Loads and fillers

[lilguy43uk]

What is your favourite load through a .44 revolver using black powder?

Also, what is the favourite filler? Semolina seems to be used quite a lot. Do you mix it with the powder or add it as an afterthought?

I always use a semi greased wad over the powder in my Remmy but thought that I'd try some filler instead to see how things go.

[Smokeless Coal]

Never mix anything with your powder, never mix powders.

Filler is put on top of the powder to bring the ball closer to the top of the cylinder. It can be done with wads but sometime its half an inch or more that needs to be made up so an inert granular filer is used.

Theres quite a few things that can be used, semolina, cous cous, coarse ground rice, flaked rice etc but dont use sugar as it is an explosive in certain circumstances. What we are looking for is something clean in its use but nothing plastic because molten plastic can gum up the barrel.

[John Bedford]

• Powder first (15g by weight 777)
  
• Then filler (semolina - 9mm case full)
  
• Then plain felt wad
  
• Then ball (lubed with liq. Alox)

[tim56]

In my .44 Rogers and Spencer i use 20 grns of TS2 black powder with a heaped 7cc scoop of semolina on top. This sits a .451" homecast round ball just below the rim of the cylinder. Then i cover the ball with wonder lube and use a reminton no11 cap.
This combination works well in my revolver but yours may shoot better with another powder/filler combination. Experiment and find what suits yours, thats part of the fun of black powder for me.

[NickHarvey]

In my Hege Remington, I use 15 grains of Swiss 2 and Sainsburys semolina to allow he ball to sit just below the cylinder face when rammed home. I use Castrol high melting point grease from a syringe and large needle to lube the ball. With this load, the gun is capable of shooting regular high 90s. I've been using the gun since 2006 and it is a seriously accurate pistol.

[LONG REACH]

In my Hege Remington, I use 15 grains of Swiss 2 and Sainsburys semolina to allow he ball to sit just below the cylinder face when rammed home. I use Castrol high melting point grease from a syringe and large needle to lube the ball. With this load, the gun is capable of shooting regular high 90s. I've been using the gun since 2006 and it is a seriously accurate pistol.

That's almost exactly the same as I use with an 1858 Remington copy, except I use Pyrodex, a Colt stockmans knife with the straight edged blade and scrape the grease over the end so it's level, although most of it disappears with the 1st shot, but using a home cast .457 soft lead ball, there's no real need to put grease over the end, as when the ball is rammed home, a ring of lead is cut off the edge of the ball, making it a perfect gastight fit, but I grease it anyway, braces & belt,if you know what I mean With that I'm scoring in the mid to high 70's, but I've only been doing it for 6 weeks, so I should get better !!!

ATB
Baz

[51colt]

Here in the states we use Cream of Wheat, grits, or corn meal for filler. I like to use grits. I am not quite sure what semolina is i am guessing it is some kind of uncooked cereal. I have a brass frame 44 cal 51 Colt, 44 cal 58 Remingtion, and a Colt Walker. I load my Colt with 20 gr fff Goex and a 9mm case full of grits with a homemade 1/8 inch wad with a home cast .454 ball. I all so put a dab of Crisco the balls. In hot weather i use a 50/50 mix of Crisco and bees wax. I use the same load in my Remingtion except i use a 40 cal case full of grits. I have not tried filler in my Walker yet i have been having to much fun shooting 50 gr loads with it. Next time i take her out i will try filler powder goes real quick with 50gr loads.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...lt/pics146.jpg

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...lt/pics128.jpg

Mike