777 For a Revolver

[Matthew Temkin]

I have several revolvers. A Ruger Old Army. Colt in both .36 and .44 and an Remington 1858 by Uberti.
Can I use 777 powder--which I assume is intended for rifles--in these guns?

 

[perldog007]

I wouldn't use it in the Colts if they were 'originals' but would in the Ruger. With caution on the Uberti from what I've read. Personally I've read some impressive reports of ballistic results using t7. Hovey Smith and friends are taking wild hogs with 1858 repros and T7 behind Kaido's Universal Bullet Design flat point slug.

Me? I want .45 Colt ballistics out of my .44s' and small game performance out of my .36s'. So I'm not that inclined to experiment. Many have though and that's their preference.

Here is some data one enthusiast/instructor posted - http://poconoshooting.com/blackpowderballistics.html

 

[rodwha]

Yes you can use it in your revolvers. And if you read the loading data carefully you'll see that there has been misconceptions at to needing to reduce the powder charge for safety or the mildly compress the powder. The reduction is to recreate the velocity of weaker black powders (it gives similar velocity compared to Swiss and Olde Eynsford) and the mild compression is for loading cartridges.

 

[Matthew Temkin]

Thanks guys.
BTW--none of the Colts are originals.

 

[45 Dragoon]

Hovey hunts with a Walker (the Super Walker!) loaded with maximum 777 and Kaido bullets as well.

(It has a cap post as well for those fast follow up shots!! (Amongst other stuff! Lol))

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks

 

[72coupe]

I like it a lot.

 

[DD4lifeusmc]

T7 is just fine in any good confition reproduction revolver. as long as it is revolver grade.

The warning to reduce amount is not about safety or over pressure.
IE if you use holy black 30 grains and 140 gr RB and get 900 fps
to reasonably duplicate the 900 to maintain your poa // poi
they suggest lowering the 30 gr by 10% or only about 27 gr.

Me never worried about it. Jut learn where the gun shoots.

Of course I am talking steel frame not brass.

 

[EljaySL]

I mostly use 777 when I shoot cap and ball revolvers. It works well for that application and if you're using one of the designs that doesn't deal well with fouling it gives you a little extra wiggle room since it doesn't produce quite so much gunk as real black.

 

[grter]

Personally I would not use full charge 777 in the Italian imports. I might use equivalent max capicity black powder charges but would not push the envelope by filling the cylinders to max capacity with the more powerful 777.

I honestly don't know how long it would last using those charges before things start to get loose. Maybe they would hold up just fine but I would not want to find out.

In the Ruger Old Army I would not worry one bit.

 

[rodwha]

Are you saying you also, then, wouldn't use a full charge of Swiss or Olde Eynsford? The numbers I've seen show them all quite comparable with those two BP slightly higher.

I use what's more accurate in my guns which isn't a full charge (30 grns in my NMA and 35 in my ROA with a 170 or 195 grn bullet).

 

[jmfc606]

I use full charges of 777 3F in my Ruger, a steel repro 1858 Rem 44 cal, and a steel repro Navy model 36 cal. In
my brass open top guns I usually shoot Pyrodex but I have used reduced loads of 777 3F also

 

[swathdiver]

Lest we forget, Triple 7, like other synthetic powders degrades over time. A can opened today will not shoot the same a year later.

 

[grter]

Are you saying you also, then, wouldn't use a full charge of Swiss or Olde Eynsford? The numbers I've seen show them all quite comparable with those two BP slightly higher.

I use what's more accurate in my guns which isn't a full charge (30 grns in my NMA and 35 in my ROA with a 170 or 195 grn bullet).

No I probably wouldn't at least not very often. They are hot powders.

I don't think they are dangerous to use and yes I know some very hot powders were used during the civil in revolvers and other firearms made from considerably inferior steel than even todays soft steel italian copies but I think over time it will beat on the softer steel italian guns.

Has anyone here shot their cap an ball revolvers repeatedly over a large period of time using full charges of those hot powders maybe they can answer as to how long it takes for the revolvers to show wear? I would like to know myself.

I have put about 1000 shots through a new model army (.44) over time using mainly 30 to 35 grains of pyrodex and also a good amount of 30 grain pyrodex pellets , some of them crushed or broken which is a big big no no (I know better now than to be thrifty with broken pellets.) I have to say pyrodex pellets are pretty hot and I don't buy that they are equivalent to 30 grains of black or pyrodex powder. Over time there was really no considerable wear and cylinder lockup is still tight however it does not have "drum tight lockup" unchanged from when it was brand new. Saying that would be stretching things a bit.

It held up well and was what I would consider broken in.

 

[yugorpk]

FFFG Triple 7 . Its all I use and I pack the cylinders full.The Rugers...yeah , no wear on those. None. The 30 year old Pietta 1858 ran most of its life on BP FFFG packed full. Then its gone to T7 FFFG and it still works like it always did and nothing looks funny.

 

[45 Dragoon]

It's not so much the material in the revolvers, it's how they are set up and to what tolerances are set to that will keep them from beating themselves to junk. A new revolver may last 50 rounds before being reduced to "paper weight " status or they may last a long time (lucky!!). Purposely fitted, set up and timed can turn the would be "paper weight" into a machine that will last a lifetime and more. Even with full house loads. A sledge hammer that can't be moved, won't do any damage!!

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks

 

[Fingers McGee]

I've always gone to the powder makers data to determine a starting point to work up loads.

http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/muzzleloading_manual_2008.pdf?CHECKBOX_1=on

 

[rodwha]

Note what it says at the top right of the load data:

*EDIT*

Apparently copy and paste didn't work. It says both T7 and Pyrodex were designed to create the same pressures as BP by volume. With that statement there shouldn't be a concern about reduced loads for safety, which is how their load data goes, which is to say that it only states to reduce to achieve BP velocities and not for safety.