Pietta 1851 .44 "Navy" Chrono Results

[PastorB]

Beautiful day here on NW Missouri, sunny, no wind, and 70° in mid-November. Decided to "Bust some caps" in my Pietta 1851 .44 Navy. Shot over the chrono, as I usually do, and here are the results for 3 different powders, using a 30 grain (volume) charge. Fairly disappointed with the Swiss 3f, and it is a brand new can. It had by far the loudest "Boom!", but also was far behind the others in velocity. Swiss 3f is usually the equal of Pyro P, so much so I fired an extra cylinder of each to verify results, and got similar readings. Swiss has been excellent in my long guns, but didn't do so well today. .454 round balls, 7.5" barrel, stock Pietta 1851. Accuracy pretty much the same with all loads, 2"-3" @ 25 yards from a rest.

30 gr. Pyro P, 986 fps, max spr. 109 fps

30 gr. 3f 777, 988 fps, max spr. 84 fps

30 gr. Swiss 3f, 833 fps, max spr. 94 fps.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Thanks for that. Interesting. Wonder what Goex or Schutezen would do.

 

[1stnamebassist]

Let me ask you. Do you compress the 777 at all? I’ve read it shouldn’t be compressed, but I want to hear real world use from folks that use it regularly. I bought 3 lbs of Swiss ffffg to use in my 31 caliber and maybe my pocket police. Kind of disappointed to see how slow your readings were with the fffg.

 

[PastorB]

Let me ask you. Do you compress the 777 at all? I’ve read it shouldn’t be compressed, but I want to hear real world use from folks that use it regularly. I bought 3 lbs of Swiss ffffg to use in my 31 caliber and maybe my pocket police. Kind of disappointed to see how slow your readings were with the fffg.

Yes, I compress 777 just as normal. The warning against oppression is for metallic cartridge reloading only. Got that straight from the manufacturer. It is a myth that won't die. I got a thread on this forum with chrono results using a 1849 Colt Pocket Model, 4" barrel. You can find it easily with a search. Got pretty impressive results with 3f 777, right at 1000 fps with a .330 round ball. Pyro P and Swiss were a little behind, around 880 with max loads.

 

[Gee Dog]

Pastor - your various chronograph results published here and elsewhere are really informative and appreciated. Good work once again and many thanks.

 

[Tim_IA]

Beautiful day here on NW Missouri, sunny, no wind, and 70° in mid-November. Decided to "Bust some caps" in my Pietta 1851 .44 Navy. Shot over the chrono, as I usually do, and here are the results for 3 different powders, using a 30 grain (volume) charge. Fairly disappointed with the Swiss 3f, and it is a brand new can. It had by far the loudest "Boom!", but also was far behind the others in velocity. Swiss 3f is usually the equal of Pyro P, so much so I fired an extra cylinder of each to verify results, and got similar readings. Swiss has been excellent in my long guns, but didn't do so well today. .454 round balls, 7.5" barrel, stock Pietta 1851. Accuracy pretty much the same with all loads, 2"-3" @ 25 yards from a rest.

30 gr. Pyro P, 986 fps, max spr. 109 fps

30 gr. 3f 777, 988 fps, max spr. 84 fps

30 gr. Swiss 3f, 833 fps, max spr. 94 fps.

302 fpe with the pyrodex is really good!

 

[PastorB]

Thanks for that. Interesting. Wonder what Goex or Schutezen would do.

Thanks for that. Interesting. Wonder what Goex or Schutezen would do.

Never have tried Schutezen, but all my chrono results using Goex in both long guns and revolvers reveal that it is a "weak" powder. Literally hundreds of fps behind everything else, using like charges and granulation. From past experience, I know 30 grains of 3f Goex will give velocities in the 750-ish fps range with a .454 round ball in a 7.5" or 8" revolver. Pyro RS outperforms Goex 3f in every gun, both longarms and handguns, that I have ever fired them in. I will never use Goex again, unless it is the only thing available. It is really that poor performing, at least from a fps perspective. In my long rifles, Goex lags behind Swiss 300-400fps using like charges.

 

[CVA Enthusiast]

Let me ask you. Do you compress the 777 at all? I’ve read it shouldn’t be compressed, but I want to hear real world use from folks that use it regularly. I bought 3 lbs of Swiss ffffg to use in my 31 caliber and maybe my pocket police. Kind of disappointed to see how slow your readings were with the fffg.

Yup another one of those "myths" perpetuated like not seating, just a lie that won`t die, Cartridge is a little different do not compress

 

[CVA Enthusiast]

Beautiful day here on NW Missouri, sunny, no wind, and 70° in mid-November. Decided to "Bust some caps" in my Pietta 1851 .44 Navy. Shot over the chrono, as I usually do, and here are the results for 3 different powders, using a 30 grain (volume) charge. Fairly disappointed with the Swiss 3f, and it is a brand new can. It had by far the loudest "Boom!", but also was far behind the others in velocity. Swiss 3f is usually the equal of Pyro P, so much so I fired an extra cylinder of each to verify results, and got similar readings. Swiss has been excellent in my long guns, but didn't do so well today. .454 round balls, 7.5" barrel, stock Pietta 1851. Accuracy pretty much the same with all loads, 2"-3" @ 25 yards from a rest.

30 gr. Pyro P, 986 fps, max spr. 109 fps

30 gr. 3f 777, 988 fps, max spr. 84 fps

30 gr. Swiss 3f, 833 fps, max spr. 94 fps.

but awesome results looks like I need some 777, and the overall thing 777 is better at is cutting down the spread, making shots more consistent

 

[Smokerr]

Interesting post, good to see Chrono results posted (all mine are and written in a book, use a LabRadar).

Not sure if velocity is the way to measure quality of a powder. Accuracy would be my top criteria.

I would appreciate it if better descriptions were used. I have to keep looking up things like 44 Navy when it was a Colt Replica 44 Navy Style. I am not familiar with the breadth of the BP guns.