In June my local range opens on Fridays for a couple of months and it's a good day to go because it's mostly just retirees and not crowded at all. Decided to bring the 1861 Navy in 36 cal. it has been a long while since firing that one and dropped the 9mm in the bag just to stay familiar with that modern plastic but ideal defensive pistol. Got to the range and after greetings and catching up from the winter I got to the bench and commenced with loading the Navy But what to my wondering eyes I couldn't get the round balls to seat they would just stuck and came back up with the plunger????? I checked the box .375 swaged rd balls but what? finally figured out if I pushed the ball in then turned the cylinder a bit it would seat the ball. fired six and went at loading another cylinder and first two go off then nothing, on full cock the trigger won't release the hammer, *@%$^ pull the caps off remove the nipples and shake out the powder (what a waste) and bag it to remove the balls at home. Load up the 9mm and first round bang holding the semi like a revolver slide rash on my thumb (oh momma) so the rash is leaking and mixing with sweaty hands and I'm a little embarrassed for making such a beginner mistake. So i pack up and call it a day. Later home take apart the '61 clean and reasemble it works fine busted a cylinder of caps everything works fine lol. So that was my range day, however had fun disassembling the '61 and cleaning both guns, I'll admit to having a cold one working in the garage with Hank Sr. on the radio and it was a fun and fustrating day. Still don't know why the balls wounldn't seat but I'll ponder that another day. Hope they did't shrink as they got older!
