OK just got my Pietta 1858 Remington from Cabela's and it was a bargain, Fit and finish on this gun is very nice - Hope it shoots as good as it looks.

Trying to find black powder stuff in my area is very tough, And I don't want to go the "Ordering Route" because of needing to order in bulk to make the Hazmat chargeworth it - Also need to figure what the gun likes first before ordering a bunch of stuff.......Here's what I've come up with so far but haven't bought anything yet :

Goex BP "3F"...........Think​ing to load @ 23.3 Gr, This will get me around 300 shots from a pound of powder.

Hornady .454 Ball.....Lot of confusion on this, Some claim everything from .451 - .457? Best when it shaves a

ring and seats firmly ?

CCI #10 Caps...........Lot of confusion on this also, 10's, 11's, 11 magnums ???, Too small/Too big/Falls off?

Crisco..​....................​.Of all the things essential I can't find anything like "Bore Butter" here locally, Saw a guy's

UTube video Using 10W30(LOL) - Just a few drops till it coats around the Ball.

Don't have any tools yet like a powder measure or nipple wrench, I'll probably use my Powder scale first time out till I can make something from a shell casing Etc.

Well what do you think ???.....Hoping TAC will come around - You alluded to your buddy shooting a '58 Pietta and I'd really like to know what he's using or Works/Doesn't work - Hope to be shooting it this weekend.

Thanks Slat,

The problem is I don't have any of the major sporting chains in my area that carries stuff for the pistols, Now BP Rifles are very popular especially for hunting season and you can find everything you need for them atthe WalMart or Dick's Sporting goods - The list above is actually what I found locally on the shelf at comparable prices to what'sonline - Without a Hazmat Charge on the powder and caps.

Mostly just concerned about the Powder / Caps / Balls and if what I listed is correct - I'll have 300rds to play with without having to order anything......Findin​g there's a wide variance when it comes to these pistols - The same type manufactured by 2 different companies won't like the same fodder.

Max,

If you can find it, try Hodgdon's 777 (2F) for your powder. It works great and cleans up with less trouble than Goex. Walmart carries it around here during the Muzzle loader season.

Trust me on this one, go with Remington #10 caps. Even if you have to order them. The others will fall off during recoil and cause problems and jams.

The Hornaday .454 balls are what I shoot and they work great. They should shave a slight ring of lead off when seated. This ensures a tight fit and reduces the chance of a "chain fire" of the other chambers.

Crisco can be substituted for Bore Butter. If you can find them, use a felt wad between the powder and the ball. Melt some crisco and soak the wads in it, then let them cool. Put them in a zip lock bag and you should be good. The other option is to load powder, then ball and smear the chamber mouth with crisco. This lubes the cylinder pin also, but it is messy (especially on a hot day or after a couple of cylinders full have been shot. The felt wad method of lubing is cleaner/easier.)

As far as a powder measure goes, you absolutely need one. BP is measured by VOLUME not Weight and a powder SCALE will not work. BP, in different granulations and from different manufacturers will weigh different amounts for the same VOLUME of powder. In your original post, I replied with some links for powder measures. There are no hazmat fees on gear, just powder, primers, and caps. I would spend the pennies to order a good measure, even if you can't afford to order the caps and powder due to shipping.

Don't worry about a nipple wrench. You only need one when you are replacing the nipples. As long as you don't damage them buy dry firing them, you shouldn't need one for quite a while.

If you have specific questions, PM me.

-Tac

Thanks Again TAC !!!......I was hoping you'd come around.

That pretty much clears up some of the confusion.

Well I shot it yesterday and it was great !!! - Shoots almost exactly POA with excellent grouping!!!

A buddy helped me out with some Speer .454 Ball, 3F Powder, And a selection of caps to try- Basically I just took it easy and loaded/fired one cylinder at a time to get used to the process.

He had some Remmie #10 Caps and they fit good, Also CCI #11, German #11(Nobel)that worked also.

All the caps would "Splay open" like a daisy - The Remmie's to a lesser degree, The CCI Somewhat more, And the German caps just blew apart all around the nipple....Wish I could get the Remmie's locally but my buddy didn't have enough to sell - Guess I'll try some CCI 10's next.

Loaded the powder by hand using a empty45acp case that approximates 24-25 grains.

My buddy sold me the Ball(100 for $12) and that pound of Goex($20), Cheaper than I can buy any locally or order it....I know Tac said it's dirty powder but what the Heck !!! BP is dirty anyway and my buddy was willing to show me the ropes and share what he had - It was a bargain and I'm now hooked !!!

Thats fantastic Max. I am glad that you had fun. My Remmy-repros are very accurate as well. Thats one of the reasons I use them in my CAS competition.

If you get the chance to pick up some Hodgon 777 (2F) powder, give it a try. Look for it at Walmart in the fall, or late winter. I have found it on sale there, after the season for $12 a pound.

The Hornaday .454 balls are the best on the market, in my opinion.

If the caps are popping open like a daisy when you fire them, be careful of the flying pieces. They can also fall into the action and jam up the cylinder rotation. The caps should pop, but stay on the nipples for the most part. Ususally, if they do fall off, it is when the cylinder is rotated to fire the next shot and they fall out the right side of the gun.

I woudn't have thought to use an empty .45 ACP case as a powder measure, but you are correct. It should dip the appropriate volume of powder. Take a metal wire clothes hanger, cut a piece of it off, bend it to fit your needs and solder it on to the case and you will have a handy little powder scoop.

As for cleaning the guns... I use just hot soapy water... once I scrub them down, I blow them out with an air compressor and wipe them with oil. It is alot faster than cleaning with solvent. Back "in the day", the cowboys cleaned them up with water too... they just didn't have the air compressor to get all the water out afterward. Thats part of the reason most original BP guns are rusted and pitted. (that and real BP is seriously hygroscopic and attracts moisture like a moth to a flame.)

I hope you have many years of satisfied BOOM! and SMOKE! in your future.

-Tac