Pietta .36 Navy Revolver Help

[Enfield1]

Hello, guys. I need your opinion. I just got my Pietta Colt Navy “Yank” .36 Revolver. I have checked it out and it looks like I got a good one. It seems that the timing is good and everything locks up well. Incidentally, it seems Pietta’s quality has gone up. They did a really good job with this. My issue is that I have very little 3FG. I have an abundance of 2FG. Can I shoot the 2FG in this without a problem? The manual that came with it recommends 9 to 12 grains of 3FG with no mention of 2FG. Could I go with 29 to 22 grains of 2FG? Thanks.

 

[Zonie]

The 2Fg powder will work fine.

I really doubt that you will be able to get 29 grains of powder in your .36 but 22 grains should be just about right. The right amount of powder will fill the chamber up to about 3/8" from the face of the cylinder. That makes for just the right amount of powder for the ball to be pressed slightly below the cylinder face.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Back in the dark ages, I bought my first cap and ball revolver. I used the powder sold to me, which was 2fg. I used it with great abandon. As @Zonie stated use a volume measure. but you won't be able to get much more than 22 grains loaded. Be sure to measure the diameter of the cylinder mouth. While most recommend 0.376 sized ball, but I have had better results using a 0.380" soft ball. Dark ages, my hair was dark.

 

[smoothshooter]

What Zonie said.

Also, the Italian manufacturer’s charge recommendations are based on liability concerns, not practicality.
Remember, the Italians that run the black powder gun companies, as a group, are not really BP shooters, and have little understanding of their practical use.
The few that actually are shooters are far more likely to only use modern suppository guns, with some of them being pretty knowledgeable about those.

 

[wb78963]

In my Pietta 1860 Navy Colts were shot last week and tried both 15 and 20 grain volume of FFFg GOEX. and had good luck with both. There are a couple of .36 Navy Colts in the armory and they all get fed .375 cast balls.
I see no reason not to use FFg since there will be less weight of FFg per volume compared to FFFg i suspect it might make a very comfortable load to shoot.
Try it you can't go wrong. The worst part is you won't like it as much. The best part is you will be shooting.
Yr' Obt' Svt'
Bunk