Comparing .36:es

[Len]

I have tried a new approach to fight the cap sucking by fattening up the nipples of the Colt Navy. Put up the nipples in the lathe and let them rotate slowly while silver soldering a layer onto them. Now have to press the caps on really hard with a wooden dowel. Shot a couple of cylinders yesterday and for the first time had no cap issues.

Hi Len, it works better using a welding rod instead of solder. 

Regards,
Richard

Sorry Rick, I beg to differ. By using silver soldering at 650 degrees C, I will not get the hardening out of the nipples (which would occur at around 820 degrees C. Welding would spoil it all). And more over, the nipples are originals and the silver could be gotten rid off without damaging the original form. Hope you see my point of trying not to be too harsh to the old relic.

[Len]

I took some time out Saturday and loaded up my Colt 51 in .36. This was a new gun that had been sitting in the box for a while. I got it out and ready to fire. I noticed I went though three cylinders with no cap sucking problems. I had been loading with 20 gr black powder, 380 rd balls, and Rem #10 caps. I'm not a big fan of wads anymore, but had some in my bag and try some in the next couple cylinders, that's when I noticed that using my fingers to put the wads in and then using the same fingers to put the caps on was when I noticed the caps wanting to stick to the hammer. I think shooting without the wads the first time was the way to go. I guess if someone is going to use wads no matter what don't forget to use a capper.

Dellbert, do you mean that fingers with a tad of wad grease on them would make the caps stick to the hammer?

D

[Dellbert]

I took some time out Saturday and loaded up my Colt 51 in .36. This was a new gun that had been sitting in the box for a while. I got it out and ready to fire. I noticed I went though three cylinders with no cap sucking problems. I had been loading with 20 gr black powder, 380 rd balls, and Rem #10 caps. I'm not a big fan of wads anymore, but had some in my bag and try some in the next couple cylinders, that's when I noticed that using my fingers to put the wads in and then using the same fingers to put the caps on was when I noticed the caps wanting to stick to the hammer. I think shooting without the wads the first time was the way to go. I guess if someone is going to use wads no matter what don't forget to use a capper.

Dellbert, do you mean that fingers with a tad of wad grease on them would make the caps stick to the hammer?

D

Well it was hot and humid and the wads were in a bag and were kind of sticky the heat of the day didn't cause them to go slimy like some lubes would. I don't know what kind of lube folks are using these day but these will not be a problem left loaded in a gun long as they didn't keep it outdoors all day. It's true that there are more reasons for a cap to get pulled off a nipple but find it funny that my trouble didn't start till that sticky lube got on those caps. Up until I used those wads the gun was running dry in the nipple area. When it got gummed up with the lube is when the caps got sticky. Matter of fact when I fired the first couple cylinders I had forgot to tip the Colt up and to the right to let the caps roll out and realized the caps were rolling out on there own just fine.

[ssb73q]

Hi Len, for some unknown reason I was thinking you were meaning silver soldering caps instead of nipples. I was being facetious thinking you were joking about soldering caps that I upped that thought by suggesting welding caps.

It must of been a senior moment of mine translating nipples to caps. 

Regards,
Richard

[Captainkirk]

You might try unlubed wads. I've used them before with no issues.

[Dellbert]

You might try unlubed wads. I've used them before with no issues.

Hi CK. If I decide to use wads again I'll give that a try. I just started shooting this 51 and see how many loads it would take to start slowing up the cylinder down. When that happens pull the barrel & cylinder and wipe it down and start over. I'm thinking the .36s will run a bit longer than the bigger .44s cause it don't take a lot of powder to get good loads out of them. I have a Remington Police model in .36 that has not been fired but I now haft to decide whether to keep it or put it up for sale. I'd like to buy another Colt 51.