Hunting with the Old Army

[mykeal]

Man, if your snoring sounds enough like a buck snorting at a rival that the does come running, I feel sorry for your family...

 

[slowpokebr549]

Might explain that look on my wifes face...

 

[thumbs]

What is the heaviest load the OA will carry with RB? Was it 40gr 3f? I know they are all different but what loads seem to be the most accurate.

Now for a tech question. How do you unload your OA when the chambers are loaded and you don't want to shoot them out? Do you use a brass rod and tap the load from the nipple end? or what do you use?

 

[slowpokebr549]

My Old Army has always seemed to do best with a lightly compressed load. It will hold 40 gr. of 3 f, but it will ring your ears, jump like a startled horse, and miss the broadside of a barn.The most accurate load involves(for my OA)pistol pyrodex and corn meal filler, but at 20 gr. is a pretty pud load.I settled on Rs pryodex filled all the way to the brim. It compresses just the right amount,meaning the ball is easy to seat and doesn't go too far down the chamber. It is pretty darn powerful,though I don't have a chrono to tell me that, and it groups about 4 inches at fifty yards. Real black powder, either 2 or 3f won't compress correctly, and I hate messing with filler.

 

[slowpokebr549]

As far as unloading a chamber goes,the nearest tree trunk always worked for me. I think the last time I had to pull loads I used my ball puller for my fifty. Honestly, I think I have only come upon that situation once.

 

[thumbs]

Long story short. I loaded some paper cartridges a while back and left them in the cylinders. I want to take it as a follow up close range shot to finish the deer if needed.

I took a 1/8" brass rod and punched the old loads out through the nipple hole. Worked like a charm. I was just afraid I couldn't trust the load to go off. I would rather not mess with filler now. I just wanted enough powder in the cylinders to seat the ball properly. I just don't remember what that is?

 

[slowpokebr549]

Well then, try my method. Just fill the chamber with RS pyrodex and seat the ball carefully. The rs gives just enough resistance to seat the ball perfectly, though if you press too hard you can push the ball in too far. I grease my chambers, I never liked messing with overpowder wads, so just seat the ball flush and fill the gap with wonderlube. I use beeswax and tallow mixed pretty stiff.

 

[brubincam]

wasn't there someone reworking the ruger cap&ball to the 50 cal. cap&ball?

 

[thumbs]

Yeah there is a guy that makes them up. I will look later tonight and see if I can find the sight.

Ok I have a brain freeze and will look real stupid here but what is RS? I took a look in the manuel and it said if the chamber is half full of powder there is no need for filler. I just loaded 40grains of 777 and the ball is still a little deep but the charge was well over half the cylinder. If the pyro fills to a full chamber and allows ya to seat the ball properly I think that may be the way to go. I sure don't want any more than 40 grains even though it's 777. I think maybe it's equivelent to maybe 35 of bp. I hope. I may get a chance to touch er off later this afternoon.

Yeah the tree stump is a good idea but I hate to shoot during hunting season. I would rather not let any of the deer that didn't know I was there that I was. When I get home I really can't discharge 6 rounds. Maybe one but not 6 for sure.

 

[slowpokebr549]

It's Rifle grade pyrodex. It is fairly large grained and has enough "airspace" in it that it compresses just right. Im not sure of the grain weight equivalent in BP. It makes for a stout load though.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Clements Custom Guns will do it for $ 1000.00. Or 1500.00 if they provide the Old Army.

 

[oldwolf]

Do you find Pyrodex RS works better than P in the ROA? I never thought about trying it but I may give it a shot.

Is the main advantage allowing you to fill the cylinder to the top quickly and seating a ball due to the RS compaction?

Would the muzzle energy be less with RS, given equal grains by volume of P?

I guess you couldn’t fill the cylinder full of P, then seat the ball, am I right?

 

[slowpokebr549]

Yup, Old Wolf, you have hit on the main point.Its the compressability of RS that makes it work so well in my OA. It has a nice mix of power,accuracy and convenience. Its not the most powerful or accurate load, but it is the best compromise of both that I have ever found.It is also easy to load,no measuring. It is my hunting load. Results may vary for others, but I have tried about every powder and filler combination out there. Using finer 3f or pistol pyro will get ya more FPS, but my gun starts throwing big groups with em. Filler and 3f or 2f will put em all in the same hole,but they are too low power to hunt with. Try Rs, if your gun likes it, yipee, if not, no harm done.

 

[thumbs]

Ok I really don't feel that dumb now. I would never have known that since I never used pyro. Sounds like something I would like to try though. Does it say RS on the container or does it say rifle powder?

 

[slowpokebr549]

Pistol pyrodex has a green lable and RS is in the one with a yellow lable. Or you can get RS select that comes in a black plastic can.

 

[thumbs]

Has anyone shot 40grs of 777 with RB? Just wondering how it went.

 

[thumbs]

Here's the sight
[url] http://www.gunblast.com/Cumpston_ClementsFugett.htm[/url]