In my ROA, I use 24gr 777, pre-lubed wad & ball. Works fine for me
Found this conversion chart very useful: http://www.curtrich.com/BPConversionSheet.htm
In my ROA, I use 24gr 777, pre-lubed wad & ball. Works fine for me
Found this conversion chart very useful: http://www.curtrich.com/BPConversionSheet.htm
What is 777 like to clean is there any difference in cleaning methods between BP and 777 is 777 as corrosive as Pyrodex.
Just like the real thing, 777 washes off with plain ol' water. Pyrodex needs some careful cleaning, no matter what you hear. But ALL shooters of any of this stuff, real or subs, really need to get cleaning as soon as possible after shooting - on the spot is good if you can. The gun club to which I belong has loads of under-cover space to do this necessary chore.
My only downer with 777 is that it smells pretty odd - like a smell in a beet processing plant, and nothing like the mighty cow-fart of the real thing.
tac
Can't speak for BP, as I've never used it. 777 seems slightly easier to clean than Pyrodex (but I only used Pyrodex once - about 30 loads). I can't speak from experience, but all I've heard is that Pyrodex is slightly more corrosive than 777 and both are worse than BP. I clean my ROA as soon as I'm home, about an hour after finishing shooting, with hot soapy water and it's straightforward.
I've just done a bit of measuring - the empty chamber is approx 32mm deep, 24gr of 777 fills 16.5mm, the wad is 4mm and I measured a .457 ball at 11.65mm. The ball seats approx 2-3mm below the cylinder face (I'll double check that when I shoot tomorrow night) so everything is snug, with powder and wad compressed by a couple of mm. I don't use grease and have never had a flash over. I fill the chambers from pre-measured glass vials and make sure there are no loose powder grains anywhere else. It works great and is certainly more accurate that me
Shooting it is here.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX6iKfznbs4
Nominal ball size for ROA is .457". Not much point in going any bigger as the excess will shave off as you ram it.
If using grease then no need for a wad. Grease is mandatory under MLAGB rules but that might not bother you. There is some debate regarding whether it stops flashover, but I know of no modern cartridge which does not have lubrication to the lead projectile, and the grease also helps to keep the fouling soft. Most indoor ranges prohibit grease as the mess accumulates, so then you really should use a wad. Some also coat the balls with Alox, but I don't see how that helps as the chamber will shave off the area which bears on the barrel as the ball is rammed.
Conventional wisdom is to seat the ball just below the cylinder face. I have had some success with balls seated well in, but it seems to be variable whereas shallow seating seems to be more consistent. Experiment.
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