to give this pistol a good clean before I fire it. I'll pick up some ballistol tomorrow.
OK, I'm an outlier here but when I have shot black powder I fell back on my military training. I got a jar of solvent with a tray and dropped my nipples and cylinder in there and let them soak for about 5 minutes. While they were soaking, I took a patch with CLP on it (Break Free) and cleaned the bore until I had clean patches. I didn't have any jigs (?) I just used larger patches and cleaned the bore. Took the parts out of the soak and rinsed them with hot water. Took a can of dust-off compressed air and blew out the cylinder and nipples. Dried out the cylinder with a few patches and applied CLP to everything and reset my nipples. I did not know about using grease on the arbor until recently so in the future I would do that as well. Never had any rusting of parts and always had good luck shooting. I'm looking to get back into black powder again soon.
Nice and simple way to keep your black powder guns clean and ready for the next time the carbonated bandits show up. Thanks for the gift card, winning is always cool. Keep the videos coming!!
One trick I've found to prevent that surface rust on the cylinders is to use boiling water, scrub them up with soap, then as soon as you've scrubbed them quickly pull them out and blast the cylinders totally dry with an air compressor blast nozzle. This alone will prevent almost any rust from forming, period, because there is no moisture left on the cylinders.
That's exactly the method I've always used as well. I clean generally with dish soap and water, sometimes Windex, then rinse it down in boiling water and set the pieces on a small baking rack in front of a space heater for about five minutes. Bore and cylinder chambers get swabbed with bore butter, everything else gets wiped down with CLP while it's good and warm. Also, ultrasonic cleaner is a godsend for black powder stuff!
Your method is about identical to mine (reassuring!)....I'm a great believer in hot water, sometimes with dishwash detergent..........Thanks for the video. Re. the internal parts (trigger mechanism etc. if they are well greased they won't corrode and need only occasional disassembly to clean and re-grease. I use "pro-Gold grease... great stuff. pipe cleaners are great for the nooks and crannies too... they don't 'fluff' like Q-tips and are great for cleaning nipples' inside...
A couple weeks ago, I did a complete disassembly of the internals on both the Walker and the Navy. They were a bit dirty inside, but they didn’t have any corrosion. I don’t do that very often. Thanks for watching!
Great video and thanks for posting. I pull the trigger guard and backstrap and flush the action (without taking it apart) using hot soapy water. I always find crushed cap remnants hiding in the action on those open tops. All parts go in a very low temp setting in the oven on a baking sheet to dry the parts, remove and as soon as they are cool enough to handle, lubricate everything and reassemble. Cleaning them is almost as much fun as shooting them :)
just shot my pietta for the first time, made plenty of mistakes and had two squibs but it was alot of fun. once i learn a little more i might invest in a uberti or something a little nicer.
I haven't even fired mine yet! I'm waiting for nice weather. I did clean off all the shipping oil and leave some ballistol on it for protection. When the time comes to shoot, all I should have to do is dry swab the chambers.
Used to clean my 1860 Colt in the dishwasher, I would disassemble the gun, remove the grips, put the nipples and screws in a small plastic basket that came with the dishwasher and run the dishwasher on normal cycle, there would always be a light coat of rust on the inside of cylinder chambers and barrel when the gun came out, I would run patches through the chambers and barrel soaked in vegetable oil. That was over twenty years ago and the gun still looks and works great today.
I took a piece of aluminum bar 1/2” wide x 1/8” thick x 5” long. Bent about 1-1/2” on one end to form a 90. Drilled and tapped 6 holes spaced evenly apart. I screw the nipples into the holes and have a convenient holder with handle for cleaning nipples. Keeps them from washing down the drain. Easy to use since I’m losing a little hand dexterity as I age.
Coming from years of smokeless guns, I'm having a heart attack seeing parts of a gun run under water. But I understand this is part of the process for cleaning these things. I just recently acquired a Uberti 1851 Colt Navy that my Grandfather used for reenactments. It's an interesting learning curve.
Can you do a video on where to get quality leather gear for holster and belt. I am experienced in selecting good holsters and belt for modern pistols. But, I am brand new to the hobby and want to "buy once cry once"
Dear Dustin, this video was absolutely fascinating. Great job! I use cold water in the sink and apply moosemilk always immeditalely thereafter to avoid surface rust. Best greetings from Ballistolland, ;)
Great video I’m just about to get into black powder shooting in the uk my friend has the same gun colt walker I’m yet to shoot it but my god it’s so heavy man! Great video, love all your videos thanks!
I used to dread shooting my cap and ball revolvers because of the time consuming cleanup afterwards. But I have found that a cap and ball revolver shooter's best friend is an ultrasonic cleaner. I use a 50/50 mix of ballistol and water. Get one big enough to immerse the entire revolver, sans the grip handles. A time consuming procedure--in particular cleaning the cylinder/nipples--is now reduced to a matter of seconds.
Great clip... as a newbee I thought I did a good job ckeaning my 1851. A few months later the whole thing was a rusted mess in the safe 5:59. The hammer was even locked up. With some WD40 and a tooth brush got it working again.
