Good true operating load for pietta 1860 .44

[Swattley]

What would be your guys opinion on goex. Powder 2ffoad for a pietta 44.
And also 3-FFF just got this revolver and have not shot it yet. I have a can of both size powder lucky from the 90s when I shot a lot with my T C .54 cal. Kit I built. I always loved practicing with the black powder rifle. Now I have my own property in up state ny that I can shoot any time I want. I also look forward to be member here.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I would use 20-25 grains of fff black powder. You could also use the ff too with about 10-15% more powder by column.

 

[rafterob]

15 on the low end and fill the cylinder up on the high end (which is around 35 grains) the ball will compress it down. I shot 15 grains for target shooting.

 

[Brokenbear]

20 grains FFF with a thick lubed felt wad n ball make a pretty good day in and day out load
Snappy but not abusive to you or any who might be around you ..
Knew a guy who shot SASS with full cylinders (35 grains) and no one on the range enjoyed being around it including him ..but he thought it was Kool ..I guess???

Bear

 

[maillemaker]

You will find maximum accuracy around 18 grains of 3F with some kind of filler between the powder and the ball so that the ball it tangent with the cylinder face.

 

[cynthialee]

a great rule of thumb is 1/2 of caliber, this is how many grains of powder to start with and adjust up or down in increments of a couple grains
so a .44 would take 22 grains by the 1/2 caliber rule of thumb thus I would start at 20 grains and max out at around 30 (which in a .44 revolver is a stout charge) a .50 single shot I would start at 25 and top out around 40, now a longer pistol say a 12" barrel single shot you can go up to caliber thus a .50 could go up to 50 grains.
You want to have all your powder burnt before the ball leaves the barrel. So rifle amounts of powder is not called for.

this is a good way to do it with all types of BP pistols

 

[Swattley]

Have any of you tried FF in a pietta .44 7- inch barrel?

 

[cynthialee]

Have any of you tried FF in a pietta .44 7- inch barrel?

yes
but
fffg works better

 

[TrapperDude]

I run 30gr of Pyrodex P in my .44 revolvers, under a cork disk with some lube between the disk and ball. That charge will make a 10" steel plate wobble pretty nicely at 25 yards--it'll wobble it more than a 9mm unmentionable round. And the fact that it consistently hits that plate means the charge will give good functional accuracy.

 

[ernbar]

I usually shoot 25-30 grains of Schuetzen 3F in my Pietta steel frame 1860.

 

[Ninering62]

What would be your guys opinion on goex. Powder 2ffoad for a pietta 44.
And also 3-FFF just got this revolver and have not shot it yet. I have a can of both size powder lucky from the 90s when I shot a lot with my T C .54 cal. Kit I built. I always loved practicing with the black powder rifle. Now I have my own property in up state ny that I can shoot any time I want. I also look forward to be member here.

I wouldn’t use 2F powder in it & stick with 3F at 20gr on the low end & 30gr on the top end.

 

[Eras Gone]

You can’t go wrong with the US Army service load. It was about 25 grains of powder with a conical bullet. 3F would be most appropriate, but your 2F will work just fine.

If you’re shooting a round ball you can you can easily fit 30 to 35 grs underneath it. However for accuracy you will do better around 20 to 25 gr.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The US Army service load for a 44 caliber cap lock revolver was about 25 grains of powder. Service cartridges that have been disassembled seem to be filled with 4f or finer powder. Present day recommendations are to use 3f powder as the internal pressure are slightly lower. 2fg powder will work. It is to be noted that the Lyman Black Powder Loading Manual First edition listed 4f granulation loads for black powder revolvers, but later editions no longer list a 4f load with no real explanation for the change.

Back to the original question, your GOEX powder from the 1990's is suitable for your revolver. Use a volumetric charge that is reasonable such as the 25 grain charges.

@Swattley, load it up and make lots of smoke. Welcome to the Forum!

 

[cynthialee]

The US Army service load for a 44 caliber cap lock revolver was about 25 grains of powder. Service cartridges that have been disassembled seem to be filled with 4f or finer powder. Present day recommendations are to use 3f powder as the internal pressure are slightly lower. 2fg powder will work. It is to be noted that the Lyman Black Powder Loading Manual First edition listed 4f granulation loads for black powder revolvers, but later editions no longer list a 4f load with no real explanation for the change.

Back to the original question, your GOEX powder from the 1990's is suitable for your revolver. Use a volumetric charge that is reasonable such as the 25 grain charges.

@Swattley, load it up and make lots of smoke. Welcome to the Forum!

the manual got lawyered
some lawyer thought 4f loads might ... *might* ... cause an issue so they removed it from the list

if the pistols from back in the 1840's-1870's could handle it, I am positive that our modern versions can take it. We have better steel that they did.

I load with 3f as I have a lot of it. If I had some 4f I wouldn't hesitate to find the right load for my revolvers. Especially the steel framed ones.

 

[J.Campbell63]

I go with 20/25 grains max. I’ve tried 30 and 35 grains. With round ball & conical ( Kerr style ) I achieved great accuracy with 25 grains FFF KiK powder. Much better than 30 and incredibly better than 35 grains.
I have used 2F Goex in both a Colt ‘60 army & New Model Army Remington’58 and found 22 grains very accurate. I have a measure , spout type , labeled @ 22. Not sure the grain difference between FFF & FF style.
Oddly - the 5 inch Remington shoots to point of aim while the Colt shoots 8/10 inches high with any load. Alas-
I have recently converted the ‘58 to cartridge (.45 Colt ) due to its superior accuracy over the Colt. Happily - the Remington shoots 255 grain hollow base projectiles with startlingly accuracy.
My two cents - Your milage may vary ..

 

[Jay Templin]

I do 20 gr of FFg under a .454 ball or a conical from my Eras Gone mould. Works great!
Jay

 

[mingo]

I shoot 20-25G 3f.
At one time I had a new Uberti 1860 pistol I always crammed full-30-35g.
After a hundred or so shots over a short period, I felt that the gun had actually loosened up.
Steel frame.
25g tops, ever since.

 

[Rebel jim]

I have had my pietta 1860 since 1992 and have always shot 30 grains. No issues, no rattles.