What BP load do you use?

[tacfoley]

Depends on what you want to achieve. The MLAGB published the powder and load combinations used by the winners in the 2002 championships and .44/.45 revolvers were all around 14 - 16 grains TS2 or Goex, with one I believe at 11.5 grains of Swiss #2. These would all be round ball as MLAIC rules mandate this for revolvers. Unfortunately that document appears to be no longer found on the MLAGB website so there is only my memory to go on.

It will depend to some extent on which powder you use as powder performances vary.

I find 16 grains of Vesuvit LC or 18 grains of TS2 (with semolina filler) to be about right in my ROA. 22 grains certainly opens out my groups and I have not tested higher loads for accuracy.

It is entirely possible that there are other loads which also give good accuracy, and like with smokeless, personal preferences also seem to come into play.

One thing we can probably agree on is that a full chamber (about 40 grains in ROA), while not dangerous, is unlikely to give best accuracy - it does however give a big grin

40gr is great for hogs. I have to admit that I'm not convinced about such piddling loads in a ROA - a single shot pistol sure, but with that cylinder gap AND a deep forcing cone...hmmmmm.

TBH, I've never heard of loads as low as that in ANY .44cal revolver, but then I don't compete in international events either, so I guess my 80 average with 25gr is a complete fluke. I really must try your squeakpip loads and see what happens.

I'll let you know.

tac

[Mac42]

Thanks chaps for the replies. When my FAC turns up it's out to buy a new BP or S/H revolver. The cleaning is very therapeutic so they say. Like an idiot I spent two years writing down my various mixes and lost them when I stopped shooting. I always used semolina as a filler but never experimented with a larger load and wad.

[Turnup]

40gr is great for hogs. I have to admit that I'm not convinced about such piddling loads in a ROA - a single shot pistol sure, but with that cylinder gap AND a deep forcing cone...hmmmmm.

TBH, I've never heard of loads as low as that in ANY .44cal revolver, but then I don't compete in international events either, so I guess my 80 average with 25gr is a complete fluke. I really must try your squeakpip loads and see what happens.

I'll let you know.

tac

They are pretty wimpy. Never chronoed but from the sound I am pretty sure they are well subsonic - starts to sound supersonic around 25 grains IMO. I have never had one fail to arrive at the target (25m) and they splash the berm at 50m. Personal best is 93 (10 ex 13) on PL7 but I am happy if I can break 90.

I don't shoot competitions (apart from the fun Xmas type stuff) as I find that it spoils my enjoyment, however I do shoot alongside some former international shooters and they all seem to run very light loads in rifled repro handguns. Smooth is a whole 'nother matter - those guys really stoke 'em up!

I use an even lighter load in my Uberti Remington, but a previous owner had it "breathed on" in various ways, including cylinder timing, lapped barrel, and a very small cylinder gap, so I don't think that citing those loads would be very helpful.

Give it a go - the price of powder these days.....!

[tacfoley]

They are pretty wimpy. Never chronoed but from the sound I am pretty sure they are well subsonic - starts to sound supersonic around 25 grains IMO. I have never had one fail to arrive at the target (25m) and they splash the berm at 50m. Personal best is 93 (10 ex 13) on PL7 but I am happy if I can break 90.

I don't shoot competitions (apart from the fun Xmas type stuff) as I find that it spoils my enjoyment, however I do shoot alongside some former international shooters and they all seem to run very light loads in rifled repro handguns. Smooth is a whole 'nother matter - those guys really stoke 'em up!

I use an even lighter load in my Uberti Remington, but a previous owner had it "breathed on" in various ways, including cylinder timing, lapped barrel, and a very small cylinder gap, so I don't think that citing those loads would be very helpful.

Give it a go - the price of powder these days.....!

