Schofield (Beretta Laramie) and black powder - range report

[Anthracite Andy]

i just saw Joss's post, and about a minute ago i posted this on the SASS wire...

i had a chance to run a bunch more rounds through my Beretta Laramie in .45 Colt this afternoon.  i said in a previous post i'd run a bunch of black powder rounds through it and post my results.

i've been using 200 gr. Colorado Cast bullets for revolver ammo.  i use more than 20 grs. and less than 27 grs. of FFg Goex black powder for my loads, and put a 1/8" thick greased wad under the bullet.

originally i was loading the cartridges and then using my finger to put a dab of Crisco on the mouth of each chamber.  this is quick, but your finger does end up with some Crisco on it.  today i decided to try a modified method.  i have an old musket cap tin filled with Crisco and what i did was as i was loading each round i would dip the bullet in the Crisco.  i wasn't sticking the entire thing in to get Crisco all over the bullet and cartridge case, i was just sticking the tip of the bullet in so it had a dab of Crisco on the end.  this was easy and there was no mess as you never had to actually touch the Crisco.

i had about 120 rounds with me and figured that would be enough to run the test.  well, i fired all of them and still had plenty of daylight (and no rain yet), so i ran in my house and got a bunch of my rifle loads.  these are 250 gr. bullets cast from a Lyman mold and the case is filled with FFg black powder.  the load is a bit stouter than my usual revolver load.  i fired off all of the rounds i brought out to my shooting bench.

i ended up firing 149 rounds.  all i did was dip the tips of the bullets in the Crisco.  no Ballistol, no water, no other lubes or cleaning.  the revolver functioned as perfectly at the end of the test as it did the beginning.  no gritty feeling to the action or problems cocking or firing.  there was no loss of accuracy or change in point of impact during the test (other than the change when going from 200 gr. bullets to the 250 gr. loads).  the cylinder still spins as free as it does when clean.  the cylinder and recoil shield are FILTHY though.  there is so much sludge on the recoil shield that the case headstamps are perfectly imprinted in the mess.

honestly, i would have guessed that after 100 or so rounds that things would've started getting tight.  i was very impressed that not only did i have zero malfunctions after 149 rounds, but i am CERTAIN i could've continued firing for the rest of the afternoon with no problems.

this test satisfies my curiosity.  i have no doubts that using the "bullet Crisco dip" method will allow an entire match to be easily completed using one of the modern Schofield reproductions in .45 Colt.


Anthracite Andy

[Anthracite Andy]

Joss,

actually, most of the fouling stayed soft, especially on the recoil shield.  i didn't wipe anything off because i wanted to see just how long the revolver would run with ZERO maintenance or cleaning.  and to tell the truth, at the end of my session it looked like the revolver had been fired about 10,000 times and not cleaned for a year.    it was actually pretty cool looking.

when i fire my 1858 Remingtons (cap & ball, not conversions), i put a big glob of Crisco over each chamber.  they really get greasy and gooey after 50 rounds.  with the Laramie and the "bullet Crisco dip" method, the revolver itself stayed rather clean.  mainly because i was hardly using any Crisco.  i bet a tin's worth would last 1000 rounds.  i hardly used any of it after firing my 149 rounds.

i just got finished cleaning the revolver and most of the fouling wiped off.  i gave the cylinder a dunk in hot water and the fouling just dissolved away.  i love black powder clean-up.  everything just rinses away.

Anthracite Andy