Cap and ball revolvers: Shoot one handed or two handed?

[rambutan316]

Just picked up my first black powder revolver, a Pietta 1860 Army. Can't wait to take it out to the range, but I was wondering should I be shooting this thing one handed or with both hands?

[gun toting monkeyboy]

Whatever floats your boat. Just keep your fingers clear of the cylinder gap.

-Mb

[Tom-ADC]

Only one I shoot with both hands is the Walker, have fun but be forewarned once you shoot it, it won't be the only one you own.

[cplbuck]

I shoot mine one handed. Don't want my other hand anywhere near the cylinder if it chain fires. I have the 1860 and I also have the 1851 Confederate Navy Colt. Great guns. Love shooting them. Check out this info below on how to make your own greased wads. I use these only, I don't grease the cylinder. I bought my felt from this site
http://www.durofelt.com/image_26.html Its owned by a nice Indian lady in Arkansas.

BEST WAD LUBRICANT

The best wad lubricant I've found is listed in a 1943 American Rifleman magazine. It is made of:
1 part paraffin (I use canning paraffin, sold in grocery stores)
1 part mutton tallow (sold by Dixie Gun Works)
1/2 part beeswax (available in hardware stores as a toilet gasket)
All measurements are by weight, NOT volume.
I use a kitchen scale to measure 200/200/100 grams of ingredients, which will nearly fill a quart, wide mouth Mason jar.
With the jar filled, place it in three to four inches of boiling water (the safest way to melt greases and waxes) until all ingredients are thoroughly melted. Stir with a clean stick or disposable chopstick.
Allow the lubricant to cool at room temperature. Placing the jar in the refrigerator may cause the ingredients to separate. When the lubricant is cool and solid, screw the jar lid down tight and store it in a cool, dry place. This will keep dust and crud out and keep natural moistures in.
This lubricant is also excellent for other black powder applications: patch grease, lubricating fiber shotgun wads and as a bullet lubricant in muzzleloaders or cartridge guns.
In fact, it’s all I use. I no longer buy commercial black powder bullet lubricants such as SPG or Lyman Black Powder Gold. This recipe is as good or better and much cheaper.

PARAFFIN NOTES
Canning paraffin is the hard, translucent wax sold to melt and pour over preserves, such as jams and jellies. Use canning paraffin only. Who knows what’s in old candles, especially the scented variety? But if old candles are all you can find, use them.
Some sharp-eyed black powder shooters may see paraffin among the ingredients and gasp because paraffin is a petroleum product, and petroleum products cause hard, tarry fouling. However, a chemist told me that paraffin lacks the hydrocarbons of other petroleum products, which appears to be the offender.
The paraffin is necessary in this recipe because it stiffens the wad, which helps it scrape fouling from the bore.

MUTTON TALLOW

Sold by Dixie Gun Works in Tennessee, you may also find it if you live in sheep country. Mutton tallow makes a superior product. I’m told that unlike beef lard and other tallows, mutton tallow contains lanolin. I’m unsure about this, but it makes a difference in the lubricant.

TUNA CAN

For about 100 .36 or .44 caliber wads, melt two or three Tablespoons of lubricant in a clean tuna can at a low temperature. There's no need to cook the lubricant, just melt it. Add the wads. Stir them in the melted lubricant until thoroughly saturated. Cool at room temperature.
I carry the wads to the range in the same can, with a plastic pet-food lid snapped on. Store them in a cool, dry place with the lid snapped tightly.

[VegasND]

Take a look at old photographs (and daguerreotypes) then dress the part and shoot like the old-timers did.

[cplbuck]

Take a look at old photographs (and daguerreotypes) then dress the part and shoot like the old-timers did.

Good point Vegas. I like to think I'm honoring the memory of Wild Bill Hickock when I shoot my pistols. stand up nice and tall with your arm stretched out, shoulder pointed at the target, feet pointing at right angle to your target. None of that "tacticool" seal team six crouch stuff. Standing tall like a real man. Got to get you a nice holster for it.

[David13]

I guess I shoot mine one handed.
But watch your load. If you load it really heavy, you might get some good recoil. About 25 is good.
dc

[mls343]

One hand and with Crisco!

[Eljay]

I do one handed except the Walker and except for when I'm comparing loads.

[GOEX FFF]

One handed, body turned to the side with the other hand on your belt buckle.

[mousegun]

One handed.
With two 1860s and five cylinders, one per hand is enough.

[Tom-ADC]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgNVPC2wmWI

[CSACANNONEER]

How do you shoot your other wheel guns?

[meaty-btz]

How do you shoot your other wheel guns?

Depends on the wheel gun. Some of the small grip old style wheel guns are very awkward in a double handed grip.

So for those and my new army, one handed.

[2761377]

it's not figure skating, there are no style points. use whatever it takes to get the smallest groups.

if you have a chain fire, blame your loading technique.