.32cal deringer fodder

[Snowdog]

I posted this in the BP forum as well, but there's hardly and traffic there as 3 days turned out 0 replies. Hopefully this will yield better results (sorry mods, but the BP forum is about as active as a Southern Baptist bookstore in Tehran).

I just ordered a deringer that looks a lot like the picture below except the barrel is of brass as well as the frame. It's a .32 caliber according to FAC (where I ordered it from).

I understand having a brass barrel will restrict this pistol from any serious work, but what might be considered a normal load for it?

Perhaps a 00 buckshot pellet over 10 grains of FFFG?

I plan to use it only for play, and possibly to dispatch any rodents or crows I happen across.

I was also wondering if itis common for people to use 6-7 1/2 birdshot in lieu of a single projectile for snakeshot (or miceshot in my case). I don't know for certain, but I'd wager this is a smoothbore.
It looks fun, anyway... can hardly wait for it to arrive.

Thanks for any opinions/information.

 

[blue86buick]

I don't know how much experience you have with BP shooting, but I just got in myself (saturday ). From what I've read, FFG is used for rifles, and FFFG is used for pistols. My rifle takes up to 150 grains of FFG, so who knows how much to use in a pistol. (sorry, I know that doesn't tell you anything). Since you have access to the breech to push out a squib load, you could try really light loads, and work up 1-2-3 grains at a time. AFA the 00 buck, if that size fits well, patch it and use it. AFA birdshot, that sounds like fun, but I have no idea if it'd work. I'm not sure what else you could/would use, but like I said, I just got into BP when I got my first BP gun saturday, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

BTW, where did you get that, and how much was it? I might order one myself if it was a good price.

 

[Nick96]

Are you sure the barrel is brass? That would be very unusual (the one in the photo is obviously steel). Brass frames are common - but not barrels.

I've heard (but never tried it or ever would) that you can't load enough black powder in a barrel/cylinder to blow it up. Pretty slow burning stuff. The gradings on black powder have to do with how well granulated (for lack of a better term) the powder is. The more F's the faster it burns. F & FF is for large caliber rifles (.50 cal+). FFF is recommended in pistols and revolvers. FFFF is fine powder for use as primer powder in flintlocks.

You need to get yourself a powder measure. The chart I have for .32 cal BP pocket revolvers and single shot pistols is 7 grains of FFF for typical target shooting up to a maximum of 12 grains - using a mini ball only, not a conical bullet. The problem with buck or bird shot in such a short barrel would be getting enough packing material in front of it to provide good powder compression (you don't want any air space in the barrel behind the projectile with black powder) and keep everything from falling out the barrel. I'd stick with mini balls only.

I think I'd stick with 7 grains in a little pistol like this. By way of comparison, repro .36 & .44 caliber Civil War era Colt & Remington revolvers typically run 16 to 30 grains - with the really big and heavy .44 Colt Walker's and Dragoon's going as high as 50 grains (the "Magnums" of the black powder era). DO NOT use modern powders - only black powder or Pyrodex. Modern fast burning powders WILL blow up the gun.

It's also good practice to run a swab through the barrel after each shot to remove any smoldering powder residue (you don't want to be pouring gun powder over a bit of smoldering charcoal). Be sure to thoroughly clean the gun after shooting with (yes) hot soapy water - then lightly oil. Remove the nipple (cone) and thoroughly clean it and all the screw threads too. Black powder is very dirty shooting - but the percussion caps are especially corrosive - and will turn your pretty little pistol into a rusty and pitted thing in nothing flat.

 

[Snowdog]

Thanks for the replies... I wasn't sure if anyone knew anything about these Deringers.

I know the basics of black powder as I have put both my .50 CVA Hawkens and Pietta 1858 .44 Remington (steel frame) through their paces over the past ten years. Though they're no fun cleaning, I'd venture to say that when it comes to "fun-factor" black powder shooting ranks near the top.
Thanks for the precautionary pointers though, one can never be too careful.

As for cleaning, I'm guessing this little pistol will be a bit easier than my all steel 1858, which has claimed many a Windex bottle in it's time.

The odd thing is that the picture of the 1852 Colt Deringer sold by Federal Arms Corp shows a brass barrel as well as a brass frame. They also sell a steel rifled insert to legally convert it to a .22LR (as there is no law yet on the books prohibiting one from converting a BP firearm to fire cartridge rounds).

I am thinking about using a deprimed .32 H&R Mag case to "cookie cut" dense cardboard to serve as the wadding for the shot. I will be chronographing what this little beastie is capable of, both with ball and shot.

As for the price, I believe I paid $70 for it, and the rifled steel .22LF insert with instructions and copy BATF current standing on conversions.
It has yet to arrive... perhaps by next Friday.

 

[blue86buick]

I don't, but I can fake it.

That picture is silver shiny, but that doesn't mean it's steel...it could be plated with something.

I agree with the "fun factor", I went out to the range Monday with some friends, and the gun I kept picking up and shooting was my (new to me) .50 cal in-line muzzleloader. There's just something about dropping everything down the barrel, then that BOOM, then the cloud of smoke that has to dissipate before you can see if you hit your target....it's heaven.