conical bullets for an 1858 Remington .44 revolver???

[Cauterizer]

Does anyone know where I can find conical lead bullets for .44 caliber black powder revolvers such as the 1858 Remington? I fire .451 ball rounds out of mine. Buffalo bullets are getting fewer and further between, I did see some .36 bullets yesterday at Cabela's on clearance, but the .44's were long since gone. I'd appreciate any help offered. Thanks!

-Cauterizer

[John Maas]

Try Paul Weber, sutler, at the National. He has a large selection of bullets, including .44 conicals for your Remmy.

[Cauterizer]

Thanks John! I took a leap and bought a Lee twin cavity mold #90382. Can't wait to start smelting and casting bullets, then test my workmanship at the range. Not that I needed an excuse, but it does sound acacdemic..."ballistic data gathering" Thanks again!

Cauterizer

[devisser]

Lyman made a mold for cap and ball revolvers many years ago. No 480229. It is a hollow base bullet and I used it in my original Remington revolver and my repro Rogers and Spencer. I had a base plug made for it so I could shoot both hollow base and solid bullets. I did not have to size the billets for the Remington, but I did have to size when using them in the Rogers & Spencer (.452). I am not the greatest revolver shooter in the world, but I found using both pre-greased rounds that they shot decent groups at 25 yards. You do have to remove the cylinder to load these verses using a round ball as they are longer and do not clear the revoler's frame. The conical lyman bullets did seem to shoot better then the round ball, but the conical's were harder to load. I did run the conical bullets through my sizer to lube the solid base bullets and filled the hollow base with lub. THe Lyman were a semi-wad design which did make nice round hold on the target. Have fun and good luck.

[Steve Weems]

Eras Gone Bullets molds duplicate original Johnson &Dow .44 bullets for cap and ball revolvers. Duelist1954 on YouTube has a video showing how to use them in making cartridges. They are also on Facebook and the web.

[Maillemaker]

Eras Gone makes a Johnson and Dow .44 and a Colt .44.

Steve

[Rebel Dave]

You will still have to modify the area under the rammer, to load conicals on the revolver. The Italians don't make them, as the originals in this area. I have done it to all my C&B revolvers. Piettas need the most moding, Ubertis are not that bad. Just take your time and check it a lot. Its easy to take metal off, but it doesn't like to go back on as easy. Using paper cartridges, the mod is most necessary.

Rebel Dave

[Jim_Burgess_2078V]

I shoot a Pietta .44 Remington with a Rapine conical which is a copy of the original Colt bullet. The chambers in my cylinder have been reamed slightly which allows me to push the bullet far enough into the chamber and then rotate the chamber under the loading lever for final seating. No modification of the frame is necessary. In the past I have also used the 200 grain Hensley & Gibbs #130 semi-wadcutter bullet. At .452 diameter it was a little loose in my chambers but it would likely work well in unmodified cylinders.

Jim Burgess, 15th CVI

[Jim Barber]

You also might check out Dick Dastardly: http://www.biglube.com/AboutDick.aspx
I don't have any personal experience with the molds he offers, but they're intriguing. Some of the conicals, with rebated base and giant lube groove, almost look like a teeny tiny Wilkinson, and might do well with the right powder charge. I'm sticking with RB and tiny 15g charges for now. They hit at 25 yards, and recoil is akin to a pop-gun. 50 yards requires still air and abundant prayer, neither of which I seem to have in abundant measure.

Cheers!

Jim B.
Grove City, OH