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Fired off the Cattleman

allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,607 ✭✭✭✭
edited November 2019 in Black Powder and Cowboy Action Shooting
I have a Uberti Cattleman, which is a copy of a gun that never existed. This is a cap and ball replica of the classic 1873 Colt, which was, of course, a cartridge gun.
This is a real nicely made gun, locks up tight. Uberti no longer makes this gun, although, Pietta makes one just like it.

I have had this gun loaded in a drawer for 11 years, I wasn't sure if it even would fire. But, it did fire, all 5 cylinders, full power.
I must say accuracy was off. Two balls hit about 4 inches left of bullseye, about 3 inches apart. The other three hit a foot to the left.
This at 20 feet.
I am surprised that accuracy suffered so much.

30 grains fffg black powder, well lubed over the powder wad, and .457 round balls.
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Comments

  • hillbillehillbille Member Posts: 14,388 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    you would have hit his buddy standing beside him...........[;)] one out of two ain't bad...
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  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,607 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I just measured the target this time with a tape measure.
    Bullseye is the size of a quarter, two balls were 4 inches to the left, the other 3 were 8 inches to the left.
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  • hillbillehillbille Member Posts: 14,388 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    guess he would have been hurting afterall, he would have ruined the carpet bleeding out on it.......[;)]
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  • BrookwoodBrookwood Member, Moderator Posts: 13,717 ******
    edited November -1
    Allen, I have been planning on loading up one of my cap and ball revolvers to keep by the bedside.

    Did you leave yours with caps installed for all those years?

    I have no doubts about the gun going off after long storage, but wonder about the percussion caps "shelf life" ??

    I will have mine capped, leaving one cylinder empty for the safety hammer stop.
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  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,607 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well, Brookwood, that is exactly what I do. Keep it right by the bedside. Yes I leave it capped, for two reasons. One, I want it "ready to go."
    The other reason is to seal off that chamber.

    I mean, I have run across postings on other forums where I was assured that you could not leave the gun loaded for more than a few weeks, the powder would absorb moisture, etc etc.

    Well I have proved them wrong. The thing is the chamber is sealed. First with a well lubed wad, then, when you cut off a little lead ring when you seat the ball, no air is getting in from the front.
    And with the cap on, no air from the nipple end.

    I am up here in the humid NC mountains and just like last night, I run a fan all night in the upstairs window, blowing out. Fog of the French Broad River getting pulled through the house all night, my house is as humid as can be for 5 months of the year.

    I don't know what the shelf life of caps is but it is probably similar to primers for centerfire guns. A long long time.

    I know that, 8 years ago, my brother showed up with an old piece of crap cap and ball pistol he had, as well as some caps that he had bought in 1976. I figured they were no good they were 34 years old.
    We loaded the gun using the old caps, and they all fired. We fired off 20 of the old caps without a misfire.

    I do just like you are saying, load five chambers and leave the hammer down on an empty chamber.
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  • spasmcreekspasmcreek Member Posts: 37,717 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    i have a beaut Pietta BP revolver and shoulder stock combo somewhere in a safe...never shot it...got a couple more shoulder stocks and have thought about mounting the frame pins and cutting the notch in the bottom of the grip fame on a 32 mag revolver or similar for fun
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  • papernickerpapernicker Member Posts: 1,371 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My little Pietta has fired with no problems after a couple and maybe four years. I use a candle and drip wax on the balls :D and , of course keep it capped.
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  • Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,381 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    spasmcreek wrote:
    i have a beaut Pietta BP revolver and shoulder stock combo somewhere in a safe...never shot it...got a couple more shoulder stocks and have thought about mounting the frame pins and cutting the notch in the bottom of the grip fame on a 32 mag revolver or similar for fun

    The Feds frown on that. You could get prior approval and pay the tax to keep it legal.
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  • charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,572 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    As long as you keep it dry and away from oil real black powder remains operational (nearly forever). With fixed sight pistols I have found that if I shoot them enough I learn how to hold them so they actually shoot point of aim. That skill dissipates rapidly without practice. Those that shoot well shoot often.
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  • Mike from marina Mike from marina Member Posts: 1 ✭

    I have the Uberti 1873 cattlemen in 357 magnum I shoot 38 special out of it all day and I love it. I got it from cimmarron I usually shoot w231 about 3.5 gn behind a 158 gn swc and no problems. I do 4.0 gn on 158 Fmj and good grouping too.

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  • mac10mac10 Member Posts: 2,700 ✭✭✭✭

    cant hit the side of a barn hmmm

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