Thank you - I've got a Confederate Navy .44 I haven't touched in at least fifteen, likely closer to twenty years and while it's still in perfect shape due to me having done whatever I did last time I cleaned it correctly, I'll be darned if I can remember what that was, so having finally found a range that will allow me to fire it, I need to know how to clean it again.
Though the parts are a bit different, the process is generally the same. I’ve actually recently released an entire online course that covers this type of information. gunsoftheweststore.com/products/cap-ball-revolvers-102
My ultrasonic cleaner is a dream to use. I put my pistol in with warm water and a drop of dish soap then turn it on for 8 minutes and that's it. I rinse all parts off under warm water and then dry. It comes out squeaky clean! No solvent no brushes no patches or q tips! I paid $80 for it and worth every penny.
I like to use pipe cleaners on the nipples. The smaller ones fit in the channel of each nipple. Scrubs them out just fine. Great video. I have often said that part of the muzzleloading experience is cleaning the firearm after use. I enjoy this time. Peaceful activity for me. Really, this is one of the finest videos on cleaning a cap and ball revolver. Fantastic!
@@historyandhorseplaying7374 Unfortunately, they don’t neutralize the corrosive fouling from black powder. However, I believe Hoppe’s does make a black powder solvent, but I haven’t tried it.
@@GunsOfTheWest Thank you sir. I heard someone else say that these old bp weapons were not designed for modern petroleum products, which tend to chemically harden the fouling which is exactly what you don’t want. Someone went back and examined the supply lists from the War of 1812, Civil War etc and nowhere are any petroleum products or even cleaning cloths listed- they apparently just made do with water and animal fat, which worked fine. Anyway I just ordered a Pietta .44 Navy (because it was one of the ONLY bp weapons still available, everything else seems to be totally sold out everywhere, even Cabella’s- has the national gun-buying spree of the last year really been that severe???), can’t wait for it to arrive. I have zero experience with bp, it will feel so weird smearing it with odd substances, in contrast to experience with maintaining weapons in the modern military!
Great videos.... I just decided to get into blackpowder. Very involved with modern firearms of all types. I reload as well. Any suggestions for a first pistol and rifle ? I want something is well built, strong frames, in 45 and larger caliber
Remington 1858 New Model Army from either Pietta or Uberti. Uberti's generally have a nicer overall finish but Pietta is very nice as well. For Colt style revolvers stuck with Pietta, Uberti Colts are known to have a shorter Arbor (cylinder pin) and can be a pain at times. The 1860 Army .44 is hard to beat. All the .44 caliber cap n ball guns are actually .45 caliber, most use a projectile of .454 but some use .451. The Ruger Old Army uses .457. The Ruger Old Army is a modern cap n ball gun, not a historical reproduction and discontinued in 2008. But it is a top choice for cap n ball hunting just not accepted in competition or historical shooting matches. Do not discount the .36 calibers, 1851 Navy or 1861 Navy either. The 1851 Navy was most common revolver used from the 1850's, Civil War and into the 1870's until cartridge guns replaced cap n ball. For long term use get a steel frame in whatever you choose. Brass has "bling" but heavy use in a brass frame means it will wear eventually.
“That will help us get those hard to reach places later on in the cleaning process.” Reminded of the Mousekatool memes “it’s a surprise tool that will help us later!”
It’s one that Duke Frazier made for me. It’s a replica of the one Robert Duvall wore in Lonesome Dove, except I had him do it in black. Here’s a short video of it. th-cam.com/users/shorts6qelFpNN_dg?feature=share
If I remember right, it was black powder, but the process works for both. These days though, I just put all the parts in the ultrasonic cleaner with soap and water.
When cleaning the barrel of any fire arm I've always took the wire brush and only went the path of the bullet never back and forth ...dose it matter ? I saw him do this and noticed immediately
Hey Dustin , I really enjoy your videos. But I have asked a question several times, do you know why they don't make pellets for 36 cal cap and ball revolver?
How often do you clean the internal Springs in your revolver I have an 1858 I also have an 1851 which is a little bit easier to disassemble and do the springs
I'm planning on purchasing an 1861 navy. I noticed in this video that you removed the nipples for cleaning. Do you do that EVERY time you shoot any of your BP revolvers?
Do you have a good cleaning process for say when you're reenacting in camp, and not able to use modern equipment like squirt bottles and running water?
Hot water is my guess. I wouldn't go so far as to string through the barrel assembly and dunk it into a boiling pot to clear the bore, but fouling is water-soluble and the heat will make any residual lube runny enough to scrub off.
Great video. Enjoyed it as well as all the others of yours I have watched. Question if I may. Got a new Uberti Navy, tried taking it apart to clean all the shipping oils off, but the barrel will not come off. Yes the wedge is out, hammer held cocked. And, I was using the ram rod method to push on the face of the cylinder. Is there a trick to remove a tight tight tight barrel? Thanks for your help.
