Ruger Old Army

[45D]

actually that seems like your interpretation of the conversation. As a lay person non gunsmith it sounds to me like the conversation is about whats better. Open top or closed top with the majority saying closed and Mike saying open and the rest of us talking about bears and other cool guns and stories we have heard over the years.

Just FYI, the first time "bear" was mentioned was on page 10 (of 13).
( but who's counting right?)

Mike

 

[rodwha]

I am sure they work but I want to hear more bear stories...

I thought we would be moving to Virginia putting me the woods with black bears, something I’ve read is rather tasty. So I moved past the 245 grn hog bullet I designed for my Ruger to a 285 grn bullet for black bears. I created it to have a very long top driving band to create additional pressure to help push it a little faster as I know the Ruger can handle it. It’s just a couple of little hairs longer than Lee’s 255 grn bullet.

Here’s Kaido’s modified Lee 255 grn bullet for the Ruger:

And my 285 grn WFN:

And here’s a good side comparisons with a 0.457” ball, my 195 grn 0.460” WFN, Kaido’s 240 grn Lee modified for repros, Kaido’s modified Lee 255 grn, and my 285 grn WFN:

https://accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=45-285C

There’s not much data out there but a fellow on a now defunct black powder Remington forum compared several powders and compared the results using 30 grns. Swiss was king and right behind him was Olde Eynsford, followed by Triple 7 showing them to be very comparable, though the variance follows suite with the velocity averages. So using the P-Max calculator designed for Swiss I figure I should see similar results, maybe slightly higher as the pressures I’m creating are unusual for percussion guns. I can usually get 35 grns, which weighs 37.5, but sometimes I can fully seat the bullet so a weighed 35 grns of Olde E. These results were this:

At 35 grns of sporting grade powder I figure I’m looking at something along the lines of this, more than capable of going through as many bones as it might present and still see the light of day in the blink of an eye:

Alas I’m still in hog country with no beard in sight and so I’m creating a bullet to take advantage of both my Ruger and my Remington’s more accurate powder charge, which so far seems to be about a weighed 32.5 grns for the NMA and 37.5 grns for the ROA with what looks to be about a 230-240 grn bullet with the same wide meplat design.

 

[Smokerr]

actually that seems like your interpretation of the conversation. As a lay person non gunsmith it sounds to me like the conversation is about whats better. Open top or closed top with the majority saying closed and Mike saying open

I would amend that.

Its not better, its how capable and far less understood how sturdy the Open Tops are. I am very late to BP revolvers but have read mike 45D and his work and I am fully on board. Quite a number are, so while 45D has done the work, those of us with understanding of what he is saying, agree he has proven his contention.

Those who disagree have an opinion but they have no facts to back it up, its just an opinion.

The Sun is going to rise in the East tomorrow and that is a fact. They can claim its going to rise in the South, North or West and that is an opinion refuted at dawn by the fact, East it is (well South South South East for us up here).

No bear story

 

[Gee Dog]

A regular study in epistemology. Sure I’m glad I didn’t miss that.