BP .36 and .44 calibers and modern smokeless energy equivalents

[ltetmhs]

Walker - .44 mag

I guess I fell for some bad information from someone who was a little to proud of his gun. I found it hard to believe myself, but that is one big gun. Plus, I said close. But, is it true that a bp gun w/ the same energy would have less percieved recoil b/c of burn rate?

 

[Pulp]

Comparing two .44-40 cartridges, one loaded with Tite-Group and one loaded with BP and both producing the same velocity, the BP will kick harder. At least in revolvers. The reason is it takes 30-35 grains of BP, as opposed to 5.5 grains of Tite-Group. Your setting roughly 6 times as much powder into motion with the good stuff, hence more felt and actual recoil.

On the other hand, those that are fortunate enough to have big bore single shots say the recoil from smokeless is a sharp punch and from the good stuff a push. I can verify that is true when comparing smokeless and BP shotgun loads.

So I reckon this has been a very long way to say recoil is not a reliable measure of power.

 

[Gun Slinger]

After reading this thread with great interest I was wondering if there was any 'set standard' for what the 1861 Navy can be expected to do in terms of a "maximum velocity" when pushing an 79-80 gr. .375 RB over a maximum load of powder?

While I realize that each gun is a "law unto itself", I have been operating under the impression that the average "ball-park" maximum performance to be expected of a 1861 Navy is in the ~850 fps/128 fps range. Is this a realistic expectation?

Thanks for any input,

 

[mykeal]

From the Gun Digest Blackpowder Loading Manual 4th edition by Sam Fadala, page 232, the Colt Second Generation 1851 Navy with 20 gr of Pyrodex P under a .375 80 gr Hornady round ball and a grease chamber seal will produce 809 fps MV and 116 fpe ME.

Mike Cumpston in Percussion Pistols and Revolvers, History, Performance and Practical Use, reported on page 103 substantially higher numbers: with 22 gr of Pyrodex P under the same .375 80 gr rb he got 1092 fps MV.

 

[Gun Slinger]

mykeal,

Thanks.

OK. So somewhere between 809 fps and 1092 fps. That narrows it down somewhat...

Seems like each gun being a "law unto itself" rings true afterall.

Regards,