Present company excepted, but I'm not spending the rest of my BP handgun shooting life in this country shooting 'water-pistol' loads that feel like the kick from an electric toothbrush. I've paid for that kick in the hand, dammit and I want to know and feel that when that gun goes off, it is damn-well going to kick like a real gun should kick. I had more handguns here than most gun-dealers, and therefore lost more, and most of them were ka-boomers. Sure, I get my fix over in OR every year, but as long as I can get reasonable results using my 25gr load, I'll continue to do so. The price of powder means absolutely nothing to me - I burn powder in my guns and coal in my trains, and I can leave neither of them to my offspring.

tac

[Turnup]

Present company excepted, but I'm not spending the rest of my BP handgun shooting life in this country shooting 'water-pistol' loads that feel like the kick from an electric toothbrush. I've paid for that kick in the hand, dammit and I want to know and feel that when that gun goes off, it is damn-well going to kick like a real gun should kick. I had more handguns here than most gun-dealers, and therefore lost more, and most of them were ka-boomers. Sure, I get my fix over in OR every year, but as long as I can get reasonable results using my 25gr load, I'll continue to do so. The price of powder means absolutely nothing to me - I burn powder in my guns and coal in my trains, and I can leave neither of them to my offspring.

tac

Yeah - I know several shooters who like the sound, sight and feel of ka-boom loads (me too for the occasional treat). My past experiences with death-grip and .357 magnum loads eventually led to tennis elbow, which put a stop to my handgun shooting for quite a while. Still a weakness there so I will not risk a return of that. My personal preference now is for precision shooting (insofar as the term is applicable to muzzle loaders) but we are not all the same, and long may it remain so. Whatever floats people's boats is absolutely fine if it keeps the sport alive and the ranges open.

[tacfoley]

Yeah - I know several shooters who like the sound, sight and feel of ka-boom loads (me too for the occasional treat). My past experiences with death-grip and .357 magnum loads eventually led to tennis elbow, which put a stop to my handgun shooting for quite a while. Still a weakness there so I will not risk a return of that. My personal preference now is for precision shooting (insofar as the term is applicable to muzzle loaders) but we are not all the same, and long may it remain so. Whatever floats people's boats is absolutely fine if it keeps the sport alive and the ranges open.

PS - I also shoot 10m match air pistol and rifle. I'm 69 years old today, and I've been shooting since I was six years old, starting with my dad's Colt M1911. Tennis elbow is the least of my worries at this stage in my life.

tac

[Turnup]

PS - I also shoot 10m match air pistol and rifle. I'm 69 years old today, and I've been shooting since I was six years old, starting with my dad's Colt M1911. Tennis elbow is the least of my worries at this stage in my life.

tac

Not so far behind you myself at 63.

[bfhb]

Well, this Sunday I used my ROA for the first time with 24gr of TS2 a wonderwad which I soaked in lard followed by a .457 ball. No filler, no stuff on top.

Wasn't a great kick, but lots of flames and smoke.

I didn't have any chain fires, loading was amazingly easy.
I removed the cylinder to load powder ( premeasured ) and insert the wads.
Then loaded the cylinder back and loaded the balls then caps.

Easy peasey, non of the faffing about with stands and lazy loaders etc..

Only thing I will do different next time is use more powder!

Cleaning was incredibly easy with just a jag and bits of kitchen towel.

Mark

[Mac42]

Not so far behind you myself at 63.

Must be near the oldest at 73, still working. Army Cadets 1955. TA. long break family and then grandkids. Club shooting 2004 break due to family reasons 2013. Now back with BP and Bench rest. Now back on learning curve, but thank god eyesight still 100%, very good as I work on the pc most of the day.

[sclg]

ROA - 18gr 777, thick wad, .457 ball

Le Page - 12gr 777, thick wad, 5 thou lubed patch and .433 ball

Steve

PS My patches are just punched out of a large foam rubber mat.

[jennings]

Tac,
unfortunately a fact of life, residential property being built closer and closer means restrictions on noise and as it's the nearest BP club it's something you have to live with. I do get to stoke it up once a month at Bisley to compensate though.