It sounds like you’re doing all the right things to get it off. Sometimes, they stick a bit. One trick that sometimes works for me is to lightly tap the sides of the barrel where it meets the frame to rattle it loose. I hope this helps. Thanks for watching!
Any opinion on drying these things in the oven? I've had some tell me it's essential. I'm saving up for my first C&B now, considering a used Uberti 1860 or a spray-painted Remington to rescue.
Everyone has their "special" cleaning method or "mysterious magical cleaning mix" but using an over is not really necessary if your water is hot enough it will dry the metal beofore rust forms. I use really hot water/Murphy's oil soap for cleaning, Hot water flush, dry then lube with Ballistol.
Well, you've sold me on Ballistol but where to get it. I'm assuming you don't add anything else to the water, just Ballistol but all I see appears to be aerosol. Do you have a link to a source you recommend for it? Greatly appreciated.
For stuck nipples I found you can make a nipple wrench out of a small socket if you file a notch in it. I had an old navy replica with two stuck nipples this was the only way to get em off, my stock 't shape' wrench actually deformed. It was a used gun' previous owner must not have lubed or cleaned the threads?
How many rounds through your gun before you clean? I understand after every time you shoot, but is there a count to how many rounds you’d put through it on range before you stop shooting, clean, and start again?
I’ve shot as many as 50 rounds without cleaning. I could have shot more, but I was done for the day. I normally use lube over the projectiles, which really helps to keep the fouling from building up. Thanks for watching!
@@GunsOfTheWest I have recently bought my first black powder revolver never shot it have been use to handguns shotguns rifles but never anything black powder and running the barrel underneath of the sink makes me very anxious for some reason
Jerome Jones, it’s normal to feel anxious about it because we’re always trying to keep our modern guns away from water. Just be sure to dry it off and get it oiled and you won’t have any problems. Sometimes you’ll see a little bit of surface rust during cleaning, but it wipes right off. Enjoy your revolver!
Hello Dustin, I am brand new to black powder. I just picked up a Pietta 1858 new Army revolver. Can't you just use Hoppies and Rem oil for cleaning and liberation like I use on other firearms?
I've heard tell that the modern .38 is in actuality a .36 caliber (something to do with heeled bullets set into brass casings coming out to .38 inches). I don't know firsthand, but I assume the tools for a .38 caliber gun will work.
La limpieza no está completa, te faltó desarmar la empuñadura y el cajón de mecanismos la pólvora negra es muy corrosiva y acelera muy deprisa el deterioro del acero y el hierro , lo demás que si limpiaste esta muy bien . Gracias por el video y felices fiestas.
Okay I bought a stainless steel 36 caliber I'll probably got 24 rounds shot out of it it's fun but I let it sit for about a month and now it's all seized how do I take this thing apart without messing it up what dissolves black powder residue
Sir. I hate to bother you but I have another question if you do not mind…. MOOSE MILK.. I have the ballistol but I was wondering if it is better to use distilled water or get distilled water? Since you know… even electronics can be submerged in distilled water. It’s the other “impurities”. Minerals and such that cause more reactions…. So my question pretty much is is it better to use distilled water in moose milk and will it clean the gun better and do less damage and oxidization or it doesn’t matter using tap water that has you know minerals and stuff in it… I very much appreciate your answer if you come to it and I appreciate you taking time once you do or if you do So thank you. You are keeping a tradition & culture alive and you’re playing the role of peoples grandparents people who never had someone to teach them, so thank you so much
Here in Arizona I do all of this and then leave it out in the HOT sun on my patio table. Wipe it down with Ballistal -- Done... For me this works. This total prosses is why you can but Black powder pistols so cheap from people who own Glocks. Ha Ha Love my Black powder firearms...
I've been throwing my whole walker in a bucket of kerosene for ten years and it still works fine. Put the whole thing in a bucket of kerosene, leave it over night, and blow it out w an air compressor.
I just got my first 1851 old silver Navy colt and cleaned it with clp.but since my revolver is silver I'm very nervous about using water.can someone tell me that its ok bc this is my best revolver and don't wanna worry about it rusting.
Alternatively you could just remove the wooden hand grips and stick the whole thing through the dishwasher. Once clean spray the whole thing with WD40, and replace the grips. Been doing that with mine for over 10 years.
As soon as the revolver was invented, everyone realized that rifling was perfect for these guns because you didn't have to push the lead round through the entire bore in order to load it. Revolvers have had rifling from the earliest days of the design.
The one thing I get asked is how to measure the 5 to 1 ratio on milk mixture. I use the cap on my oil. 1 cap oil and 5 caps of water. What do you use to measure out your 5 to 1 mixture. Cups tablespoon teaspoon etc?
Check out the Guns of the West store here: gunsoftheweststore.com
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After three years of reading about cap-and-ball revolvers, studying them, watching probably hundreds of hours of videos about the subjects, I finally have my own .36 Colt 1851 Navy Yank by Pietta.
I've learned this video by heart, I guess, and following your steps I had exactly zero issues in cleaning the factory oil, wiping off the occasional tooling gritty residue, and oiling it up for my first black powder experience. 😄
As soon as your awesome paper cartridge kit arrives here in Italy, I'm set and ready to make some smoke and flame!
Congrats on the new revolver and thanks for your business!
You my friend are a lucky man...I'd be sleeping with the dog after cleaning my Remington in the bathroom sink.😂🇺🇸
~High Five~
..hey ! How about the dishwasher ??!
Volunteer to sink wash a few dishes and slip the gun cleaning in when she’s not looking. 😉
You need take your balls back
Was thinking the SAME exact thing!
I clean by fully disassembling, soaping and scrubbing with toothbrush, bore brush, and pipe cleaners, putting cleaned pieces in another container of clean water, towel drying every part while the oven preheats to 175 degrees, drying in the oven for 30 minutes, then coating all parts while hot with bore butter inside and out. Then I reassemble, turning every screw just tight enough to stay in place. I keep the mainspring as tight as possible, and the bolt spring just tight enough to reliably cycle and lock the cylinder.
To load for carry, I use q-tips and pipe cleaners soaked in rubbing alcohol to remove all grease from the chambers and nipples I intend to load. I swing the cylinder slowly to help air dry, then wait 30 minutes for all alcohol to evaporate. Then I fill each chamber with powder and seat oversized balls to the same depth. Then I coat the tops of the loaded balls with bore butter and wipe all powder residue off the gun. Then I cap every nipple with tight fitting caps (CCI #10) and seat them by CAREFULLY pressing with slow firm pressure on the hammer resting on each nipple. I finally tighten the loading lever screw to the point it won’t easily fall down under recoil.
This method has resulted in 100% reliable ignition and cycling, even after months sitting loaded.
That is what I do too. In my old age it is getting to be a real pain in the back.....literally.
My Uberti Whitneyville Dragoon loves CCI #10 caps and J&D conical projectiles. I make
real combustible cartridges with flash paper and flash glue that really keep the chambers clean when reloading. I really wish I had a trusted servant who would clean my BP firearms now, cut my lawn, and prune and clip my shrubs. I also wish I could find a detachable shoulder stock for the Walker and Whitneyville Dragoon.
I have always wanted to purchase a black powder firearm but have been reluctant due to my lack of knowledge, however I appreciate your extensive knowledge and sharing step by step approaches to the loading and care of black powder firearms.
Thanks very much! I’m glad the videos have been helpful. Be sure to check out my video on getting started in black powder shooting and feel free to let me know if you have questions. Thanks for watching!
Yes, appreciate the info too, but I think I'll stay with my smokeless powder cartridge guns as a result...much easier to clean!
Very nice! Yesterday, I fired an 1851 that I’ve owned for several years, but kept in the safe. Lots of fun. And now it’s perfectly clean. Thanks.
Thanks for watching!
Sorry I missed this, Dustin. I've been using Simple Green for years, but I occasionally miss the whole "let it dry" step and end up with some fine rust. You put me back on track!! Thanks.
Congrats Steve!
Thanks, Santee! Simple Green is really amazing stuff!
Love that green, hot water and a tooth brush myself, WD 40 after each part leaves the hot water
Thanks for sharing your method. Pretty basic stuff, I agree. But nice to see it done. I own a .44 Pietta 1851 Reb revolver. Got mine in 1983 from Gander Mountain for under $50 (shipping included). Probably the BEST cap-n-ball revolver for the money, especially if you're not sure that you really want to get into the sport. Inexpensive but not cheap in construction. Good video.
I shoot an original 51 Navy that was manufactured in 1865 at least 3x a month and 6 to 8 full cylinders per session, the originals were made from wrought iron case hardened where needed, I strip it down to the screws and clean it completely every time I shoot it, when I first got it and stripped it down there was light surface rust through the frame and the action. For moose milk I use 2 parts water to 1 part Ballistol, it's readily available and fairly cheap where I live, considering the amount of $$$ I have invested in this revolver the extra time and money on Ballistol is totally worth it.
Everyone subscribe and listen to this man, because he knows his hobby very well.
Thanks!
you sir have provided me a lot of information. I found a Second hand Armi San Marco 1860 Army revolver(.44 cal) for a good price. came with a bit of kit. I did not know about the Paper cartridges until your video. and before I even fire the weapon I wanted to learn all the things I could. I have owned a .50 cal CVA Bobcat sidelock percussion rifle. So I'm familiar with BP weapons. I still have all my kit from it so I have powder, pyrodex, cleaning stuff, and cap and ball. I converted mine to a musket cap. you have helped me greatly in learning the cleaning methods for my new pistol and the paper cartridges or lubing the cyclinder if not using prelubed paper cartridges. after a more close inspection I'm going to give this pistol a good clean before I fire it. I'll pick up some ballistol tomorrow.
