new ruger old army load ?

[lonewolf5347]

I am going to start with a new ruger old army but it been a long time since I shot a cap @ ball.
I shot a roger & spencer and 1858 rem: back in the early 70'
any one have any good tips on loading and shooting the old army ruger?

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I use a 7.62X39 caseful of 3F or Pyro, a felt then rb with grease atop. shoots good.

 

[R.M.]

That's the beauty of BP arms, you can shoot just about any amount you want within reason. Personally, I use 22gr of 3F, yet others will tell you double that, and nobody's wrong, it's just what your after. About the only thing you have to watch is that you get the ball down on the load. The rammer might not reach bottom with a light charge, so you'll need to add some extra bulk, whether it be a filler, wadding or just lots of powder.
Great gun, you're going to love it.

 

[lonewolf5347]

what is a good filler cream of wheat or corm meal?
I like to ask are wads needed?

 

[R.M.]

I've used both C of W and corn meal. I think the CM is coarser, and does a better job of scrubbing the bore on the way out. I still use a lubbed wad with the filler. You need something to add lube to the mix to help keep the fouling soft.
A .38 SP case full of powder then the same case with filler works well. Some guys dislike the extra step by using fillers, but BP is not about speed in my mind.

 

[redwing]

My best load is 40 grs. of Pyrodex 3f a .457 round ball cast from range lead or 1 lb. of pure lead to 2 lbs. of WWs. I use a felt wad cut from old cowboy hats treated with BP+ This load shoots as clean as any handgun very accurate. I never put breakfast food in my six guns. Just eat the grits first and then go shooting. :rotf:

 

[D Sanders]

That's the beauty of BP arms, you can shoot just about any amount you want within reason. Personally, I use 22gr of 3F, yet others will tell you double that, and nobody's wrong, it's just what your after. About the only thing you have to watch is that you get the ball down on the load. The rammer might not reach bottom with a light charge, so you'll need to add some extra bulk, whether it be a filler, wadding or just lots of powder.
Great gun, you're going to love it.

Yea! what he said! I use 30 gr 3f and a felt op wad. Shoots great. Most accurate c&p revolver I ever shot.

HH 60

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

All good info here! :thumbsup:

Just remember whatever you do, be consistent! From the seating depth of the ball to the quantity of powder, to the sight alignment. Right down to how hard you hold-on to the revolver during the firing sequence. It all affects the final outcome, group-wise.

In any case, be safe and have fun making smoke!

Dave

 

[BullRunBear]

I have 2 ROAs and they both give best accuracy with 30 grains of 3F Goex and a thick homemade lubed felt wad under a .457 ball. I use #11 caps which fit the original Ruger nipples. I used to use corn meal to bring the ball almost flush with the chamber mouth but it didn't improve accuracy so I just stopped using it. (If I were a better shot, the filler might have made a difference.)Accurate, to me, means shooting at 25 yards, off hand.

You should experiment with different loads to see what YOUR gun prefers. I've read of accurate loads in the ROA from the low 20 grains up to 40 or so grains.

The Old Army is a sweet shooting, accurate gun. You are going to love it. Just remember to enjoy the slower, more deliberate pace and savor each shot.

Jeff

 

[lonewolf5347]

I was out shooting my flinter to day and the fellow next to me was shooting a 1858 rem: I wanted to shoot the ruger to day but there was no-one with Round balls that will fit my ruger.I did fire the Remington And it all came back to me with a little help from a Buddie who owns the rem:
I fired 25 gr. 3F cream of wheat that was about 1/4" from the top of the cylinder ,then added the ball rammed into the cylinder and added some lube to the top of each cylinder.
25 yards all in the black 2 hand hold trigger was a little on the heavy side and the sight fixed not great for old eye.
I had a old timer who shoots BP pistols and he said by looking at the Ruger I just pick up maybe 6 rounds were fired otherwise a mint gun

 

[lonewolf5347]

well I tried the ruger to day at 20 yards seem to shoot a excellent 2" group 2 hand hold no bench rest.
I went with 25 grains of goex 3F and 25 grain of cream of wheat I then used my 60/40 beeswax @ lard (no salt )
I was very happy for the first time out I went threw about 25 rounds No jams ,cleaning WAS about 45 min:

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Sounds like you had some fun!

Keep up the good work!

Dave

 

[lonewolf5347]

I seem to run into some B/P pistol shooters that say cream of wheat others say corn meal as fillers
what are the pro or cons on the subject?
I also have another question can you use 4F goex in the old army or is it too fast of a powder in a pistol powder?

 

[MSW]

i like corn meal (getting grits here in Vermont is problematical- us Yankees really don't care for grits and that's just the way the world is organized). you may get better results with Cream of Wheat- give both a try: i don't see how either is inhierantly superior, but one might work better than the others and you won't know until you check it out.

i agree with the notion of tinkering with the overall load combination until you hit on something that works best in your revolver- each one is different in more ways than just the serial number.

i put doubled card wads (cut from paper milk containers) over 35 grains of 3F, then some felt soaked in lube, then a round ball. it shoots better than i can, and the resultant ball of smoke is most satasfying. but again, what works in my gun might or might not work in yours.

make good smoke!

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I seem to run into some B/P pistol shooters that say cream of wheat others say corn meal as fillers
what are the pro or cons on the subject?
I also have another question can you use 4F goex in the old army or is it too fast of a powder in a pistol powder?

NEVER use 4F for anything but priming a flintlock. You don't want to ruin the revolver or worse :shocked2: If you want more bang, just stop using cereal. That Ruger should burn about 35-40 grains nicely, without a problem!

Which cereal you use is a personal choice. I myself don't use any, cause I want the "real feel" of the firearm, with all of it's limitations that have to be overcome, to be a part of my experience. In the "Old Days", Gunfighters, Pistoleros and just plain folk loaded 'em up and pushed a ball down on top of the powder. For safety & convenience I use a pre-lubed wonder-wad under the balls, and the balls sit just under the chamber mouths.

Others here that use cereal will tell you what they do with it. Listen to them if you want the most accurate load.......

Please continue to be safe and enjoy our great sport.

All the best!

Dave
NRA Expert ML Pistol

 

[lonewolf5347]

thank's guys great info here that why I ask
I was reading the ruger manual it said as much 3 f the barrel cylinder will hold some say 41 grains and ball for top loads @ grease cookie on top

 

[Jim/OH]

The Rugar Old Army will hold about 40 grains of powder, and it is safe to shoot it that way. However, that will probably not be your most accurate load. :v As I see it, the difference in the two fillers are as follows: corn meal is more forgiving in the amount you use. Just nearly fill the cylinder after your powder is put in, put a ball on top and it will compress when the ball is seated. Easier, but possibly not as consistant. However cream of wheat does not compress, so it must be measured just like your powder. Both should add to about 40 grains total. The advocates of cream of wheat say because it is weighed, it makes a more consistant load, thus more accurate. :hmm: I can say a large portion of the better revolver shooters at Friendship use cream of wheat. Whether it is just percieved as being better, or it really is better, is hard to say, but they shoot good. :thumbsup:

Hope this helps, see ya, Jim/OH :hatsoff:

 

[lonewolf5347]

I have to correct my load it was 25 grains of 3F Goex and 20 grains of cream of wheat total out 45 grains:no problems with compression ball sat about 1/4" under the cylinder then the grease cookie on top covered the ball :thumbsup: