gtrgy888
Member
Today’s shoot with the Uberti 1860 gave some interesting data about the power difference between Old Eynsford (a fairly stout powder) and 777 (an even stouter powder), as well as some conclusions about the maximum power historically possible from the .44.
The following are velocity and energy figures for 38 grains of OE (a full chamber):
.454 140 grain roundball:
1049 fps, 342 fpe
220 grain Kaido Ojama conical:
943 fps, 434 fpe
Those figures put a maximally loaded 1860 comfortably in the same power range as 9 mm or .40 S&W.
To approximate this same power range only required 29 grains of 777 by volume, which means that powder is much hotter than advertised. 777 is more like 25% hotter than premium black powder when measured by volume in the .44. Since I don’t see any reason to surpass 1,000 fps in an open top Colt, I recommend loading 777 to a maximum of 28 grains.
These results indicate a significant shift in what kind of ballistics were seen as necessary from the 1860’s to the present. The Navy .36 revolvers were loaded to .380 acp ballistics with maximal loading and widely regarded as adequate. The 1860 Army .44 was designed to be capable of stopping a horse in battle despite its maximal loading having only moderate power by contemporary standards. This charge was also reduced by Colt twice: first from 60 grains down to 50 grains from the Walker to the Dragoon pistol, then from 50 down to 40 (compressed) for the New Model Army. Often these guns were loaded much less than their maximum, which would tend to confirm that much less power than currently assumed is ballistically adequate for the roles these guns served (personal defense, hunting, warfare).
The following are velocity and energy figures for 38 grains of OE (a full chamber):
.454 140 grain roundball:
1049 fps, 342 fpe
220 grain Kaido Ojama conical:
943 fps, 434 fpe
Those figures put a maximally loaded 1860 comfortably in the same power range as 9 mm or .40 S&W.
To approximate this same power range only required 29 grains of 777 by volume, which means that powder is much hotter than advertised. 777 is more like 25% hotter than premium black powder when measured by volume in the .44. Since I don’t see any reason to surpass 1,000 fps in an open top Colt, I recommend loading 777 to a maximum of 28 grains.
These results indicate a significant shift in what kind of ballistics were seen as necessary from the 1860’s to the present. The Navy .36 revolvers were loaded to .380 acp ballistics with maximal loading and widely regarded as adequate. The 1860 Army .44 was designed to be capable of stopping a horse in battle despite its maximal loading having only moderate power by contemporary standards. This charge was also reduced by Colt twice: first from 60 grains down to 50 grains from the Walker to the Dragoon pistol, then from 50 down to 40 (compressed) for the New Model Army. Often these guns were loaded much less than their maximum, which would tend to confirm that much less power than currently assumed is ballistically adequate for the roles these guns served (personal defense, hunting, warfare).