Range report Pietta '58 NMA with 5-1/2" barrel

[Raider2000]

Well my friends this weekend has been very good to me.
Saturday I went to the Archery club to sling some arrows at some 3D targets & then help take em down, then I proceeded to go to the pistol range to really get to know my Sheriff’s Remy.
Today was back to the pistol range with a squeaky clean gun to make sure that what my conclusion from yesterday is a 100% accurate deal with my new best friend..

My friend this afternoon has verified some things, a sigh of a relief, & a very happy customer of a Conical bullet to finish this off.

The $80.00 spent & research prior to was well worth it because the Reamer that I had gotten from Manson Reamers did the trick in bringing the groups together & enabling me to see the greatest potential this little revolver can achieve.

After 120 rounds of .457 143gr. Balls & 90 rounds of .456 220gr. conical, over a pound of Goex FFFG & a little more than 2 tins of Remington #11's I have established that it likes a 30gr. load for each bullet, it definitely does not like a wad under the ball & that the Lee Liquid Alox that I lubed some of my conical gave me the best grouping & surprisingly not too bad in clean up between cylinders with it.

Ballistics:
Chronograph was placed 10' in front of the muzzle to get these results.

Bullet = .457 143 grain Cast Round Ball.
Powder = Goex FFFg black powder.
Primer = Remington #11
5-1/2” Barrel Average Ballistics.
40gr. Volume = 916 fps. 266 ft. Lbs. 5.5” group @ 20 yards & Violent.
35gr. Volume = 838 fps. 222 ft. Lbs. OK punch with 4” grouping @ 20 yards.
30gr. Volume = 754 fps. 180 ft. Lbs. little recoil with 2.5” grouping @ 20 yards.
25gr. Volume = 667 fps. 141 ft. Lbs. almost not there but with having to use a wad my groups opened up to 3.2" @ 20 yards.

Bullet = .456 220 grain Cast Lee conical bullet.
Powder = Goex FFFg black powder.
Primer = Remington #11
5-1/2” Barrel Average Ballistics.
35gr. Volume = 745 fps. 270 ft. lbs. No room, Violent, & 5” grouping @ 20 yards.
30gr. Volume = 672 fps. 220 ft. lbs. Recoil OK, Decent group of 3” @ 20 yards.

I never tried a lighter charge with the conical.

Yesterday I did not take any pictures but today I did & this is from my last 2 cylinders with the .456 220gr. conical from 10 & then at 20 yards, I aimed dead on at 10 yards & shot #4 turned the box so ofcorse shot #5 I had to try & turn it back again when I swapped cylinders & moved to 20 yards I aimed a little lower so to keep the 2 shots separate & they were shot using a 2 hand hold standing.

I pulled these out of my box today where they struck packed magazines.

 

[Rifle]

What type reamer did you use? Made and piloted just for your gun? Reamer used for some otjer purpose that you adapted to use on your gun? What was the determining factor in arriving at the diameter you finally reamed the chambers to? Did you measure the barrel? Guestimate? Approximate? Use published data?

 

[Raider2000]

What type reamer did you use? Made and piloted just for your gun? Reamer used for some otjer purpose that you adapted to use on your gun? What was the determining factor in arriving at the diameter you finally reamed the chambers to? Did you measure the barrel? Guestimate? Approximate? Use published data?

The reamer was custom made with a permanent pilot from Manson Reamers, after talking to Rifle on The High Road I used a .490 ball & slugged my barrel & also slugged all 18 chambers with .457 ball & what I had was:
Lands = .4400
Groves = .4495
Chambers = .4460 - .4465

Once I had this info in hand I contacted David Manson @ Manson Reamers & talked to him, after sending him one of my cylinders, a note explaining what I had in Bore dimentions & what I wanted in a Reamer ".4510 with a pilot of .4460 & 1/2 inch in depth."

The rest is history.

 

[Rifle]

Raider2000, I thought you seemed familiar. I'm Rifle from THR. I don't visit there often even though I like the Hombres there. I'm Wayner at the Voy blackpowder revolver message board. Anyway,Howdy Pard.
I put a pic of a revolver in a post there at Voy. The post is,"The Culprit". If you can see the pic let me know what you think of the blade dovetail front sight I put on that gun. I reamed the chambers of that gun for a Pard. I opened the rear hammer sight and made it flat across the top so a good sight picture can be had. Hope he lkes it since I'm sending it back to him tommorrow.
Glad you're having a good time with yer cap&baller Bud. I'm surprised you didn't get as good accuracy with the wads under the ball.Were they saturated with wax/lube or dry or store bought? Saturated with lube/wax would improve the groups I'd think. I like to use lube pills made of wax and lube and put under the ball. They keep the barrel clean enough fer good shooting all day thru 200 plus shots. A clean barrel always seems to shoot better groups and I hate to run a patch thru the barrel after each shot. ha ha ha
Did you have any trouble with your reamer being too snug of a fit to go into the chambers? Anywhoooo......you gotta get another Pietta to have a pair....both reamed. ha ha ha

 

[Raider2000]

In the back of my mind I was wondering if this wasn't you..

Well I have a bunch of different wads some Ox Yokes & some that I've punched & lubed my self & interestingly my 26 year old Pietta '60 Army is like this little '58 & shoots a wider group when I use wads in it too, just can't explain the logic in that.

In a few chambers it was a little tight but manageable.

Later today I'll try to get on the Voy forums to check out your work but I've got to go to work & make a few extra $$$ to afford another one of these fine '58's.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

good report Raider, I like the conicals in my '58 too. :thumbsup: