corn meal?

[relicshunter]

I recently joined the ranks of you folks with cap and ball revolvers(Remington new model army). So I'm wondering how many grains of corn meal I should use to make up space on top of the powder?

 

[M. De Land]

I use 15 grains of 3F , 20 grains of cream of wheat , .451 Lee ball and Crisko for my target load. Cream of wheat is a far better filler as it won't compress. I have tried corn meal and cream of wheat is much better for filler. You can run it out of a powder flask just like the powder. The dense grains meter very well in the flask spout. MD

 

[Zonie]

Can't give you a number because it depends on your selected powder load.

After pouring the powder charge into the chamber, add enough corn meal or Cream of Wheat to bring the level up to about 3/8 to 7/16 of an inch below the face of the cylinder.

Then, ram the ball down so that its highest point is flush with or slightly below the face of the cylinder.

 

[relicshunter]

Thanks for the quick reply.
Ive been using 23 grains with a prelubed fiber wad but figured for hunting applications it might be better to go dry since I'm in Florida.

 

[George T.]

With the schultzen powder I am useing I get 23 grains out of a 38 special case and 26.5 out of a 357 case. with the latter and a Ox-Yoke felt wad I am close enough for me and I have found that groups are better if I grease the gap with Bore Butter. Oh yeah I guess I am useing no filler and it is in a 1860 Army. Geo. T.

 

[rafterob]

I put my powder charge in and then top off the cylinder with corn meal. It compresses nicely and allows the ball to seat just below the cylinder face. I found cornmeal to be better than grits or cream of wheat. They did not seem to compress as well and seemed to affect combustion by adding a slight air cushion to the charge (if that makes any sense).

 

[Atlast357]

Seems there are several reasons to use either corn meal or cream of wheat.
My reason for cream of wheat is the handling ie pouring the stuff,
it flows easier than corn meal, particularly in the field.
Loading at home doesn't matter. Maybe as I get more proficient at tracking shot results the differences will be more noticeable. :hmm:

 

[tward2]

I use 35 grains of powder in my Ruger Old Army with a wonder wad between the powder and ball. Used to use crisco on top of the ball but prefer the convenience and cleanliness of the wonder wads.

I'd rather not have another thing to mess with (i.e., corn meal or other filler). With 35 grains you don't need extra filler.

 

[Flash Pan Dan]

I’ve been using 35gr of 2Fg with about 15 grains of CoW in my Pietta NMA revolvers for awhile now. It is very accurate, actually more accurate than needed for CAS, but it is fun when they go off.

 

[necchi]

I think Zonie said it best.
But it's one of those mystical things that is unique to each shooter.
No specific volume/combination of powder/cream of wheat works best in every revolver, we all load and squeeze the lever different.(the personal touch)

Zonie offered a good guide line but you get the fun of shooting a bunch, experimenting all the while looking for the best combo for you and your gun, :wink:

 

[aeatwood]

I'm w/ FPD. The best filler in a C&B revolver is 2f Goex. 8) I cut 1/8 " felt wads from durofelt.com with a .45 wad punch, and lube them with crisco/beeswax, SPG, or Track's Mink Oil. They all work depending on temp/humidity.

Your maximum accurate load is going to be as much powder as you can get in and be able to seat the wad so it doesn't interfere with the ball centering itself in the chamber mouth. You want a good ring of lead shaved, and more ramming pressure than you use w/ 3f.

Your best accuracy will (probably) be from 0-5 gr of powder below that, depending on whether you are shooting .44 or .36, and whether belt revolver or horse pistol.

They can be amazingly accurate if you know how to pet them.

 

[nkbj]

Question for folks using cornmeal...

Have you ever fired a load after cornmeal had been left loaded for an extended period of time?
The reason for my inquiry is that in case forming I have used cornmeal over powder to provide the pressure retention and fluid push to expand the brass. And found out that the corn oil present in the meal fouled the powder if I didn't immediately get around to firing the case forming loads. That makes me wonder how much effect the corn oil could have on black. Since then I haven't had the occasion to leave anything loaded with corn meal in it and wondered if anyone had experience applicable to the black.

