[BigBlock]

I'm planning on building myself a "pocket" 1858. I'm going to cut the barrel down to 3-4", remove the loading lever, and make a birds head grip.

Does anybody know what the MV would be out of a 3-4" barrel with 3f Goex? Would it be safe to use about 35 grains of triple seven, and would that increase the velocity significantly?

[Texoma]

if you do the bird head grips post a picture.i would like to do that to mine
but dont have the courage to chop my gun up.

[BigBlock]

Here's the only pic I've been able to find of one, from River Junction. I'm hoping to make something similar to this:
http://www.riverjunction.com/kirst/rembird.jpg

[ArmedBear]

Well, I don't think it's any more unsafe to use a given charge than with a long barrel on the gun.:)

The question is, will it really improve velocity, or just blow a lot of unburned powder out the muzzle.

[Redd Flynt]

In regards to velocity, I'm just guessing it will still make 600 plus. Keep in mind that the chamber length should be added in to get the total length.

I'd just stick to a standard load.

Regards, Redd

[BigBlock]

Well, I don't think it's any more unsafe to use a given charge than with a long barrel on the gun
But is 35 grains safe in any '58? I know you're supposed to reduce the charge by 15% to replicate a BP load.

As for blowing all the powder out of the gun...that is the question. Maybe 4F black powder...or would that be dangerous?

[sundance44s]

The crono testing I`ve do on my Remmies have been with the conversion cylinder and 255 gr bullets ....from the 51/2 inch barrel the bullets fly around 100 fps slower than they do from the 7 1/2 inch barrel . / with 35 grs of Pyrodex P .... 940 fps from the 7 1/2 barrel ...5 1/2 barrel same load 837 fps
Maybe this will give ya an idea of powder loss with shorter barrels .

[Texoma]

thanks for the picture.that is sweet looking i may have to get my
courage up.

[ArmedBear]

BTW I don't think Triple 7 will give you any noticeable performance boost over Pyrodex or good BP. At least the tests I've read don't indicate it would.:)

Easier to clean, I guess.

[mykeal]

I don't have any data on muzzle velocity with a shorter barrel, but I am sure that using 35 gr of 777 is probably safer with the short barrel than the long one. Why? Because the majority of the powder will leave the gun unburned.

35 gr fffg 777 is too much for a '58 Remington.:eek: It's not necessarily unsafe, but it's way beyond an accurate load for that gun. My Remington shoots best (most accurate) with 22 to 25 gr fffg Goex. Above that and accuracy falls off pretty quickly. 35 gr 777 is equivalent to about 40 gr of real black powder,:what: way beyond anything the gun can shoot accurately.

Shortening the barrel might actually help that, though, because a smaller amount of powder will be burned, thus reducing the effective powder charge...:scrutiny:

[ED21]

Maybe 4F black powder...or would that be dangerous?

YES!!! It is dangerous. Repeat after me, 4F is for priming only. "4F is for priming only." There, do not use 4F powder as a main charge. 4F is for priming only.