Handgun Powder
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mjulihn
40 Cal.
Caliber please?
CaptainKirk
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An 1860 Army would be chambered in .44
Recommended load would be 20-30gr FFg or Pyro P, with 35gr being a max load. Will shoot either a .454 or .457 RB.
Recommended load would be 20-30gr FFg or Pyro P, with 35gr being a max load. Will shoot either a .454 or .457 RB.
1911nutjob
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You don't use patches with these guns-did you mean an overpowder wad? You can buy those, make your own, or cover the ball with grease to prevent chainfires and keep fouling soft. Everybody here has got their own idea of the ideal blend of greases/waxes to use.
Poor Private
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I have done some local cost comparison of different brands of powder for our lovely C&B pistols. I will stick with fffg in black powder, when I can. I find that the cost per shot of the so-called synthetics are higher in price. At my local gun store I can buy a 1lb can of black for an avg of $20. While the syntnetic is more readily available their canisters cost an average of $26 each.
I have and use 777 in all my pistols- but you have to remember that it is hotter than black, and if you reduce the load by 10% it is comparable to the BP. ex- 30grains of BP=27grains of 777. the triple 7 container will last longer this way if you reduce your loads. which will bring the cost per shot down to what BP is.-- While I do civil war reenacting and use my pistols once in a while I like to use the 777 in blanks the same charge of powder gives a considerable more BANG for the same amount of grainage.
Also if you order BP in bulk the cost goes down considerably. From about 20 bucks down to around 16 per pound, depending on how many pounds you order.
I hope this helps in your future BP shooting.
I have and use 777 in all my pistols- but you have to remember that it is hotter than black, and if you reduce the load by 10% it is comparable to the BP. ex- 30grains of BP=27grains of 777. the triple 7 container will last longer this way if you reduce your loads. which will bring the cost per shot down to what BP is.-- While I do civil war reenacting and use my pistols once in a while I like to use the 777 in blanks the same charge of powder gives a considerable more BANG for the same amount of grainage.
Also if you order BP in bulk the cost goes down considerably. From about 20 bucks down to around 16 per pound, depending on how many pounds you order.
I hope this helps in your future BP shooting.
mjulihn
40 Cal.
I missed the "Army" in the OP's description. I agree with CaptainKirk, but I would respectfully substitute FFFg for FFg. Pyrodex "P" is equivalent to FFFg. I also prefer pre-lubed felt wads over all other forms of over-ball grease...CaptainKirk said:
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I've always used Crisco or Bore Butter over the balls but hate the mess it makes. I'm going to try some of those wads as I have wad punches and like to save old felt hats to make them out of.
Elmer Kieth used to do the same thing and then dump them into some melted Bee's wax I believe, letting the felt absorb it, fish them out and let cool on wax paper or a screen sieve.
I have some off those around here somewhere that I made years ago. MD
Elmer Kieth used to do the same thing and then dump them into some melted Bee's wax I believe, letting the felt absorb it, fish them out and let cool on wax paper or a screen sieve.
I have some off those around here somewhere that I made years ago. MD
CaptainKirk
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My bad. I feel like an idiot. I meant to type FFFg!
Thanks for calling me on that one!
Thanks for calling me on that one!
I've shot a lot of Pyrodex P in my C&B pistols and it has always worked just fine.
Placing a lubed disk or small patch of cloth over the powder won't hurt a thing and it might provide some lube to the bore to keep the fouling soft.
Shooting without this has never caused a problem for me or my pistols.
Placing a lubed disk or small patch of cloth over the powder won't hurt a thing and it might provide some lube to the bore to keep the fouling soft.
Shooting without this has never caused a problem for me or my pistols.
Blizzard of '93
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I've fired both pyro 'pistol' and fff bp in my .50's and revolvers. the pyro seems to be a stiffer recoil loading.
I use a dry felt under slug and a stiff wax/grease mix atop.
fff has always given me tighter groups when shooting off a rest.
I use a dry felt under slug and a stiff wax/grease mix atop.
fff has always given me tighter groups when shooting off a rest.
One thing to remember all powder measures are not created equal they very from brand to brand.Once you find the load your gun likes you can reference it.I start out using a 38sp case for 20gr load and a 357mag case for a 30gr load that should get you started.
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Contrary to most of the folks here, I like to shoot Goex FFg instead of FFFg in my C&B's, especially the open-top styles. According to my sources, the old-timers considered 3F suitable for .31 and smaller revolvers.
2F will produce lower pressure (and velocity) and while the newer guns are made of stronger steel, I think the guns will last longer not pushed so hard. I GENERALLY get a bit better accuracy too, but 2F wants a little more compression than 3F, though not as much as Pyrodex.
With 3F, I just feel the ball crunch against the powder. I probably put 10-15 pounds more on 2F. Pyro wants about as much compression as you can put on it with a full length rammer.
2F will produce lower pressure (and velocity) and while the newer guns are made of stronger steel, I think the guns will last longer not pushed so hard. I GENERALLY get a bit better accuracy too, but 2F wants a little more compression than 3F, though not as much as Pyrodex.
With 3F, I just feel the ball crunch against the powder. I probably put 10-15 pounds more on 2F. Pyro wants about as much compression as you can put on it with a full length rammer.
