OT- Powder Inc. Cap & Ball Revolver Cylinder Loader (pics)

Welcome to the Leverguns.Com Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here ... politely.

Moderators: AmBraCol, Hobie

Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.

Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
Shasta
Senior Levergunner
Posts: 1556
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:50 pm
Location: Shasta County, the far right stronghold in California

OT- Powder Inc. Cap & Ball Revolver Cylinder Loader (pics)

Post by Shasta »

After recently purchasing a Ruger Old Army cap & ball revolver, I was searching the internet to learn more on the subject when I came across an interesting cylinder loading device for use at the shooting range. Here is a link:

http://www.powderinc.com/cgi-bin/bpstor ... =205292689

While not cheap at $63 + $5 shipping, it appealed to me, so I ordered one. Following is a rather long picture heavy post on what I got and what I did with it:

The picture on the web site showed a well-made, polished tool. When it arrived, I found that it was indeed very well-made, showing good precision with what appears to be bronze bushings on the moving parts. But polished it was not! The finish was bare steel, and was showing signs of the beginning of corrosion on some parts.

Image

Image

I decided the tool was certainly worth keeping, so determined to clean up the metal and blue it with cold blue. It would not take the blue, so I am guessing it to be made of some sort of stainless steel. Oh well, a coat of good paint will do! I disassembled the tool by removing the base screws, knocking out a couple roll pins on the linkage and loosening the elevation set screw. I already had the metal clean, so I masked off the bronze bushings and applied a snappy 2-tone paint job.

Image

The tool came equipped with 2 sizes of brass cylinder centering pins and 2 sizes of what they termed "loading jags", the actual tip of the ram. This makes the tool fit just about any revolver cylinder, but also leaves you with two very small but important spare brass pieces to keep track of.

Image


I solved this problem by drilling & tapping a couple holes in the base of the tool. One was a 1/4x20 thread for the spare cylinder centering pin, and the other was a 10x32, into which I installed a threaded stud to accept the spare loading jag. Now they are conveniently stored with the tool and won't be lost.

Image

I took the device to the range for the first time yesterday and was very pleased with it. It takes only a moment to remove the Ruger's cylinder, and the tool certainly seemed to speed my reloading time. It's not for everybody, as I know some will think it another unnecessary item to take along, but it works for me.

Image


SHASTA
Last edited by Shasta on Tue Jun 02, 2020 9:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
California Rifle & Pistol Association LIFE Member
National Rifle Association BENEFACTOR LIFE Member


http://www.hcrpclub.org/schedule.html

avatar pic is Shasta Dam, Shasta Lake, & Mt. Shasta
Nath
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 8660
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2007 1:41 pm
Location: England

Re: OT- Powder Inc. Cap & Ball Revolver Cylinder Loader (pics)

Post by Nath »

Thats polished up a treat, very good. makes ya proud.

Nath :D
Psalm ch8.

Because I wish I could!
rjohns94
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 10820
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 6:02 pm
Location: York, PA

Re: OT- Powder Inc. Cap & Ball Revolver Cylinder Loader (pics)

Post by rjohns94 »

very nice indeed.
Mike Johnson,

"Only those who will risk going too far, can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Eliot
User avatar
Hobie
Moderator
Posts: 13902
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:54 pm
Location: Staunton, VA, USA
Contact:

Re: OT- Powder Inc. Cap & Ball Revolver Cylinder Loader (pics)

Post by Hobie »

Pardon me for being a cynical old fanny burp but for $63 they could have done as much work as adding your refinements. I'll stick with the basic revolver, Ruger or otherwise. HOWEVER, such a thing would be very handy for the 1848 or Patterson revolvers.
Sincerely,

Hobie

"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend." Robert Louis Stevenson
Nate Kiowa Jones
Site Sponsor
Posts: 2507
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:05 pm
Location: Lampasas, Texas
Contact:

Re: OT- Powder Inc. Cap & Ball Revolver Cylinder Loader (pics)

Post by Nate Kiowa Jones »

Here's the one I use. It's only about $20 or so. I did mount it to a 6" piece of 1X4.

Image
Steve Young aka Nate Kiowa Jones Sass# 6765

Steve's Guns aka "Rossi 92 Specialists"
205 Antler lane
Lampasas, Texas 76550


http://www.stevesgunz.com

Email; steve@stevesgunz.com

Tel: 512-564-1015

Image
perry owens
Levergunner 3.0
Posts: 559
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 7:53 pm
Location: Surrey, England

Re: OT- Powder Inc. Cap & Ball Revolver Cylinder Loader (pics)

Post by perry owens »

Nice job. Mine rusted up inside a week and I had to strip and paint it. We UK CAS shooters are mainly limited to cap and ball pistols and we don't often have many competitors so you have to reload fast between stages. It's definitely faster for reloading the 5.5 in barreled Old Armys that I use as the loading lever on the gun is a little short on leverage when swaging BigLube bullets into the chambers.
Perry Owens
"Always carry a firearm east of Aldgate Watson."
20cows
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 2278
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:55 pm
Location: East West Texas

Re: OT- Powder Inc. Cap & Ball Revolver Cylinder Loader (pics)

Post by 20cows »

Nate Kiowa Jones wrote:Here's the one I use. It's only about $20 or so. I did mount it to a 6" piece of 1X4.