OK, I'm an outlier here but when I have shot black powder I fell back on my military training. I got a jar of solvent with a tray and dropped my nipples and cylinder in there and let them soak for about 5 minutes. While they were soaking, I took a patch with CLP on it (Break Free) and cleaned the bore until I had clean patches. I didn't have any jigs (?) I just used larger patches and cleaned the bore. Took the parts out of the soak and rinsed them with hot water. Took a can of dust-off compressed air and blew out the cylinder and nipples. Dried out the cylinder with a few patches and applied CLP to everything and reset my nipples. I did not know about using grease on the arbor until recently so in the future I would do that as well. Never had any rusting of parts and always had good luck shooting. I'm looking to get back into black powder again soon.
Nice and simple way to keep your black powder guns clean and ready for the next time the carbonated bandits show up.
Thanks for the gift card, winning is always cool. Keep the videos coming!!
This can be a meditative activity instead of a chore.
One trick I've found to prevent that surface rust on the cylinders is to use boiling water, scrub them up with soap, then as soon as you've scrubbed them quickly pull them out and blast the cylinders totally dry with an air compressor blast nozzle. This alone will prevent almost any rust from forming, period, because there is no moisture left on the cylinders.
That's exactly the method I've always used as well. I clean generally with dish soap and water, sometimes Windex, then rinse it down in boiling water and set the pieces on a small baking rack in front of a space heater for about five minutes. Bore and cylinder chambers get swabbed with bore butter, everything else gets wiped down with CLP while it's good and warm. Also, ultrasonic cleaner is a godsend for black powder stuff!
You can also used wife hair blow dryer . If you have electricity.
Ah, I was just going to ask about a hair dryer.@@christopherbennett4559
Your method is about identical to mine (reassuring!)....I'm a great believer in hot water, sometimes with dishwash detergent..........Thanks for the video.
Re. the internal parts (trigger mechanism etc. if they are well greased they won't corrode and need only occasional disassembly to clean and re-grease. I use "pro-Gold grease... great stuff.
pipe cleaners are great for the nooks and crannies too... they don't 'fluff' like Q-tips and are great for cleaning nipples' inside...
A couple weeks ago, I did a complete disassembly of the internals on both the Walker and the Navy. They were a bit dirty inside, but they didn’t have any corrosion. I don’t do that very often. Thanks for watching!
Great video and thanks for posting. I pull the trigger guard and backstrap and flush the action (without taking it apart) using hot soapy water. I always find crushed cap remnants hiding in the action on those open tops. All parts go in a very low temp setting in the oven on a baking sheet to dry the parts, remove and as soon as they are cool enough to handle, lubricate everything and reassemble. Cleaning them is almost as much fun as shooting them :)
just shot my pietta for the first time, made plenty of mistakes and had two squibs but it was alot of fun. once i learn a little more i might invest in a uberti or something a little nicer.
Uberti is definitely worth it.
Another fantastic video demo for us beginners in cap & ball shooting. A WAY DIFFERENT cleaning approach to center fire pistols! Gene
I haven't even fired mine yet! I'm waiting for nice weather. I did clean off all the shipping oil and leave some ballistol on it for protection. When the time comes to shoot, all I should have to do is dry swab the chambers.
Thanks, I'm new to black powder revolvers. You did great, and so did your daughter!!!
Great video.....I just picked up my Uberti 1860 Army last week. Looking forward to taking it out to the range soon.
I use Thompson's No. 13 powder solvent for my muzzleloading revolvers. It works reasonably well, but I do go through a lot of it.
Dish soap works great
Your channel is such an educational treasure trove!!
Used to clean my 1860 Colt in the dishwasher, I would disassemble the gun, remove the grips, put the nipples and screws in a small plastic basket that came with the dishwasher and run the dishwasher on normal cycle, there would always be a light coat of rust on the inside of cylinder chambers and barrel when the gun came out, I would run patches through the chambers and barrel soaked in vegetable oil. That was over twenty years ago and the gun still looks and works great today.
I took a piece of aluminum bar 1/2” wide x 1/8” thick x 5” long. Bent about 1-1/2” on one end to form a 90. Drilled and tapped 6 holes spaced evenly apart. I screw the nipples into the holes and have a convenient holder with handle for cleaning nipples. Keeps them from washing down the drain. Easy to use since I’m losing a little hand dexterity as I age.
Coming from years of smokeless guns, I'm having a heart attack seeing parts of a gun run under water. But I understand this is part of the process for cleaning these things.
I just recently acquired a Uberti 1851 Colt Navy that my Grandfather used for reenactments. It's an interesting learning curve.
It gave me anxiety at first. Now I do virtually all my gun cleaning under water in an ultrasonic machine, even for modern handguns.
Hot hot water and a couple drops of dish soap
Can you do a video on where to get quality leather gear for holster and belt. I am experienced in selecting good holsters and belt for modern pistols. But, I am brand new to the hobby and want to "buy once cry once"
For me, one shot or 100 shots = at least an hour of cleaning. Thank you for posting.
@@twistedpixel2558 glad you are able to get things done in two minutes.
Dear Dustin, this video was absolutely fascinating. Great job!
I use cold water in the sink and apply moosemilk always immeditalely thereafter to avoid surface rust.
Best greetings from Ballistolland, ;)
Black powder can get into those small parts it is best to disassemble all and clean it.
