Open Top's in .38 Spl.

[PJ Hardtack]

I'm in a rush to get my cap & ball guns loaded between stages.  The idea of taking a gun apart to load it doesn't compute.
I gotta keep it simple or it ain't fun.

[Coffinmaker]

OK, Awright Awready!!  All youz nay sayers ............ The menacing Gunfighter walks up Main Street, having Shot his stage and wasted each and every one of his foes (Shot the stage clean, he did)  Clears the unloading table and strolls over to his approved loading place.
1.  Thumb pushes the wedge out and the barrel falls off in hand, followed immediately by the cylinder.
2.  Wipes the cylinder face off onnna damp paper towel (same same breach face of barrel).
3.  Flips cylinder over, uses funnel and precision measuring device and charges cylinders (all five, real quick)
4.  Seats balls on chamber mouths (or EPP UG-36S), sets cylinder on Tower of Power and Rams home all five balls in quick succession.
5.  Quick spritz of lube on Arbor, replace cylinder and barrel on Arbor, Thumb press wedge back in
DONE.
Takes longer to type it than to DO it.  So There    Nanny Nanny Poo Poo    Betcha I can reload in half the time it takes to reload
"on the gun." 
Faster than a speeding bullet, Stronger than a speeding locomotive, leaps tall buildings at a single bound (Oh OK, jumps a beer can) and
I use a good deodorant and I'm slower than I use to be OK???  A cylinder loader is still superior (just like the lake).  Ya ol Fuddy Duddys

Coffinmaker

[Montana Slim]

 
Loved that one Coffinmaker. The gauntlet is down on loading...haha..

I'm seriously fast reloading my 1860s. Paper tubes of 5-each round-balls, a spring loaded plunger flask (had it over 40 yrs& it works great), and my straight-inline capper (not a "side" inline). Done about as fast as I can read these three sentences.....well, almost.

Time estimate - maybe 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per gun...maybe a better, including cap time. add 20 seconds to add grease on both guns.  Best breakout the stopwatch, as my regular "range" video camera received honorable execution a couple weeks ago. Neat what a few 44-40 BP rounds will do to a hunk o'plastic.

I'm sure I can load 6 quicker than 5. Don't have to break rhythm that way.

Honestly...a little brag...a little fact...some hidden humor, too...

Slim   

[Advertising]

[Coffinmaker]

He He He He. 

True Confessions (waddn nat a soap opra??) I must admit, I don't have the faintest idea how long it actually takes me to reload.  I've
never set a clock on me.  Nother confession ........ Don't care.
Basically, I have the attention span of a gnat.  I very flighty gnat.  So ....... I have developed a "routine" that I follow to the letter every
time I reload.  Prevents arriving on a stage with an empty cylinder capped    Not that "that" ever happened .........   I won't even
talk to people.  I even get rude (go away boy, ya bother me) so I don't get interrupted.
I do know loading off the gun for me is a bunch quicker than loading on the gun.  Now for the caveat.  I can't load on the gun.  No rammer.  I shoot Snubbies.  I do have several guns with 4 'n' 5 inch barrels, but my load routine is with a cylinder loader.  Do everything
the same way, every time. 
Besides, you have any idea how ridiculous a Snubbie looks of you try and hang a rammer assembly on it 

Coffinmaker

[Coffinmaker]

  Thread Drift can be so much FUN 

Dunno if I actually fully answered the OP, think I did, but YES    I do shoot 38 Special in my Open Tops.  YES!!  It is more fun than
that other stuff (fad stuff). 

I do load my Open Tops "on the gun." 

Coffinmaker

[PJ Hardtack]

One part of my cap & ball loading routine is to leave the rammer down on the last ball seated.

If you have to ask why, you haven't dry balled - yet ..... ;>)

[Coffinmaker]

Dry Ball??  Dry Ball you say???  How 'bout DRY CYLINDER    (Don't wanna talk about it  )

Well.  Actually I can load "on the gun."  First install rammer assembly and screw.  Load.  Remove rammer assembly and screw.  Don't forget that last part.  Looks really silly with that stupid rammer arm hanging down 

Some of my Snubbies are actually "Factory" Sunbbies (Pietta does that).  They don't even have a place for a rammer.  They do have a wonky hole thru the Barrel Lug, and they give you this really cool (but useless) solid brass loading tool.  Looks like a soda straw having wild and crazy (edited for forum) with a Mushroom.   Oh wait.  That funny brass rod thingy does make a dandy Cap Seater.

Coffinmaker

PS:  It's really annoying when you discover a gnat has done a three and half gainer into your fresh mug of coffee 

 

[Flint]

My preference is the 44 (I shoot Russian) for balance, the 38 feels too heavy.  It shouldn't, as a 36 Navy feels just right, but the 44 Opentop feels better than the 38 to me.

[Fox Creek Kid]

My preference is the 44 (I shoot Russian) for balance, the 38 feels too heavy.  It shouldn't, as a 36 Navy feels just right, but the 44 Opentop feels better than the 38 to me.

I agree. Note that historically Colt only made a grand total of ONE in .38 Colt. It was made to try to get the Navy to buy them. It failed.

[Mean Bob Mean]

I shoot .44s as well but I do own a single MWNN "conversion" which is really just an open top with an octagon barrel and plungerlike-case removal unit of ingenious construction.  It shoots .38 Long Colt with so much holy black in it that many will need a hand to help the cylinder turn as they are "kind of long lead sticking out thingy like".  But I loooooove it with that load as it goes BOOM and is a ton of fun to shoot, especially after it shakes the plunger unit loose and is all danglyficating.

Black powder rules in OTs and converts alike.  And if you "go all the way" (to actual powder) the shotgun loads are heavenly.

Hell man, just try it and see.  Is there a guy at your shoots that will let you try a few?