Loads For The Pedersoli Le Page Pistol

[Rokon]

I'm currently loading a .433 ball with a .011 linen patch lubed with Shenandoah over 30 grs. of Swiss 3F.

It's a super accurate load but I'm getting patch cutting.

Do any of you Le Page shooters have a favorite load that does not produce cut patches?

 

[TFoley]

I'm currently loading a .433 ball with a .011 linen patch lubed with Shenandoah over 30 grs. of Swiss 3F.

It's a super accurate load but I'm getting patch cutting.

Do any of you Le Page shooters have a favorite load that does not produce cut patches?

That's an ENORMOUS load for a Le Page target pistol! :surrender:

I shoot middle 90s with 15gr of Swiss #2.

Generally speaking, target loads are far smaller than the usual revolver loads, and for a number or reasons -

1. You are only trying to kill a piece of paper, not knock a 150 pound hog into next week.

2. The best loads will not be the heaviest you can get down the barrel.

3. Shooting a heavy-recoiling target pistol will futz up your technique - imagine shooting a 44Mag revolver with full loads in an Olympic-style competition.

Still, you must do as you see fit - the pistol I shoot likes the [far] smaller charge and 13 thou pillow ticking + good ol' spit - no cutting, just a nice even brown pattern.

This might be of use to some others who may not be certain of what the numbers used to grade Swiss powder actually indicate -

Swiss #1 powder is sold here as 4Fg.
Swiss #2 powder is sold here as 3Fg.
Swiss #3 powder is sold here as 2Fg.
Swiss #4 powder is sold here as 1&1/2 Fg.
Swiss #5 powder is sold here as 1Fg.

tac

 

[biliff]

.433 ball, 20gr Goex FFFg, .010" cotton patch, spit lube.

 

[rafterob]

You also need to determine if it is patch cutting or burn through. If it is acual cutting, that could be from a new barrel or possibly too tight of a load. Burn through can be from too hot a load or the type of lube or fabric.

 

[ADK Ephraim]

I'm loading a .433 ball over 25-30 gr Goex 3f, with a .15 tallow lubed Ox Yoke patch, and getting no burn through or blown patches. Perhaps a thicker patch? mjw

 

[mhb]

FWIW, the Sharps carbine was more likely a .50-70, since the government converted thousands of them to that caliber after the CW.

mhb - Mike

 

[azmntman]

If its a super accurate load I wouldn't mind the patch tearing a bit :idunno: .

 

[mooman76]

If its a super accurate load I wouldn't mind the patch tearing a bit :idunno: .

My thoughts exactly. Patch cutting is just a symptom to help improve accuracy but it sounds like you are already there so who cares about the patch cutting.

 

[Rokon]

Thank you one and all.


I'm thinking along the lines of a milder load.

I started with 20 grs., then 25 grs and finally 30 grs. The 30 gr. load was by far the most accurate.

I'll drop down to 15 grs. and see how well I shoot it.

I may also drop down to a .429 ball with a thicker patch until the barrel is broken in and the lands are a little less sharp.

 

[Don]

Experiment with lighter loads but if the 30 grain load is the most accurate then stick with it. After a couple of hundred shots the lands should burnish and smooth out so don't worry too much about cut patches.

Don

 

[Mike M.]

That's an ENORMOUS load for a Le Page target pistol! :surrender:

I shoot middle 90s with 15gr of Swiss #2.

That's close to my load...and very close to what the average runs at the World Championships. I'm shooting 20 grains in my original - but that is one of the heaviest loads being used. Most shooters are working 12-15 grain charges.

 

[CKeshen]

I use 15 grns. of 3F Swiss, under 15 grns. of Cream of Wheat with a .433 ball and a .010 pre-lubed Wonder patch.

Super accurate. Not much recoil. A joy to shoot.

Now can someone recommend a load for my new Charles Moore .44 smoothbore target flinter. It may need a bit more powder than the Le Page. I'm going to use the same size ball and patch.

 

[aross007]

I use 27 gr of swiss 3F in my .45 smoothbore flint. Most seem to use heavier loads then that. You'll have to work up. I also use a .010 pre-lube patch with a .440 ball. You may find that the .433 ball is too small. Smoothbores are much more art then science - good luck.


Why the cream of wheat in a single shot? Makes sense in a revolver so the ball doesn't jump, but in a single shot????

Alan

 

[CKeshen]

I watched a You Tube video of a Portuguese shooter shooting a Le Page at the world championships, and saw that he was using filler after the powder, and then read an article about the Le Page on the Pedersoli website and they quoted Stefano Caruso, the Italian shooter who won the gold medal in the Kuchenreuter discipline. He said "I usually load 10.8 grains (0,7 g approximately) of Swiss powder N. 1 and round ball .354 (8,99 mm), patch thickness .007” (0,18 mm) lubed with few drops of Dunlubri oil. I pour semolina equivalent to the volume of the black powder between the powder and the ball." He was shooting a .36 Le Page.

So I started using Cream of Wheat on top of the powder and the gun shoots very well.

Maybe others can chime in here as to why they are using filler. It may have something to do with creating a better gas seal. Also it seems to keep the fouling to a minimum. All I know is that I am very happy with the load I am using.