For a modern shooter, it is hard to justify using a design deemed to be a dead-end fifty years ago, let alone one hundred fifty years ago. But the cap and ball revolver is just such a gun; one that refuses to completely fall out of use and one that has actually regrown in popularity in recent years. But in a world accustomed to cartridges, cap and ball revolvers seem unapproachable. That is a shame. Percussion revolvers have style in spades, deliver in fun dividends, and can be surprisingly useful shooting irons with modern applications in mind. In this primer, we will go through a brief history of the cap and ball revolver and the particulars of loading and shooting them.
Cap and Ball Revolvers: What Are They?
Cap and ball revolvers might be more technically described as percussion revolvers. The cap or percussion refers to the percussion cap, which is a small copper cup packed with an impact-sensitive explosive. When struck, the cap jets sends a jet of flame into the powder charge. The previous ignition system was the flintlock. The flintlock required flint, steel, and an exposed pan of gun powder to work. Percussion caps allowed for a more sealed ignition system that works well in all weather and is less prone to misfiring.
Percussion caps came into use in the United States in the 1820s. Percussion caps also made repeating firearms truly practical. Colt’s Paterson revolving pistol came out in 1835. It was a five-shooter in a sea of single-shots. It was also the first of what we would call a cap and ball revolver.
The cap and ball revolver has a revolving cylinder that is still loaded from the front like a muzzleloader. Powder and bullet are pushed down the front end of each cylinder. The rear of the rotating cylinder has a series of very small, perforated cones called cones or nipples. A percussion cap is pushed onto each one, essentially priming the cartridges you created in the cylinder. But instead of having one round at your disposal, you now have multiple.
My Ubert Colt 1862 Pocket Navy complete with conicals, a tin of caps, and my favorite brass flask and measure.
Early percussion revolvers used caps and spherical lead ball ammunition, hence the ball in cap and ball. But by the late 1840s longer conical shaped bullets were devised. In the 1850s as percussion revolvers became increasingly lighter and more practical to carry, loose powder and bullet gave way to paper cartridges that allowed for more rapid loading.
Colt’s original Paterson revolver was too ungainly and fragile for the market in the 1830s, but the Texas Rangers became true believers when their troopers, each armed with a pair of Colt’s guns, defeated a larger Comanche force at Walker’s Creek in 1840. Colt was able to use limited successes like these to improve the concept and reemerge into the gun business during the Mexican War with the Walker Colt revolver. Post-war, Colt refined the Walker .44 and created smaller and lighter versions in smaller calibers. The Colt Pocket and the midsized Colt Navy, in .31 and .36 caliber respectively, came out in 1850.
While the Colt open-top revolvers were the most popular, modern shooters can appreciate the solid frame Remington as well.
Colt’s patent on the revolver expired in the mid 1850s and other makers both big and small entered the market. Remington emerged as Colt’s chief rival with their Remington Beals and later Remington New Model series of solid-frame revolvers. The Remington New Model Army and the Colt 1860 Army would be the most popular sidearms fielded during the American Civil War.
Percussion revolvers were also prevalent in the pre-and post-war expansion into the West. But self-contained cartridges had demonstrated their superiority during the war. No longer did the user need to load ammunition from the front of the gun in separate steps, as it could all be done by inserting bullet, powder, and primer from the rear all at once. Remington found they could not give away their revolvers after the war and lurched near bankruptcy, while Colt and Smith & Wesson took the lead in the cartridge revolver world. Colt suspended their line of percussion revolvers in 1873 just as the Colt Single Action Army came to the market.
Although outmoded, vast numbers of percussion revolvers remained in circulation. .36 and .44 caliber paper cartridges continued to be sold in stores into the 1920s. Interest in cap and ball revolvers resurged when traditional gunmakers in the Valle Trompia in Italy responded to the demand imposed by the growing movie genre known as the Spaghetti Western in the 1950s and 1960s. Since then, firms like Armi San Marcos, Uberti, and Pietta, have exported countless replicas of Colt, Remingtons, and other cap and ball revolvers to the states. Some are screw-for-screw functional copies while others are fantasy pieces that have no basis in the 19th century. All have their place for the reenactor, recreational shooter, or hunter.
