Is it safe to use smokeless powder in a Uberti 1858 repro .36 caliber pistol?

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jigabob

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Is it safe to use smokeless powder or BP substitute in a Uberti 1858 .36 cal. BP pistol as long as I don't exceed 900 fps muzzle velocity, or is the burn to fast and causes too much cylinder pressure? Can I reload cartridges with smokeless powder for 38 sp cowboy loads in a conversion cylinder? Which smokeless powder is best?
 
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Without a conversion cylinder smokeless powder is an absolute no, end of story.

If you are running a conversion cylinder that's different, you will want to keep it at "cowboy" levels as you mentioned. Even with cartridges in these guns I like to just use black powder. The only smokeless I can recommend for cowboy loads is Unique, it's all I have used but still just prefer black powder.

Black powder substitutes are just fine to load in either the original percussion (cap and ball) cylinder or in cartridges. If you are loading these cartridges with the substitutes or real black for the first time look into and research loading methods. Air gaps between powder and bullet are generally considered a bad thing, Volume and weight are two different things and so on...
 
A friend of mine was a volunteer guide at Fort Fisher Military Park just south of Wilmington NC. Every so often, tourists would ask the proverbial question about shooting smokeless powder (Hey, its black, they would say) in original or replica muzzleloaders & and cap & ball revolvers. So, he took one of his own well-used revolvers, and loaded the top chamber with smokeless powder from a 9mm pistol target load, (1.5 grains by weight of Bullseye Powder). He set the revolver in his outdoor brick fireplace, and put two heavy steel plates to cover the two openings in the grill, and stood back 60' with a string, and pulled .

If you need a graphic image about the strength of smokeless powder, here it is:
RQ5A4209 copy.jpg
 
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A friend of mine was a volunteer guide at Fort Fisher Military Park just south of Wilmington NC. Every so often, tourists would ask the proverbial question about shooting smokeless powder (Hey, its black, they would say) in original or replica muzzleloaders & and cap & ball revolvers. So, he took one of his own well-used revolvers, and loaded the top chamber with smokeless powder from a 9mm pistol target load, (1.5 grains by weight of Bullseye Powder). He set the revolver in his outdoor brick fireplace, and put two heavy steel plates to cover the two openings in the grill, and stood back 60' with a string, and pulled .

If you need a graphic image about the strength of smokeless powder, here it is:
View attachment 943048
Well at least it was a Pietta...












;)
 
Add my vote: NO! NO! NO! NO! See photo in post 3! It could have been worse! Where did the missing parts go? The person who did that atleast did it as an experiment and stood waaaay back.

Do it with the gun in your hand, and some surgeon will be digging parts out of your eyes.

Or a medical examiner will remove them from your corpse.


Just use REAL BLACK POWDER or legitimate substitute for revolvers.
 
I would not use smokeless in a stock percussion revolver.

While there has been some slight debate about the use of smokeless in cartridge conversions, I am firmly in the camp which holds that it is fine as long as the cylinder maker warrants it.

I use Trail Boss in mine and believe it to be the safest smokeless powder on the market.
 
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