Cold weather has mostly kept us inside, doing mods and otherwise getting ready for spring shooting season.But Sunday was 50° F and lots of sunshine so to the range!
Did some work on my Uberti 1851 and wanted to see how they performed. Corrected arbor via Pettifogger method and installed cap post.
This was my time first shooting a gun with a cap post. I know some folks love 'em and others won't have 'em, but I had to try for myself. First six loaded with 20gr Fffg Old Eyn., Rem 11, and .380 buckshot. One of the spent caps didn't want to go into the cap gutter on right recoil shield when gingerly cocking piece. Vigorously thumbing back the hammer gave no troubles. So far so good so up to 25 grains for the next four cylinders full.
This is pretty close to a full load. Note my 25 grain measure.
Bet you didn't realize Winchester and Remington make millions of cap and ball powder measures every year?
Bit of history. Acquired this '51 last summer, lightly used. Took it to Friendship bone stock. It would occasionally try to ingest caps but was really accurate, even with short arbor. I loaned it to a gentleman who won his class in the Open Top match; he liked it so much he also shot and won class in the Re-entry match, which is open to target sighted guns as well. So I wanted to extend it's life and user friendliness. Hence the arbor mod and cap post. Next is reduced power bolt spring.
The post.
Uberti navy's have a deeper slot for safety pin than Pietta's so I really didn't have to cut on hammer.
30 rounds, no gap ingestition; it appears to work. Gun was a little sticky to break free when cocking after those but not bad. Retired satisfied.
Firing seated the new engagement, and after cleanup it has a 0.007" cylinder gap.