Cap and Ball Revolver Shooting Components
One of the most intimidating aspects of black powder shooting is the perception that you need a laundry list of accessories to get started or too much effort is needed in order to shoot them. Like with cartridge firearms, you can get as involved as you would like with percussion revolvers. From slicking up a factory replica to rolling your own paper cartridges to optimizing the gun and ammo for everything from target shooting to hunting, the sky is the limit with cap and ball revolvers. But when it comes to actually loading and shooting cap and ball revolvers, the list of needed components and the learning curve required to use them is surprisingly short.
To load and shoot a percussion revolver, you need the following items: black powder or black powder substitute, projectiles, and percussion caps. There are no required add-ons for caps and bullets, but for measuring and dispensing powder you will need a powder measure and a powder flask. Most of us will use these loose components when loading cap and ball revolvers but all of these items are just as applicable if you want to play with paper cartridge making. The only additional accouterment that is wise to have is a sort of grease or shortening to be used for bullet lubricant.
Practically any black powder or black powder substitutes will work fine in a cap and ball revolver. Never use smokeless powder of any kind!
Powder
Modern percussion revolver replicas are made of much stronger steel than original handguns, but they are still designed for black powder. Black powder is generally graded in grain size from 1Fg to 4Fg. 1Fg is large grain musket powder. 4Fg is usually used for priming the pan of flintlock guns because of its fine, sand-like composition. 3Fg is the traditional pistol powder of choice. The larger the grains, the more air between the grains and the more complete the burn of black powder in a confined space. The smaller grains of 3Fg and 4Fg allow for more powder to be pressed into a given space and it burns up more efficiently. Larger grain powders can be used just as well in cap and ball revolvers, but there can be a slight power loss. I found 2Fg-3Fg to be excellent for cap and ball revolvers in .36 to .44 caliber. Smaller .31 caliber guns work well with 3Fg and even 4Fg.
However, because black powder is classed as an explosive, finding it at your local sporting goods store can be a challenge. Black powder substitutes like Pyrodex and Triple 7 are easier to find. Both are perfectly safe to use in black powder revolvers, but when weighted by volume like black powder, Pyrodex and Triple 7 produces slightly more pressure. A general rule of thumb to follow is to back off the powder charge by 5-10 grains vs. what you measure would measure out in black powder. General powder measuring data can usually be found on the owner’s manual of your revolver, but a general rule of thumb is to start low and work your way up until you get best accuracy. The amount of powder you start with will vary by caliber. I start with the following minimum loads:
- .31 caliber Pocket revolvers: 10 grains of powder under a .323 inch ball
- .36 caliber Navy revolvers: 10 grains of powder under a .375 inch ball or conical bullet
- .44 caliber Army revolvers: 20 grains of powder under a .454-.457 inch ball or conical bullet
- .44 caliber Colt Walker/Dragoon revolvers: 30 grains of powder under a .454-.457 inch ball or conical bullet
With black powder revolvers there are two options: lead ball [left] or conical [right].
In terms of bullet selection, your choice is between the lead ball or a conical bullet. The lead round ball is the most popular. It is also the most available. Hornady swaged round balls can be had at larger sporting good stores but smaller outfits offer cast balls as well.
Round ball ammo is readily bought, easy to load, and their light weight yields higher velocities. Cap and ball revolvers require oversized bare lead balls to achieve a good seal at the front of the cylinder. For .31 caliber pocket revolvers, the bare minimum I found to be oversized for the chambers are .323 inch diameter balls. Some shooters have gotten a lot out of these little guns by using storebought 00 buckshot. .36 caliber pistols generally require a .375 inch ball. .44 caliber Army models are generally covered by .454 inch rounds. The now-discontinued Ruger Old Army revolver uses .457 inch balls.
