We forgot the camera

But here is what it looked like after.



Broken down for cleaning




The first 12 shots on target.
It shoots high and to the left, so after the first 3 shots I was aiming at the bottom of the diamond, then at the bottom of the diamond outline @ 10yards.

Here are my observations of the Colt Confederate Navy .44

• Since it was my first time shooting, I probably used too much lube on the balls- it was messy (greasy) as h*ll after shooting it.
• Loading wasn't as bad as the muzzleloader- maybe because I didn't have to load after every shot?
• The trigger is lighter than I like.
• I'm having problems keeping the caps on the nipples. They're #11, I'll try #10's tommorrow. I shot my truck because one fell off. I was working on replacing it when my thumb slipped off the hammer (see the first comment), and it hit a primed cylinder after I'd rotated the cylinder to get access to replace the (dropped) cap, and unintentionally rotated at the loading bench. Good thing it only has a muzzel velocity of about 600FPS, only dented my hood above the grill.
  
• It's steady, and pretty accurate at 25 YDs (I hit within a foot of where I was aiming planning to hit). I can play with the charge to fine tune it when I get more used to it.
• The balls that came with the starter kit had sprues (nipples) on them, I'll try Hornadays round balls tommorrow, and see if the accuracy improves.
  
• Nice ballance, compared with the muzzleloader especially.
• The factory book says you need a hammer and a "non-marring punch" to remove the retaining wedge- You need a steel drift pin to move the factory installed wedge. A "non-marring" punch will bend or break- I know from experience.
  
• Clean-up is hot soapy water and scrubbing, followed with WD-40 to dry out the fine parts you can't get to easily.
• A loading stand will be made tomorrow, just to make it easier, and to show it off above the TV. I'll make one for the muzzleloader, too.
• After I had the nipples put in again, I noticed that 3 0f 6 had fireing holes that were smaller than the other 3- could be a reason for the large pattern. I'll get new ones, or dill the small ones out.
  

As I learn more about these, I'll be getting stuff to make everything easier. Karen is interested in a "Ladies" gun, and maybe getting us into period re-enactments.