Post by Gatofeo on Aug 5, 2011 21:23:03 GMT -5
Greetings from the remote Utah desert, where the "ugly cat" lives separated from Oblivion by a screen door.
I've been shooting cap and ball revolvers since about 1970, when I started at 15 with a brass-framed 1851 Navy in the unauthentic .44 caliber. Some of you may recall my posts in other message boards, particularly a long one I created about 1999 entitled, "Proper Use of a Cap and Ball Revolver."
Many message boards have adopted it as a sticky. I update it every few years and repost. It has the wonderful effect of prompting others to add their tricks.
Gatofeo means, "ugly cat" in Spanish. Long story there ... ahem.
The name Gatofeo is also associated with a homemade bullet and wad lubricant named after me: Gatofeo No. 1 Lubricant.
I didn't invent the recipe, it's a 19th century factory recipe for outside-side lubricated bullets such as the .32 Long Colt, .38 Long Colt, .41 Colt and even the .22 rimfires.
I adopted the ratios, but used very specific ingredients to create what I believe to be an exceedingly useful black powder lubricant for bullets, patches, felt wads, shotgun wads and other projectile-related uses.
I'll post the recipe, and instructions for making it, elsewhere.
No one sells it commercially, so you must make it yourself. Fortunately, it's easily made and well worth the effort. It's particularly good soaked into felt wads used twixt the ball and powder in cap and ball sixguns.
My cap and ball revolvers are:
1858 Remington, .44, made by Uberti.
1858 Remington .36, made by Pietta.
1858 Remington .36, target model with modern sights, made in 1973. You very rarely see Remingtons with factory Patridge sights in .36 caliber. Almost all are .44 caliber.
Colt 2nd generation 1851 Navy, .36 caliber.
1861 Navy, .36 caliber, made by Uberti and marketed by Cimmaron.
1860 Colt, .44 caliber, made by Pietta.
1849 Colt, .31 caliber, reproduction but maker unknown.
1862 Colt, Pocket Police, .36 caliber made by Armi San Marcos.
CVA Mountain Rifle, Hawken pattern, .50-caliber, made in USA in the early 1980s. My only black powder rifle, but I'd like to pick up a good 1861 Enfield reproduction to accompany my many revolvers.
I keep thinking that I'll get a Dragoon, or perhaps a good quality .31 (the one I have is a piece of early 1970s junk that I use as a decorator), but I keep busy with what I now have that I see little need to expand my revolver collection.
My Uberti-made Remington .44 is among the most accurate pistols I own, even factoring in the modern revolvers and semi-autos.
I own every American Rifleman magazine made from 1929 to last month's, and am completing a personal directory to the information within these 900-plus magazines.
I also have numerous issues of Handloader and Rifle magazine, and an extensive firearms library.
I reload for 23 different rifle and handgun cartridges, and occasionally cast my own bullets.
A writer and photographer by trade, I'm a good spellur and writer (gooder than most of yous, ha!). Friends and readers also enjoy my quirky sense of humor and dry wit. The ol' cat's got a way with words, to be sure.
Other interests include reading, military history, history, cooking, spoiling my two cats, continuing my bachelorhood, pampering ladies who visit the ol' cat's desert retreat, travel, fishing, exploring the desert, etymology, photography, spoiling my two cats, studying the Paranormal, snorkeling, and my eternal quest for the perfect dry Martini and Gin & Tonic.
I look forward to learning from others on this site, and contributing my own experiences and observations.
I've been shooting cap and ball revolvers since about 1970, when I started at 15 with a brass-framed 1851 Navy in the unauthentic .44 caliber. Some of you may recall my posts in other message boards, particularly a long one I created about 1999 entitled, "Proper Use of a Cap and Ball Revolver."
Many message boards have adopted it as a sticky. I update it every few years and repost. It has the wonderful effect of prompting others to add their tricks.
Gatofeo means, "ugly cat" in Spanish. Long story there ... ahem.
The name Gatofeo is also associated with a homemade bullet and wad lubricant named after me: Gatofeo No. 1 Lubricant.
I didn't invent the recipe, it's a 19th century factory recipe for outside-side lubricated bullets such as the .32 Long Colt, .38 Long Colt, .41 Colt and even the .22 rimfires.
I adopted the ratios, but used very specific ingredients to create what I believe to be an exceedingly useful black powder lubricant for bullets, patches, felt wads, shotgun wads and other projectile-related uses.
I'll post the recipe, and instructions for making it, elsewhere.
No one sells it commercially, so you must make it yourself. Fortunately, it's easily made and well worth the effort. It's particularly good soaked into felt wads used twixt the ball and powder in cap and ball sixguns.
My cap and ball revolvers are:
1858 Remington, .44, made by Uberti.
1858 Remington .36, made by Pietta.
1858 Remington .36, target model with modern sights, made in 1973. You very rarely see Remingtons with factory Patridge sights in .36 caliber. Almost all are .44 caliber.
Colt 2nd generation 1851 Navy, .36 caliber.
1861 Navy, .36 caliber, made by Uberti and marketed by Cimmaron.
1860 Colt, .44 caliber, made by Pietta.
1849 Colt, .31 caliber, reproduction but maker unknown.
1862 Colt, Pocket Police, .36 caliber made by Armi San Marcos.
CVA Mountain Rifle, Hawken pattern, .50-caliber, made in USA in the early 1980s. My only black powder rifle, but I'd like to pick up a good 1861 Enfield reproduction to accompany my many revolvers.
I keep thinking that I'll get a Dragoon, or perhaps a good quality .31 (the one I have is a piece of early 1970s junk that I use as a decorator), but I keep busy with what I now have that I see little need to expand my revolver collection.
My Uberti-made Remington .44 is among the most accurate pistols I own, even factoring in the modern revolvers and semi-autos.
I own every American Rifleman magazine made from 1929 to last month's, and am completing a personal directory to the information within these 900-plus magazines.
I also have numerous issues of Handloader and Rifle magazine, and an extensive firearms library.
I reload for 23 different rifle and handgun cartridges, and occasionally cast my own bullets.
A writer and photographer by trade, I'm a good spellur and writer (gooder than most of yous, ha!). Friends and readers also enjoy my quirky sense of humor and dry wit. The ol' cat's got a way with words, to be sure.
Other interests include reading, military history, history, cooking, spoiling my two cats, continuing my bachelorhood, pampering ladies who visit the ol' cat's desert retreat, travel, fishing, exploring the desert, etymology, photography, spoiling my two cats, studying the Paranormal, snorkeling, and my eternal quest for the perfect dry Martini and Gin & Tonic.
I look forward to learning from others on this site, and contributing my own experiences and observations.