 

[MSW]

i use the following (in order) twenty odd grain of FFFg, a paper card wad (cut from milkjug paper) some instant grits, another paper card, the ball, and some lube. i've kept this rig loaded for as long as a year (in a locked closet) and all cylinders fired without any hesitation or problems.

just one guy's opinion ... free and doubtless well worth the price.

make good smoke!

 

[Billnpatti]

I usually only use a filler in my black powder cartridge rifle (Sharps .45-120) My filler of choice for my cartridges is a product called Puff-Lon. I've also used it in my muzzleloading rifles but it is a bit too pricy to use all the time. Besides, like I say, I seldom use a filler except in my .45-120. I'll bet Puff-Lon would work quite well in a revolver. Is it any better than grits, corn meal or Cream of Wheat? Well, it won't absorb moisture so if you are going to leave your gun loaded for long periods of time, it might be worth the extra expense but if you are going to load and fire, the other fillers would probably be a better choice, but only from a price standpoint.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

The theory is that the ball should be as close to the end of the chamber as possible and still permit the cylinder to turn. That way the ball is pressed through the forcing cone before achieving much velocity and with less deformation. Which in theory leads to better accuracy.

Some feel the practice is bogus, some don't.

Agreed that Cream of Wheat is better than corn meal.

I have yet to do much testing to see if the filler helps preserve accuracy over just using a full chamber of powder.

On the other hand, shooting reduced target loads may actually promote accuracy over the long run by avoiding recoil flinch and fatigue.

My personal preference is shooting the chamber full of powder the way Mr. Colt intended.

I understand that match competitors have tried all manner of stuff, from pressing hollow chamber inserts into the chambers to take up space and permit less powder to be loaded. Some even line the chambers and the barrel to reduce the gun to 31 cal. Craziest thing I ever saw was a Ruger old Army modified to 38 caliber.

I even heard of a primer tube, a hollow tube with holes for the flash of the cap to ignite the powder in several places simultaneously in the chamber supposedly to take up powder space and get more oomph from the powder used. (I have no idea if that works)

Or just back off from a full load of 3f to a full load of 2f.

 

[cynthialee]

yes

no problems
the corn meal is in a sealed environment with very litle chance that any atmosphere moisture can get to it
there is gunpowder on one end of it that is sealed with a tight cap, and a shaved lead ball on the other end that is sealed over with greese,
not much of a chance for the meal to get ruined

 

[swathdiver]

Question for folks using cornmeal...

Have you ever fired a load after cornmeal had been left loaded for an extended period of time?

I have made paper cartridges with about 1/2 and 1/2 BP to cornmeal. Fired them two months later with no problems whatsoever.

 

personally I don't use a filler such as corn meal etc.
In my colts and remingtons I adjust the powder load.
In mine as you look into the chamber you can see a distinct ridge where the chamber is reamed larger where the powder resides as compared to where the ball sits.
Where the ball sits when compressed is smaller so that the ball will be compressed to provide the seal needed.
I almost exclusively use paper cartridges as it is faster in the field.
Most times I don't use a wad.
However, with experimentation I roll and fill the cartridge. Insert in the chamber. If leaving loaded for extended period I either use a dry wad, or a larger powder load, to bring it high enough up in the chamber, so a ball seated witll be in compressed area.
Now some don't know this.
As you seat the ball, it grows in length as it is compressed in diameter.
Thus you can actually seat the ball deeper than you would believe.
If I am shooting right away (same day) I use a lighter load and a wad, or a medium load and no wad. Whatever gives me best accuracy for targets and hunting.
If loading and it will be sitting for a extended time, like for home defense,then I use a near maximum load paper cartridge, no wad very dry cylinder and the ball.
I rarely use balls anymore. I use conicals with grease grooves. I pan dip the bullet to fill the grooves.
I save the cornmeal for muffins and cream of wheat for breakfast.
My apologies for long winded.
This was not meant to be directed at any one person, just a general to the topic at hand.

 

[swathdiver]

Good post! Purchasing the stuff to make my own wads and corn meal will be a thing of the past. Will just add another wad when shooting light loads.

 

[M. De Land]

Well that may be what your doing but I've never seen nor heard of a top target shooter that uses bullets or paper cartridges. They all use balls and filler seated as far out as they can make them and unless you shoot clean or in the high 90s regularly than your load is a handy cap to top accuracy. MD