Thanks! All your videos help newbies like myself.
Great video I’m just about to get into black powder shooting in the uk my friend has the same gun colt walker I’m yet to shoot it but my god it’s so heavy man! Great video, love all your videos thanks!
Thank you from a beginner! Just got a pietta Rem 1858 in ss.
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching!
I used to dread shooting my cap and ball revolvers because of the time consuming cleanup afterwards. But I have found that a cap and ball revolver shooter's best friend is an ultrasonic cleaner. I use a 50/50 mix of ballistol and water. Get one big enough to immerse the entire revolver, sans the grip handles. A time consuming procedure--in particular cleaning the cylinder/nipples--is now reduced to a matter of seconds.
I’m actually considering buying one of those. Looks like a great way to go. Thanks for watching!
Ok, I kept thinking about your comment, so I bought one. LOL! I’ve thought about getting one for a long time, so thanks for the nudge!
@@GunsOfTheWest how does it work for you?
Thank you for this video. I just ordered a Walker!!
That’s awesome! I think you’ll enjoy it! Thanks for watching!
Greetings from Ireland. Very satisfying video. Thanks for adding my name to the hat. Happy Christmas.
You’re welcome! Thanks for all your support!
Great clip... as a newbee I thought I did a good job ckeaning my 1851. A few months later the whole thing was a rusted mess in the safe 5:59. The hammer was even locked up. With some WD40 and a tooth brush got it working again.
Thank you - I've got a Confederate Navy .44 I haven't touched in at least fifteen, likely closer to twenty years and while it's still in perfect shape due to me having done whatever I did last time I cleaned it correctly, I'll be darned if I can remember what that was, so having finally found a range that will allow me to fire it, I need to know how to clean it again.
What about a new 1858 out of the box but with conversion cylinder what/how to clean and what to use to get it ready to shoot?
Though the parts are a bit different, the process is generally the same. I’ve actually recently released an entire online course that covers this type of information.
gunsoftheweststore.com/products/cap-ball-revolvers-102
@@GunsOfTheWest awesomeeee
My ultrasonic cleaner is a dream to use. I put my pistol in with warm water and a drop of dish soap then turn it on for 8 minutes and that's it. I rinse all parts off under warm water and then dry. It comes out squeaky clean! No solvent no brushes no patches or q tips! I paid $80 for it and worth every penny.
I like to use pipe cleaners on the nipples. The smaller ones fit in the channel of each nipple. Scrubs them out just fine. Great video. I have often said that part of the muzzleloading experience is cleaning the firearm after use. I enjoy this time. Peaceful activity for me. Really, this is one of the finest videos on cleaning a cap and ball revolver. Fantastic!
Thank you very much!
@@GunsOfTheWest Can you use things like Hoppe’s solvent and CLP, or do those not mix with bp guns?
@@historyandhorseplaying7374 Unfortunately, they don’t neutralize the corrosive fouling from black powder. However, I believe Hoppe’s does make a black powder solvent, but I haven’t tried it.
@@GunsOfTheWest Thank you sir. I heard someone else say that these old bp weapons were not designed for modern petroleum products, which tend to chemically harden the fouling which is exactly what you don’t want. Someone went back and examined the supply lists from the War of 1812, Civil War etc and nowhere are any petroleum products or even cleaning cloths listed- they apparently just made do with water and animal fat, which worked fine. Anyway I just ordered a Pietta .44 Navy (because it was one of the ONLY bp weapons still available, everything else seems to be totally sold out everywhere, even Cabella’s- has the national gun-buying spree of the last year really been that severe???), can’t wait for it to arrive. I have zero experience with bp, it will feel so weird smearing it with odd substances, in contrast to experience with maintaining weapons in the modern military!
Another nice video. Congrats to the winner of the drawing.
I like the trigger guard on those big Piettas.
Great videos.... I just decided to get into blackpowder. Very involved with modern firearms of all types. I reload as well.
Any suggestions for a first pistol and rifle ? I want something is well built, strong frames, in 45 and larger caliber
Remington 1858 New Model Army from either Pietta or Uberti. Uberti's generally have a nicer overall finish but Pietta is very nice as well.
For Colt style revolvers stuck with Pietta, Uberti Colts are known to have a shorter Arbor (cylinder pin) and can be a pain at times. The 1860 Army .44 is hard to beat.
All the .44 caliber cap n ball guns are actually .45 caliber, most use a projectile of .454 but some use .451. The Ruger Old Army uses .457.
The Ruger Old Army is a modern cap n ball gun, not a historical reproduction and discontinued in 2008. But it is a top choice for cap n ball hunting just not accepted in competition or historical shooting matches.
Do not discount the .36 calibers, 1851 Navy or 1861 Navy either. The 1851 Navy was most common revolver used from the 1850's, Civil War and into the 1870's until cartridge guns replaced cap n ball.
For long term use get a steel frame in whatever you choose. Brass has "bling" but heavy use in a brass frame means it will wear eventually.
“That will help us get those hard to reach places later on in the cleaning process.” Reminded of the Mousekatool memes “it’s a surprise tool that will help us later!”