Conical bullets are a good choice if you need a heavier, deeper penetrating bullet. These are generally a bit smaller in diameter than the round ball and has lubrication grooves. In an unmodified replica revolver, conical bullets can be harder to load with the loading lever. Conicals are also less available. Shooters that prefer them generally cast their own.
Caps
With powder and bullet selection sorted, you need caps to provide your ignition. There are two types used on percussion revolvers: No. 10 and No. 11. No. 10 caps are smaller and work on the smaller nipples of pocket model revolvers while No. 11s tend to be more commonly used on larger revolvers. With that said, many models come with stock nipples that are fitted for No. 10s. Remington, RWS, and CCI produce both types of caps. CCI caps tend to fit tightly, while caps by the other makers tend to slip right on without a fuss.
Lube
Bullet lubrication is a sticky point of debate among black powder shooters. Some also opine that bullet lube also prevents the phenomenon called a chainfire. A chainfire happens when multiple chambers are set off at once. This is normally due to the flash of one round going off going past loose-fitting caps or pooled black powder in the cylinder. It can also happen if you use undersized projectiles. For extra safety, shooters can use lubricated felt wads between powder and ball or grease over the ball. I will be the first to tell you that if you are using correct sized ammunition, lubrication is redundant. But lubrication will keep black powder fouling soft and allow you to put more rounds downrange during a long range session. Some shooters swear by specialized greases like TC Bore Butter. I like simple vegetable shortening like Crisco. It is effective and cheap! But for quick range trips, I rarely use lubrication.
Loading Up
It is usual to think of a cap and ball revolver as a conventional revolver except with its own reloading press built in. You are making your own ammunition and the cases are the revolver cylinders.
The first step to loading is to draw the revolver back to the half-cock position so the cylinder will spin freely. Take a percussion cap and put one on each nipple. Cock the hammer fully rearward and fire the first cap. Most replica revolvers are classed as single-action revolvers, so the hammer will need to be thumb cocked for every shot. Shoot the rest of the caps. This will clear out any oils in the nipples or chambers that is left over from cleaning. Now you have a clear handgun and you are ready to load. If you don’t wish to pop caps, I have gotten a lot of mileage by simply swabbing the nipples with pipe cleaners. Either way, the revolver is clear and ready to load up.
Measure out the appropriate volume of powder in your powder measure. Black powder and its substitutes are measured by volume, not weight. Anything that measures the correct amount of powder will suffice as a measure. A piece of antler hollowed out is fine. I used to use an empty .38 Special case to measure for some handguns. I prefer a brass adjustable measure. With the measured powder ready, half-cock the hammer once again, spin the cylinder, and drop the load of powder into the front of one of the cylinders.
Next, put a projectile over the cylinder with powder in it and rotate the bullet under the loading lever. The lever is retracted from its latch and pulled down. The loading arm presses the bullet down into the chamber. From that point, repeat the process of powder followed by ball until the cylinder is fully loaded.
With all chambers loaded, you can elect to put grease over the chamber mouths if you did not use a wad. After that, push percussion caps onto each nipple.
The revolver is now fully loaded and ready to shoot. But it is not safe on half-cock. Some shooters like to load five rounds in a six-shot revolver and rest the hammer on an empty chamber. You can also use the historical safety used on the revolver. Colts have pins in between the chambers, while Remingtons have notches. You can carefully lower the hammer between loaded chambers. To shoot, all you have to do is thumb back the hammer and press the trigger.
Cap and ball revolvers take a few minutes to load, so don’t forget to make your rounds count and enjoy the moment.
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Very good article. I have a problem with caps coming off nipples
on unfired chambers when I fire. I’ve tried both #10 and #11 caps. What do you suggest? Thank you.