Today I spent many hours trying different load components and charges in 4 revolvers to see what velocity I could get. I am not suggesting these loads or advocating them. I have a few situations where I have my BP revolver and want the most "thump" I can get . Accuracy doesn't have to be match-winning, just adequate enough to hit the target close to point of aim. I used the same powder flask with same spout, emptying it between powders. I filled the spout, then poured it into a 1-grain increment marked clear tube for reference. Whatever that said is what I am listing as the charge weight. I won't go into every little detail but will list the average of 30 shots with each revolver. There are 3 Pietta's. A factory 3" 1858, a factory 5.5" 1858 and a home-chopped 3.5" 1851. The fourth one is the NAA Super Companion.
All three Piettas are .44, and I used Speer .454 balls. I tried different #'s of over powder cards in each and will state the # with highest velocity average. Ohler chrono 3 feet 9 inches from my knuckles. External air 90 degree, humidity 80.4. Before and after each 30 shots per revolver a known velocity bullet was fired over chronograph to make sure the reading was accurate. I shot at a 5" black bullseye at 10-yards. There is a ring 1-inch around that and another 1.5 inches around that. Every single shot fired today was within the 7.5" circle. Oh yeah, CCI #11 Magnum caps for all except the NAA that uses Remington #11s.
1858 3-Inch
Pyrodex P 30 grains 3 cards 682 FPS
Triple 7 3F 32 grains 1 card 841.3
Goex 3F 28 grains 3 cards 643
Goex 4F 30 grains 2 cards 653.3
1851 3.5-inch
Pyrodex P 30 grains 1 card 811
Triple 7 3F 32 grains 1 card 844.1
Goex 3F 28 grains 1 card 734
Goex 4F 30 grains 1 card 737
1858 5.5- inch
Pyrodex P 30 grains 2 cards 848.8
Triple 7 3F 32 grains 1 card 873.3
Goex 3F 28 grains 1 card 803
Goex 4 F 30 grains 1 card 814.1
NAA .22
Pyrodex P 1 scoop 624 FPS
Triple 7 3F 1 scoop 640
Goex 3F 1 scoop 544
Goex 4F 1 scoop 559
A couple of observations: The 3-inch 1858 needed more cards to get more velocity than the others. No idea why. With the same exact spout, the powders showed slightly different on the 1-grain increment clear tube. The Pyrodex seemed more compressable. I did put Pyrodex P in the 3-inch 1858 until there was just enough room for a card and ball. One cylinder full loaded like that averaged 886 FPS. There was a lot of recoil and smoke. With the 3.5-inch 1851 the top velocity was achieved filling the chambers with Triple 7 with just enough room for card and ball. I load this one 5-shots at a time, so the average of that cylinder was 873 FPS. With the 5.5-inch the top velocity was also full chambers of Triple 7 3F with room for card and ball. Those 6-shots averaged 936 FPS! With the NAA, it seemed like I filled the cylinders until the powder was visibly up to the shelf where the "bullet" bottoms out. Doing that with Pyrodex P gave the highest 5-shot average of 644.4 FPS.
Again, my usual shoot-for-fun loads are 20 to 25 grains of whatever powder under a card and a ball. I just felt like pushing the limits to see what I could get (at my own risk). Well, no ill effects on me or the revolvers, but I don't recommend this as something regular. Like I said, I want to be able to load whatever I feel like carrying to get the most thump when I might encounter a Mt. Lion, Hog or Human set on doing harm. I am satisfied I found that formula. I might accomplish the same with my "target" loads but I have my reasons and made my choices.
All three Piettas are .44, and I used Speer .454 balls. I tried different #'s of over powder cards in each and will state the # with highest velocity average. Ohler chrono 3 feet 9 inches from my knuckles. External air 90 degree, humidity 80.4. Before and after each 30 shots per revolver a known velocity bullet was fired over chronograph to make sure the reading was accurate. I shot at a 5" black bullseye at 10-yards. There is a ring 1-inch around that and another 1.5 inches around that. Every single shot fired today was within the 7.5" circle. Oh yeah, CCI #11 Magnum caps for all except the NAA that uses Remington #11s.
1858 3-Inch
Pyrodex P 30 grains 3 cards 682 FPS
Triple 7 3F 32 grains 1 card 841.3
Goex 3F 28 grains 3 cards 643
Goex 4F 30 grains 2 cards 653.3
1851 3.5-inch
Pyrodex P 30 grains 1 card 811
Triple 7 3F 32 grains 1 card 844.1
Goex 3F 28 grains 1 card 734
Goex 4F 30 grains 1 card 737
1858 5.5- inch
Pyrodex P 30 grains 2 cards 848.8
Triple 7 3F 32 grains 1 card 873.3
Goex 3F 28 grains 1 card 803
Goex 4 F 30 grains 1 card 814.1
NAA .22
Pyrodex P 1 scoop 624 FPS
Triple 7 3F 1 scoop 640
Goex 3F 1 scoop 544
Goex 4F 1 scoop 559
A couple of observations: The 3-inch 1858 needed more cards to get more velocity than the others. No idea why. With the same exact spout, the powders showed slightly different on the 1-grain increment clear tube. The Pyrodex seemed more compressable. I did put Pyrodex P in the 3-inch 1858 until there was just enough room for a card and ball. One cylinder full loaded like that averaged 886 FPS. There was a lot of recoil and smoke. With the 3.5-inch 1851 the top velocity was achieved filling the chambers with Triple 7 with just enough room for card and ball. I load this one 5-shots at a time, so the average of that cylinder was 873 FPS. With the 5.5-inch the top velocity was also full chambers of Triple 7 3F with room for card and ball. Those 6-shots averaged 936 FPS! With the NAA, it seemed like I filled the cylinders until the powder was visibly up to the shelf where the "bullet" bottoms out. Doing that with Pyrodex P gave the highest 5-shot average of 644.4 FPS.
Again, my usual shoot-for-fun loads are 20 to 25 grains of whatever powder under a card and a ball. I just felt like pushing the limits to see what I could get (at my own risk). Well, no ill effects on me or the revolvers, but I don't recommend this as something regular. Like I said, I want to be able to load whatever I feel like carrying to get the most thump when I might encounter a Mt. Lion, Hog or Human set on doing harm. I am satisfied I found that formula. I might accomplish the same with my "target" loads but I have my reasons and made my choices.
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