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different strokes for different folks. and it looks rely great.
 
I would recommend caution on brass framed replica revolvers. I find a steady diet of less than maximum loads to be pleasant and enjoyable. Then again I am not using my revolvers to shoot feral hogs Cape buffalo.

Call me unadventurous, but I've never felt this pressing need in certain quarters to change well-regarded historical practive, especially where the loading of a small handgun is concerned, just to see how much abuse and pistol can take before it bites you in the a$$.

If you want to make it shoot like a .357 Magnum, just go BUY a .357 Magnum. The Good Lord knows it's easy enough in the USA.
 
Interesting I say. 7pages later and the drift goes to a fantasy gun wearing a grip frame from the future of gun making, in a caliber that never was chambered in a Navy gun of 1851 ilk.

It IS pretty I'll have to say. Just fun about the drift.

Oh and I'd shoot a snoot full of FFFF in it and feel no qualms. Reason ??? In my humble opinion and seat of my pants FEEL I shoot mostly 2F powder and get very good results. Recoil tells me that 2F powder "FEELS" like more recoil than 3F does. My 44's take around 30 grains and my 36's take around 25 grains maxed out. The 2F is about the best powder I feel ... having said this ... I'd not hesitate in the use of 4F powder in any revolver in our erra of the history that we love and emulate to our best efforts.
 
Call me unadventurous, but I've never felt this pressing need in certain quarters to change well-regarded historical practive, especially where the loading of a small handgun is concerned, just to see how much abuse and pistol can take before it bites you in the a$$.

If you want to make it shoot like a .357 Magnum, just go BUY a .357 Magnum. The Good Lord knows it's easy enough in the USA.

I don’t know, historically we read of an officer who killed a grizzly with 2 shots from his Dragoon. Clearly it was quite effective for that gentleman, and I doubt he was using small charges for it to have been that effective and it no doubt was his service charge. There are a lot of accounts in which black powder revolvers were shown to be quite powerful, and it’s not hard to see why when one studies the Hazard’s Pistol Powder created for the revolvers using heavy conicals. Pistol Powder was 4F granulation and theirs was as potent as Swiss. Their cartridges in .44 cal consisted of a 211 grn bullet over 36 grns of powder. That’s a pretty stout load, much greater than what anyone has even hinted at. So there is no chasing after a magnum as so many seem to like to parrot. Historically 4F was and still is used in revolvers.
 
I suggest a used copy from Amazon Lyman Black Powder Handbook.
There are ffffG published loads with velocities and pressures listed for 4 replica Colts:
1) Brand not named replica 31 cal. Colt Baby Dragoon 5-1/2" bbl
2) Lyman replica 36 cal. 1851 Navy 7-1/2" bbl
3) Lyman replica 44 cal 1860 Army 8" bbl
4) Ruger Old Army 45 cal 7-1/2" bbl

They list maximum loads and lesser loads.
They list loads for different projectiles
They list loads for different brands of black powder (some are old brands, the book is 1975).
Loads in fffG and different loads in ffffG for every table.

I'm just a guy on the Internet. Suggest seeing it in print from Lyman.
Here is the exact book edition, can buy used for $10 including shipping right now.
https://www.amazon.com/Powder-Handbook-Kenneth-Ramage-editor/dp/0912412070/

I wonder why those specific revolvers were specifically mentioned?
 
The revolvers used were replicas of open top Colts. These were the revolvers that could be adapted to a pressure measuring system. The pressure measuring device provided pressure measurements in lead units of pressure for which a PSI value can not be correlated. Yes, they used Lyman revolvers. The top strap revolvers could not be fitted with the pressure lead crushing device.
 
If you want to shoot 4f, shoot it and keep away from others that possibly could be injured. And try not to influence others if you can. If someone wants to go against the suggestion of the manufacturer, let it be their decision.
 
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