Goex black powder vs. Pyrodex in 2 Pietta Colt 1860 Army revolvers

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For discussion see the recent thread on proper cylinder gap for cap and ball colts.


Video here for any interested: https://youtu.be/ouYrlqvp1Uw


I take 2 new stock Pietta Colt 1860 Army revolvers and fire black powder in one and Pyrodex in the other to see if one stops running first. I realize this is not a scientifically valid test, but it was fun anyway. :D

2:56 Skip to Blackpowder shooting
21:11 Skip to Black powder results
23:14 Skip to Pyrodex shooting
33:58 Skip to Pyrodex results

Short story for people who don't want to watch the video:

I set both cylinder gaps to less than .005" (my smallest feeler gauge), lubed both well with bore butter, and shot Goex FFFG and FFG in one and Pyrodex P pellets in the other. Lubed felt wads from possibles shop, round ball, remington number 10 caps. After 17 cylinders full the blackpowder pistol was still running fine. Pyrodex pistol hammer started binding on cylinder 3, I lubed it well with ballistol, and it stopped running on cylinder 8.
 
Very interesting results as Colts are hard to stop in the first place. Thanks for posting your results.

How far was that Jeff??? Those 1860 Armys were pounding the daylights out of that target.
 
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Very cool. Thanks for the test.

Even if GOEX gummed the revolver up first, I'd still use it.

REAL black powder is one of the reasons why I shoot black powder in the first place... because it's real and it's how it was done. The modern substitutes do absolutely nothing for me, as do the modern inline weapons. To me, black powder isn't about trying to turn a musket into a Remington 700, it's about shooting a musket, they way they were meant to be shot! Same goes for handguns.
 
amen cooldill! well I am going to change totally over to goex or real blackpowder and am looking at makin my own homemade blackpowder as after getting my naa super companion and tryin prodex pistol the first day as that's what I had on hand my groups on the box I was shooting were wide and all over the box I was shooting so the next day I went to the gun shop and bought my first deal of goex 4f bp and so tryin it out with this powder the groups shrunk by miles, much tighter groups and works a lot better. so now I am changing over to real blackpowder :)
 
midland man said:
amen cooldill! well I am going to change totally over to goex or real blackpowder and am looking at makin my own homemade blackpowder as after getting my naa super companion and tryin prodex pistol the first day as that's what I had on hand my groups on the box I was shooting were wide and all over the box I was shooting so the next day I went to the gun shop and bought my first deal of goex 4f bp and so tryin it out with this powder the groups shrunk by miles, much tighter groups and works a lot better. so now I am changing over to real blackpowder :)
Click to expand...
Now that's what I'm talkin' about Midland. :D

In my experience, GOEX is a very consistent and high quality powder, and like other authentic black powder, ignites most reliably. It also doesn't leave all that much fouling.

When it comes to the powder of the black kind, give me the real deal. No more. No less. :cool:
 
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Close barrel/ cylinder clearances work!!

Good job with the video!! (I wacthed . . . . most of it ! Lol)

I have a couple of observations . . . . none bad !!

The caps seemed to be more a problem with the left hand which, if you watch the vid., your confidence with the right hand allows you to hold the revolver "looser". With the left hand, you held it tighter and " observed " recoil was less. That means the caps were shaking off the cones. (That's what I'm thinking anyway)

The two revolvers LOOK identical, but I suspect the second one may be suffering from a "soft" or ill fitted hand (cylinder free but hammer not wanting to cycle). It is rather amazing how much variance there is in the parts inside these Italians!! Could also be the condition of the ratchet cut too. A bunch of small things can add up to failure in a hurry. Just too many variables in two guns that haven't been setup to be the same.
Maybe if you shot the pyrodex in the revolver that did well with B.P., that would be the same functioning revolver but different fuel.(just a thought)

Anyway, enjoyed the video, thanks!

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks
 
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Black and Pyrodex powder are nearly the same stuff. Yes they are different but the type of stuff used in Pyrodex that does most of the work is the same as black powder.

Pyrodex pellets on the other hand are very different. Pyrodex pellets are not anything like Pyrodex powder. The pellets are made of some rocket fuel type of stuff.

When firing the Remington 1858 I do not recall the pellets or pyrodex powder being much different as far as gumming up the cylinder. I would find things getting difficult after 4 to 6 cylinders but that can be due to the Remingtons design.

The thin base pin on the Remington frequently got gummed up and I always had to be mindful to clean it before it became a problem.

I have not used real black yet.
 
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Interesting video. Tried Pyrodex yesrs ago in percussion revolvers and was not excited about it due to some of the same reasons mentioned in the video. After using up that one can I went back to real blackpowder and have had no desire to try a modern sub. Feel sorry for those who are restricted from buying blackpowder due to local restrictions.
 
I don't stick to one kind of shooting, and one only. I like the history and like to shoot and hunt with side lock flint and percussion rifles. I also like to hunt with inline rifles and pistols, and more modern components (sabot slugs, 777, 209 primers). I'm not the kind of person that will only ride a harley. It's all good.
 
I think loose Pyro-P and loose Goex FFFg would have been a more valid comparison. I have found the Pyro pellets to seem hotter (more recoil) than the loose PyroP.
 
Part 2 is up...

I shot one pistol with 30 grains Pyrodex P and one pistol with 25 grains (15% reduced by volume) of 777, both with lubed felt wads (to keep it even; Hodgon recommends against lubed wads with 777 I believe), .454 round lead balls, and Remington #10 caps. Arbors generously lubed with Bore Butter and no other lube added during the tests. Cylinder gaps set to below .005".

https://youtu.be/th-nAQVU37Y

0:07 Intro/discussion of evaluation
3:21 777 shooting evaluation
17:02/18:51 777 results
19:06 Pyrodex P shooting evaluation
26:53/28:56 Pyrodex P results


Short answer for those not interested in watching the video: As requested I compared Pyrodex P (loose powder, not pellets) and Triple Se7en/777 this time, to see if either would lock up the pistols like the Pyrodex pellets did in the first test. I fired 777 in the pistol that failed with Pyrodex pellets and I fired Pyrodex P in the pistol that ran over 100 shots with Goex without any problems in the previous test.

Both pistols went over 100 shots and could have kept going but I ran out of patience and money. :)

the pistol that locked up with Pyrodex pellets had a "crunchy" hammer as before but didn't lock up with 777 like it did with the pellets.

I shot a couple cylinders with the pellets after the test was over and they DEFINITELY have more power and flame than 30 grains of loose pyrodex P, even though the pellets say "30 grain equivalent."

Sorry for the low resolution; I don't know what happened. I shot and rendered the video in HD.

I prefer the fire and smell of black powder over either substitute, and I prefer 777 over Pyrodex simply because it doesn't smell as horrible (but it still stinks).

I did get momentary hangfires with both subs but a lot more with Pyrodex.

However, all charges ignited if the caps went off.
 
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