44 Colt Dragoon Bullet

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Last Post 21 May 2025

CBA Member

Aaron posted this 18 May 2025

I cast some bullets from my new Eras Gone bullet mold for the Colt Dragoon and the Walker revolvers. The mold performed flawlessly and cast almost perfect bullets on the very first fill. These are 260gr bullets (ingots?) and cast out at .454 from my mold with pure lead.

Think about that. A 5 pound lead bar will give you 135 bullets with no wastage. Casting these you will go through some large quantities of lead real fast. These bullets are too large for the 1860 44's and need the longer cylinders of the Dragoons and the Walker. There are some good videos on YouTube about these behemoths if you have an interest.

I can't wait to run these down the tube of the Dragoon!

With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.

sugar-loaf walker

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Match Director

linoww posted this 18 May 2025

are you rolling paper cartridges for these!

"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!

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CBA Member

Aaron posted this 18 May 2025

are you rolling paper cartridges for these!

Nope. I'll just shoot these naked. That's a figure of speech you know right?

With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.

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Match Director

linoww posted this 18 May 2025

I thought you were a paper cartridge convert?

I tried once and it was tedious.

"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!

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Match Director

linoww posted this 18 May 2025

shooting naked

this NOT ok..

this IS ok..

"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!

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CBA Member

Aaron posted this 18 May 2025

I have kind of gone "off" the paper cartridges on these Cap & Ball revolvers. If I were a 19th century consumer, having a pack or two of paper cartridges on-hand to load up the revolver if needed, was extremely convenient. Shooting all day at the range however, quickly shows how the paper residue accumulates in the cylinder chambers and gums up the works as well as blocks the nipple orifice at the base of the chamber. Since I am not under attack by Yankees or blood thirsty Comanche raiders, I can take all the time I need to load up the cylinder.

It's fun to make the paper cartridges and use them occasionally, or impress my center-fire friends with them. I have a few packs of them located in the display boxes for a few of the C&B revolvers for aesthetic purposes and to generate conversation about the revolvers or the period. They are great conversation starters or a segue into a "did you know" talk.

These get loaded naked atop a full service charge of 30gr FFFG in the Whitneyville Dragoon and 40gr of FFFG in the Walker. No felt wad with those loads, just grease over the bullet after seating. I use "Confederate Lube" over the ball which is 50/50 beeswax to mutton tallow. BTW, coconut oil works great too. But I digress.

With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.

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