Great information. What is ballista? I can’t find any description of it.
Ballistol: gunsoftheweststore.com/products/ballistol-6-oz-aerosol
Works great but smells like black licorice and ass😂
How tight do you put the wedge screw? All the wedge screws come loose from the factory. I always just slightly tighten em.
Thank you , it was helpful.
From a Vietnam veteran
What holster are you using for your colt walker?
It’s one that Duke Frazier made for me. It’s a replica of the one Robert Duvall wore in Lonesome Dove, except I had him do it in black. Here’s a short video of it.
th-cam.com/users/shorts6qelFpNN_dg?feature=share
@@GunsOfTheWest thank you sir!
In this case, was the fouling and reside from Pyrodex or blackpowder?
If I remember right, it was black powder, but the process works for both. These days though, I just put all the parts in the ultrasonic cleaner with soap and water.
When cleaning the barrel of any fire arm I've always took the wire brush and only went the path of the bullet never back and forth ...dose it matter ? I saw him do this and noticed immediately
Is it ok to use wash it in the sink then use just straight Ballistol instead of moose milk
Ballistol is all I ever use on all my guns
Hey Dustin , I really enjoy your videos. But I have asked a question several times, do you know why they don't make pellets for 36 cal cap and ball revolver?
I love my former sir, thanks again!
You bet!
As a newbie Black Powder shooter, These videos are VERRY helpful!!
Thanks!
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching!
04:41 Another tutorial needed: How to clean the sink after cleaning yor revolver and before your wife comes home
How often do you clean the internal Springs in your revolver I have an 1858 I also have an 1851 which is a little bit easier to disassemble and do the springs
Not often at all. I recently did a video though on the complete disassembly for that purpose.
What kit do you use? Don't want to buy the traditions one, because I have a 7.5 inch barrel and I read theirs isn't long enough.
I'm planning on purchasing an 1861 navy. I noticed in this video that you removed the nipples for cleaning. Do you do that EVERY time you shoot any of your BP revolvers?
Is it ok to shoot cap and ball revolver with gun oil in the barell?
Do you have a good cleaning process for say when you're reenacting in camp, and not able to use modern equipment like squirt bottles and running water?
Hot water is my guess. I wouldn't go so far as to string through the barrel assembly and dunk it into a boiling pot to clear the bore, but fouling is water-soluble and the heat will make any residual lube runny enough to scrub off.
Great video. Enjoyed it as well as all the others of yours I have watched.
Question if I may. Got a new Uberti Navy, tried taking it apart to clean all the shipping oils off, but the barrel will not come off. Yes the wedge is out, hammer held cocked. And, I was using the ram rod method to push on the face of the cylinder.
Is there a trick to remove a tight tight tight barrel?
Thanks for your help.
It sounds like you’re doing all the right things to get it off. Sometimes, they stick a bit. One trick that sometimes works for me is to lightly tap the sides of the barrel where it meets the frame to rattle it loose. I hope this helps.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks Dustin. Tapped it as you suggested, then added more muscle to the ram against face of cylinder. She finally broke lose. Thanks again.
Breaking my Uberti apart the first time took a great deal of effort. Makes one think they were put together with power tools or something.
This may be a stupid question , can u use atf as a cleaning solution
Any opinion on drying these things in the oven? I've had some tell me it's essential. I'm saving up for my first C&B now, considering a used Uberti 1860 or a spray-painted Remington to rescue.
Everyone has their "special" cleaning method or "mysterious magical cleaning mix" but using an over is not really necessary if your water is hot enough it will dry the metal beofore rust forms. I use really hot water/Murphy's oil soap for cleaning, Hot water flush, dry then lube with Ballistol.
Is it a good idea to use distilled water when creating the moose milk?
I’m sure it would be even better to do that, but I just use tap water since I’m oiling the gun afterwards anyway.
Great video. Thanks!
Well, you've sold me on Ballistol but where to get it. I'm assuming you don't add anything else to the water, just Ballistol but all I see appears to be aerosol. Do you have a link to a source you recommend for it? Greatly appreciated.
I get it online from Amazon. Thanks for watching!
Here’s a link.
Ballistol Multi-Purpose Lubricant Cleaner Protectant Combo Pack #3 www.amazon.com/dp/B00A470FN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_lj2WCbMC2W6HV
I brush inside the threads as well, am I messing up doing that?
For stuck nipples I found you can make a nipple wrench out of a small socket if you file a notch in it. I had an old navy replica with two stuck nipples this was the only way to get em off, my stock 't shape' wrench actually deformed. It was a used gun' previous owner must not have lubed or cleaned the threads?
How many rounds through your gun before you clean? I understand after every time you shoot, but is there a count to how many rounds you’d put through it on range before you stop shooting, clean, and start again?
I’ve shot as many as 50 rounds without cleaning. I could have shot more, but I was done for the day. I normally use lube over the projectiles, which really helps to keep the fouling from building up. Thanks for watching!
