Over powder card

[tacfoley]

Of course, you must load what you think is a safe load and one that is comfortable for you.

However, because of legislation and the risk of being sued, manufacturers regularly opine that low loads are best and safest, and the subject of safe loads in a BP revolver come up time and time again on www.muzzleloadingforum.com, of which a few of us on this side of the water are members.

I've been shooting a selection of .44 revolvers, including my own couple of Ruger Old Armys, with 22gr of Pyrodex P since the late 1960's.

As for real BP - these are the loads recommended by the general consensus of shooters over the way - as found on page 678 of the Dixie Gun Works reference handbook -

.44 modern-made Remington & Colt revolver - 28gr FFFg [22.5gr Pyrodex P]

.44 modern-made Colt Dragoon - 40gr FFFg [32gr Pyrodex P

.36 modern-made Remington & Colt revolver - 22gr FFFg - [17.5gr Pyrodex P]

My Colt Walker, a second-series low number model, takes 50gr of FFFg - I don't shoot Pyrodex in that.

After having all my .44 Mags taken from me here [a problem overcome by having more in the US], I miss the boom and recoil of a big shooter, and find that I can get some of that back with the loads I use behind conicals in the ROA.

The shots still stay inside a couple or three inches at 25yards, as anybody who has seen me shoot in our club can attest.

Of course, you have to figure out the loads that are most accurate for your gun, and boomers need not necessarily be the most accurate. In my case, they are.

tac

[lilguy43uk]

Of course, you must load what you think is a safe load and one that is comfortable for you.

However, because of legislation and the risk of being sued, manufacturers regularly opine that low loads are best and safest, and the subject of safe loads in a BP revolver come up time and time again on www.muzzleloadingforum.com, of which a few of us on this side of the water are members.

I've been shooting a selection of .44 revolvers, including my own couple of Ruger Old Armys, with 22gr of Pyrodex P since the late 1960's.

As for real BP - these are the loads recommended by the general consensus of shooters over the way - as found on page 678 of the Dixie Gun Works reference handbook -

.44 modern-made Remington & Colt revolver - 28gr FFFg [22.5gr Pyrodex P]

.44 modern-made Colt Dragoon - 40gr FFFg [32gr Pyrodex P

.36 modern-made Remington & Colt revolver - 22gr FFFg - [17.5gr Pyrodex P]

My Colt Walker, a second-series low number model, takes 50gr of FFFg - I don't shoot Pyrodex in that.

After having all my .44 Mags taken from me here [a problem overcome by having more in the US], I miss the boom and recoil of a big shooter, and find that I can get some of that back with the loads I use behind conicals in the ROA.

The shots still stay inside a couple or three inches at 25yards, as anybody who has seen me shoot in our club can attest.

Of course, you have to figure out the loads that are most accurate for your gun, and boomers need not necessarily be the most accurate. In my case, they are.

tac

Up until recently I used 23gn FFFg in my Pietta with no problems (the concussion tended to flatten the shooters either side of me though )

I must admit that reading the Pietta manual spooked me a bit but I can see the logic in your reasoning.

[steve medlock]

This is a useful little table which I refer to from time to time:

http://www.mlagb.com/shooting/pistol/2002loads.pdf

[Scimmy]

Cheers for the replies all. Started off using 15 grains 777 3FG and although it went bang the balls would at least hit the target board. Started incrementing up by 1 or 2 grains and came to the conclusion that this pistol likes to drive the ball out with some energy behind it.
Recoil is mild and settling down around the 25grain mark groups have gone from target board size, to dustbin lid, to large dinner plate and now a generous sized saucer! Much more practice required in hold and let off yet to be mastered but it seems to be getting there after the introduction of the over powder card.

This was a throw back to my ML shotgun days, think there was an article by VM Starr about the powder load being squared and leveled before the dropping of wad and shot, the card kept the charge uniform and hence its burn characteristics were improved (apparently).

Will carry on experimenting with and without lubes/cards/ fillers and hopefully get some pics of the next cards shot.

Cheers all

[tony1]

Whats an over powder card and what is it for???

[tacfoley]

Up until recently I used 23gn FFFg in my Pietta with no problems (the concussion tended to flatten the shooters either side of me though )

I must admit that reading the Pietta manual spooked me a bit but I can see the logic in your reasoning.

In that case they surely would not care to be aside of me when I cut loose with my Walker.

'snot MY reasoning - but a load that's borne out by 150 years of folks using them.

tac