BP Revolvers

[genesis50cal]

Not wanting to HiJack 50 scouts thread,I have a few questions for you about BP revolver shooting.First off a little history here.I have a Ruger Old Army .44.I usually run about 30 gr.Pyrodex p,filler up with corn meal,then a 457 hornady RB.I bought this gun used around'92 and still havn't used a can of powder since then,but with the newer cleaner powders now a daze I would like to use it more.
Now#1,can a person use 1-30gr .45cal pellet?
#2,would a conical(.454 I think) of some sort work better than RB?
#3,do I need the corn meal filler or just seat the ball down tight?
#4,do those little prelubed wads work inplace of the filler?
Any other advice would really be appreciated as I hardly ever use this gun and would like to learn more about it.
One more question is the powder and caps I have still safe after about 17 years?

 

[cayuga]

Not wanting to HiJack 50 scouts thread,I have a few questions for you about BP revolver shooting.First off a little history here.I have a Ruger Old Army .44.I usually run about 30 gr.Pyrodex p,filler up with corn meal,then a 457 hornady RB.I bought this gun used around'92 and still havn't used a can of powder since then,but with the newer cleaner powders now a daze I would like to use it more.
Now#1,can a person use 1-30gr .45cal pellet?
#2,would a conical(.454 I think) of some sort work better than RB?
#3,do I need the corn meal filler or just seat the ball down tight?
#4,do those little prelubed wads work inplace of the filler?
Any other advice would really be appreciated as I hardly ever use this gun and would like to learn more about it.
One more question is the powder and caps I have still safe after about 17 years?

#1 Most black powder revolvers shoot a #10 or #11 cap. You will find that with that small of a fire charge you might not get consistent ignition if you go to pellets. Even through it is an inline technically. Pellets are normally just harder to light. A better option is change from black powder to something like American Pioneer Powder 3f, Pinnacle 3f, or Triple Seven 3f. They are cleaner powders. I personally like APP 3f.

#2 conicals will shoot out of black powder revolvers. Also you can look at some of the pure lead cast bullets for pistols. The thing you have to pay attention to is whether or not they will clear the cylinder and barrel throat. I have loaded 200 grain all lead pistol .451 bullets in my revolver and shot them. Some of them worked good until you suddenly discover you did not seat them deep enough.

#3 The point would be how tight the conical takes up the cylinder space. I personally would use the wad as once you have a chain fire, you will never want to do it again.

#4 I use those wads instead of a filler, but I still smear the end of they cylinder with a lube to make sure there is on chain fire.

Is the powder and caps still good.. you will only know this when you shoot them. I have shot mine a lot, and since I am not hunting with it, just use a roundball. After all I am out there to have fun. Also mine is very accurate with a roundball.

 

[Pappy]

Cayuga knows what he is talking about. I was wondering about pellets also because I seen some Pistol 30 gr. pellets in Gander Mountain.

Dave

 

[cayuga]

Those pistol pellets will work, but your not going to be as happy with the consistency as you would be with something as simple and cheaper as American Pioneer Powder in 3f or Pinnacle 3f. I especially like APP 3f. I was shooting one day and shot off a box of ball. There had to be 40 rounds in there, and never had to break the revolver down to clean it during shooting.

At the end of the day, you can take the handles off, and basically dump the hole thing in the dishwater if you like. But really that APP cleans off real easy with soap and water..

For years all I ever shot was Pyrodex P out of my revolver. I'd get a couple cylinders shot off, and had to basically break the revovler down and clean it. Once I had the cylinder locking rod stick so bad from fouling, I had to soak the revolver and finally drive it back with a wood dowel and mallet. After that, I went looking for a better way.

My friend tried them pellets. And his revolver did go off. Sometimes BOOM!!! and other times boom.. just was not there for him. I personally saw him shooting them, but never tried them in my revolver.

 

[pwbrasky]

"Do those little prelubed wads work inplace of the filler?"

Genesis...., I tried those prelubed wads in my .45cal. Rem. New Model Army replica and was extremely pleased with them. Excellent accuracy and very little powder fouling. I was using Pyrodex P at the time, and, as Cayuga said, it DOES foul your gun. With the prelubed wads, I got no cylinder binding and little residue in the bore.

 

[genesis50cal]

Powder

Thanx fella's,I have Pyrodex P that I was using but that's kinda what turned me off of it,the amount of fouling i got.I have a hard time getting supplies here but I have thought of APP,if only I can find some here.Next time I get to the "big city stores" I think I will get some APP and wads and try this again.

 

[cayuga]

Once you shoot that with APP or Pinnacle, you will find the revolver easy to shoot, clean and a lot more fun. I actually stopped shooting mine for a long time because I hated to clean the thing.