Image
That looks like a good DIY project. I have a couple of the short barreled models with the short lever problem.
User avatar
Ysabel Kid
Moderator
Posts: 27790
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:10 pm
Location: South Carolina, USA
Contact:

Re: OT- Powder Inc. Cap & Ball Revolver Cylinder Loader (pics)

Post by Ysabel Kid »

It looks much, MUCH better!

NKJ - where did you get your $20 model?
Image
lthardman
Levergunner 2.0
Posts: 366
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2009 12:12 pm
Location: Northern Michigan

Re: OT- Powder Inc. Cap & Ball Revolver Cylinder Loader (pics)

Post by lthardman »

I have one of the less expensive versions that I purchased through a Cabela's catalog, and I believe they were also available from Sportsman's Guide. I did a quick look at their respective websites and did not find one today, however.

I remember the tool being offered as an add-on to a cap & ball revolver purchase.
"Now it cuts like a knife, but it feels so right." - Bryan Adams
User avatar
Buck Elliott
Member Emeritus
Posts: 2830
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:15 pm
Location: Halfway up Sheep Mountain -- Cody, Wyoming

Re: OT- Powder Inc. Cap & Ball Revolver Cylinder Loader (pics)

Post by Buck Elliott »

Just another "sign of the times..."

Seems like you have to re-manufacture almost everything you buy, BEFORE you can use it. I don't know how people get along, these days, without access to a fully-equipped machine shop. :evil:

I like the simple little outfit that Steve mentioned.
Regards

Buck

Life has a way of making the foreseeable that which never happens, and the unforeseeable, that which your life becomes...
Nate Kiowa Jones
Site Sponsor
Posts: 2507
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:05 pm
Location: Lampasas, Texas
Contact:

Re: OT- Powder Inc. Cap & Ball Revolver Cylinder Loader (pics)

Post by Nate Kiowa Jones »

Ysabel Kid wrote:It looks much, MUCH better!

NKJ - where did you get your $20 model?
I bought it several years ago. It was made by Pietta and I think I ordered it from Dixie.
Buck Elliott wrote:Just another "sign of the times..."

Seems like you have to re-manufacture almost everything you buy, BEFORE you can use it. I don't know how people get along, these days, without access to a fully-equipped machine shop. :evil:

I like the simple little outfit that Steve mentioned.
Yep, when you work on mechanical things day in and day out simple is always better. Probably why my 2005 Dodge Diesel PU has rubber flood matts and hand crank windows and locks.
Last edited by Nate Kiowa Jones on Mon Dec 28, 2009 9:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Steve Young aka Nate Kiowa Jones Sass# 6765

Steve's Guns aka "Rossi 92 Specialists"
205 Antler lane
Lampasas, Texas 76550


http://www.stevesgunz.com

Email; steve@stevesgunz.com

Tel: 512-564-1015

Image
User avatar
kimwcook
Advanced Levergunner
Posts: 7978
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:01 pm
Location: Soap Lake, WA., U.S.A.

Re: OT- Powder Inc. Cap & Ball Revolver Cylinder Loader (pics)

Post by kimwcook »

Buck Elliott wrote:Seems like you have to re-manufacture almost everything you buy, BEFORE you can use it. I don't know how people get along, these days, without access to a fully-equipped machine shop.
-

I hear ya, Buck. It seems like if you don't pay for high end stuff the first time you end up re-engineering it to work like it should of to begin with. The only way the companies end up staying in business selling stuff is because people will accept it, use it once and throw it away. I'll pay a little more the first time, get what I want and use it forever. Quality never goes out of style.
Old Law Dawg
Doc Hudson
Member Emeritus
Posts: 2277
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 9:22 pm
Location: Crenshaw County, Alabama

Re: OT- Powder Inc. Cap & Ball Revolver Cylinder Loader (pics)

Post by Doc Hudson »

Hobie wrote:Pardon me for being a cynical old fanny burp but for $63 they could have done as much work as adding your refinements. I'll stick with the basic revolver, Ruger or otherwise. HOWEVER, such a thing would be very handy for the 1848 or Patterson revolvers.

Yep, I'd rather use the rammer on my Navy Colt and use the $63.00 for more powder. But if anyone wants one of those things, i've no objections, gizmos interest me too.

Shasta you sure did a heckuva job improving that gizmo. They ought to pay you a royalty for the upgrade ideas.
Doc Hudson, OOF, IOFA, CSA, F&AM, SCV, NRA LIFE MEMBER, IDJRS #002, IDCT, King of Typoists

Amici familia ab lectio est

Image Image
Image
UNITE!
missionary5155
Levergunner 3.0
Posts: 795
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 7:09 pm
Location: Arequipa, Peru till 2020

Re: OT- Powder Inc. Cap & Ball Revolver Cylinder Loader (pics)

Post by missionary5155 »

Good morning
That is a fine looking rammer... NOW.
A sinner saved by FAITH in the Blood of Jesus Christ &teaching God´s Word in Peru. John 3:36
Tanker 71-74 NRA Life Ready to Defend the Constitution from enemies within and without.
Post Reply