1858 .44 Pietta Load Suggestions

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Sham66

40 Cal.
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
270
Reaction score
16
Howdy!

I've read the manuals, but what have you folks used for successful loads?

Pietta
1858 Remington
.44

Thanks!

James
 
Sham66-I have a pair of Pietta's and Uberti'a and use this load.Serious target work 18-20 grns(3f swiss)(topped off with instant grits) and for all around shooting and plinking 25grns(3f swiss) (no filler).I use .454 balls,sometimes less is more.With these loads you should get some pretty decent groups and the fouling will be much less.I coat the cylinder pin and the star on the back of the cylinder with Stumpkillers Moose snot(does not melt like bore butter)and can shoot all day with no problems.Hope this helps...Respectfully montanadan
 
Reb Too, i said 35 not 30, :grin: and that is all i can get in mine with the Wad under it. Maybe the Euroarms cylinder is smaller. I always used 40 gr of Pyrodex P in my Piettas, but it compresses more than the Goex i use now.
 
Rebel said:
Reb Too, i said 35 not 30, :grin: and that is all i can get in mine with the Wad under it. Maybe the Euroarms cylinder is smaller. I always used 40 gr of Pyrodex P in my Piettas, but it compresses more than the Goex i use now.
Yeah, I know but I never tried 35. My Rigarmi with 40 still has a good bit of chamber left, ball is seated pretty deep. I never used a wad but I just got some in to try. So we'll see what happens. From what you just said I'll try 35 first so I don't end up pulling a ball if 40 is too much with a wad. :hatsoff:
 
I may have to try it without the wads and see if i can get 40 in it. I should be able to. I do like the wads though. They sure help keep the fouling down in the barrel. But they aren't cheap, that's for sure. I have been using Stumpkillers Moose Snot on the cylinder pin and so far i can fire at least 3 cylinders full and not have the thing start getting herd to cock. That stuff seemsd to work good.May have to try it over the balls without the wads and see how it does on the fouling.
 
Using Pyrodex which is all I have right now. 40 grs. leaves a good 1/4 inch of chamber with a ball and wonder wad seated. 50 grs. spills over the chamber mouth. Smooth it off and it will fully seat a ball and wad with some room left over. I'm sure if I compressed it and then added more it would seat a ball and wad with the full 50 grs. but I didn't try it. So I'm guessing 45 grs. of Pyrodex is about tops. Like you say Goex doesn't compress as much but I'll have to wait awhile till I can get some to find out.
 
Just got back from shooting these rounds. My first time using wonder wads and I like them. However I did have one chainfire. When I fired the 45 grainer it set off the 50 next to it. I fired four more cylinders all loaded with 40 grs. and it didn't do it again. I think I'll stick with 40. Wasn't shooting paper was down on the pond bank shooting 6 inch pine stumps from about 25 yds. that the low water level exposed. Hit more than I missed. took my .58 Enfield down too and it eats those pine stumps up with 100 grs. behind a minie ball. Recovered a couple of them out of the soft dirt about 8 inches down after going thru the stump. They were mushroomed nicely with NO BLOWN SKIRTS!!!
 
Great info and discussion. Thanks!

The sights are good up and down, but it is hitting a tad to the right. I noticed the adustable rear sight has 2 horizontal screws. If I want to move the sight to the left, would I loosen the left screw and tighten the right?

James
 
Howdy:
I've got 4 of the Pieta New Model Army's I use R&D conversion cylinders in two of em most of the time and I shoot full house BP .45 Colt loads in em. When I shoot em as Percussion guns, I stuff 37grs of 3F Goex in them I rarely use Wonderwads instead I grease the seated bullets with a 50/50 mixture of beeswax and crisco
 
rebel727 said:
Just got back from shooting these rounds. My first time using wonder wads and I like them. However I did have one chainfire. When I fired the 45 grainer it set off the 50 next to it.


If I understand you correctly, you are saying that you had a chainfire in spite of using the wonder wads under the ball? Please let me know. I'm still collecting as much data as I can on chain-fire events and the specific details about them. THANKS!
:hatsoff:

Regards, and shoot safely,
WV_Hillbilly

PS I assume that neither you nor your revolver were injured...?
 
I bought a spare cylinder in SS for my 'Buffalo' long barrel and figuring it will handle a stout load i use a .25 acp case of 4f under 25 gr. 3f under felt wad under Lee mold slug, fills the chamber completely, and is definitely stout load. I don't have a chrono but have compared it with straight 3f load and seems to have more recoil.
As an aside I shot a small but mature wild hog with that load at around 30 paces through the head in back of the eye and the slug passed thru exiting opposite side jaw. Down he went kicking but never got up.
:thumbsup:
 
Excellant info. As I posted on another thread, need to work up a load for my 58 Remington. I would like to go up to 40 as I would not mind taking a hog with it.
 
My standard load for my Rems and Colts is 28gr of Goex fffg BP with a Lube Pill under a .457" round ball. Most accurate load for me anyway. Have shot 40gr and works at close range say 20 paces, but not real good groups...28gr I can get shots touchin'.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top