Dustin Winegar Thanks for being the most informative black powder channel on TH-cam! Keep up the good work!
Thank you very much!
Well-orchestrated and narrated video for black powder enthusiasts. My replica just sits on the wall.
Thanks for watching!
@@GunsOfTheWest I have recently bought my first black powder revolver never shot it have been use to handguns shotguns rifles but never anything black powder and running the barrel underneath of the sink makes me very anxious for some reason
Jerome Jones, it’s normal to feel anxious about it because we’re always trying to keep our modern guns away from water. Just be sure to dry it off and get it oiled and you won’t have any problems. Sometimes you’ll see a little bit of surface rust during cleaning, but it wipes right off. Enjoy your revolver!
Thank you my good man
What cleaning rod do you use?
Hello Dustin, I am brand new to black powder. I just picked up a Pietta 1858 new Army revolver. Can't you just use Hoppies and Rem oil for cleaning and liberation like I use on other firearms?
Those products won’t neutralize black powder fouling. Thanks for watching!
I love my air compressor.
What diameter brush and jag should be used for an .36 1851 navy?
I've heard tell that the modern .38 is in actuality a .36 caliber (something to do with heeled bullets set into brass casings coming out to .38 inches). I don't know firsthand, but I assume the tools for a .38 caliber gun will work.
Thank you
La limpieza no está completa, te faltó desarmar la empuñadura y el cajón de mecanismos la pólvora negra es muy corrosiva y acelera muy deprisa el deterioro del acero y el hierro , lo demás que si limpiaste esta muy bien . Gracias por el video y felices fiestas.
Where did you get the ballistol water mixture ?
I just mixed them. Some people mix 10 parts water to 1 part Ballistol, but I do 5 parts water to 1 part Ballistol.
@@GunsOfTheWest Thanks, the video was very helpful btw.
What other substitute could you use instead of moose milk ?
Good video thanks
Okay I bought a stainless steel 36 caliber I'll probably got 24 rounds shot out of it it's fun but I let it sit for about a month and now it's all seized how do I take this thing apart without messing it up what dissolves black powder residue
At 10:17 the indented space at the end of the ramrod has an official name. It is the "bally button"
Do the Stainless Steel guns need to be cleaned like his?
They’ll be a bit more resistant to corrosion, but not immune to it. I would recommend cleaning it the same way. Thanks for watching!
Sir. I hate to bother you but I have another question if you do not mind…. MOOSE MILK.. I have the ballistol but I was wondering if it is better to use distilled water or get distilled water? Since you know… even electronics can be submerged in distilled water. It’s the other “impurities”. Minerals and such that cause more reactions…. So my question pretty much is is it better to use distilled water in moose milk and will it clean the gun better and do less damage and oxidization or it doesn’t matter using tap water that has you know minerals and stuff in it… I very much appreciate your answer if you come to it and I appreciate you taking time once you do or if you do
So thank you.
You are keeping a tradition & culture alive and you’re playing the role of peoples grandparents people who never had someone to teach them, so thank you so much
You’re right about distilled water, but tap water is fine, especially since the gun will be oiled after it’s cleaned. Thanks for watching!
I clean mine the same way except after I'm done I get my ears chewed good cause as she says IT STINKS ! Lol
LOL!! Yeah, I get in trouble for that too.
Here in Arizona I do all of this and then leave it out in the HOT sun on my patio table. Wipe it down with Ballistal -- Done... For me this works. This total prosses is why you can but Black powder pistols so cheap from people who own Glocks. Ha Ha
Love my Black powder firearms...
is there any reason i shouldn't just use balistol instead of moose milk?
Very helpful, thanks
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching!
I've been throwing my whole walker in a bucket of kerosene for ten years and it still works fine. Put the whole thing in a bucket of kerosene, leave it over night, and blow it out w an air compressor.
Do you lube the arbor as part of cleaning the revolver?
Sometimes I’ll put a little bit of my bullet lube on it before I assemble the gun.
@@GunsOfTheWest Thank you
I just got my first 1851 old silver Navy colt and cleaned it with clp.but since my revolver is silver I'm very nervous about using water.can someone tell me that its ok bc this is my best revolver and don't wanna worry about it rusting.
You have to use water or it will rust. It is the only way to get rid of the corrosive fouling. I use hot water and dish soap then coat with balistol.
Alternatively you could just remove the wooden hand grips and stick the whole thing through the dishwasher. Once clean spray the whole thing with WD40, and replace the grips. Been doing that with mine for over 10 years.
I have a question was that bore rifled originally and if so would it be like the in the 19th century?
Yes.
K
As soon as the revolver was invented, everyone realized that rifling was perfect for these guns because you didn't have to push the lead round through the entire bore in order to load it. Revolvers have had rifling from the earliest days of the design.
Nice channel. Subbed!
The one thing I get asked is how to measure the 5 to 1 ratio on milk mixture. I use the cap on my oil. 1 cap oil and 5 caps of water. What do you use to measure out your 5 to 1 mixture. Cups tablespoon teaspoon etc?
I just use a spray bottle with measurement markings on it.