So last Monday the son-in-law and I put Mr. Chrony in the truck and headed for the desert to find out exactly how fast some of this stuff flys when it leaves the barrel. The results were interesting, at least to me.
All powder weights shown are actual weight not volume. Filler weights are by volume only. CB pistol was using Goex 3f, 45LC RNFP is also Goex 3f but 45LC RB (Gallery Loads) are using Swiss 3f.
I'll start with the Uberti 1862 Police which was faster than I would have thought. Loaded with .375 RB, 15gr 3f and 5gr corn meal, no wad, no lube.
Average Velocity: 996
Extreme Spread: 94
Average Impact Energy: 176 ft. lb.
45LC loaded with .454 RB, 35gr 3f and 3gr corn meal, .060 veggie wad between powder and filler with a small amount of SPG lube scraped around the case mouth plus SPG rubbed onto the exposed portion of the RB.
Average Velocity: 1143
Extreme Spread: 81
Average Impact Energy: 406 ft. lb.
45LC loaded with .452 RNFP lead pre-lubed with SPG and 40gr 3f, .060 veggie wad over powder and no filler.
Average Velocity: 1065
Extreme Spread: 72
Average Impact Energy: 592 ft. lb.
What surprised me was the speed on all three. The 45LC for instance, I used to load smokeless for 800fps and call it good. I did not expect BP to be much faster than that. If I recall 1200fps is about all you can safely get out of 45LC. The Police I was also pleasantly surprised by and impressed that the extreme spread on a CB pistol was less than 100 fps. Next time I think I will compress the powder before loading the ball and see if I can get the spread down a little.
If anybody is interested, I have an Excel file that will calculate all the numbers for you including impact energy, average velocity etc. If your computer has Excel on it and you would like the file to use yourself, PM me with your email address and I'll send it to you.
Tomorrow we're gonna head back out into the kitty litter and see if I can miss my Chrony with the H&R and maybe a Navy, my son-in-law swears he won't shoot through the Chrony until I buy a bullet proof model.
All powder weights shown are actual weight not volume. Filler weights are by volume only. CB pistol was using Goex 3f, 45LC RNFP is also Goex 3f but 45LC RB (Gallery Loads) are using Swiss 3f.
I'll start with the Uberti 1862 Police which was faster than I would have thought. Loaded with .375 RB, 15gr 3f and 5gr corn meal, no wad, no lube.
Average Velocity: 996
Extreme Spread: 94
Average Impact Energy: 176 ft. lb.
45LC loaded with .454 RB, 35gr 3f and 3gr corn meal, .060 veggie wad between powder and filler with a small amount of SPG lube scraped around the case mouth plus SPG rubbed onto the exposed portion of the RB.
Average Velocity: 1143
Extreme Spread: 81
Average Impact Energy: 406 ft. lb.
45LC loaded with .452 RNFP lead pre-lubed with SPG and 40gr 3f, .060 veggie wad over powder and no filler.
Average Velocity: 1065
Extreme Spread: 72
Average Impact Energy: 592 ft. lb.
What surprised me was the speed on all three. The 45LC for instance, I used to load smokeless for 800fps and call it good. I did not expect BP to be much faster than that. If I recall 1200fps is about all you can safely get out of 45LC. The Police I was also pleasantly surprised by and impressed that the extreme spread on a CB pistol was less than 100 fps. Next time I think I will compress the powder before loading the ball and see if I can get the spread down a little.
If anybody is interested, I have an Excel file that will calculate all the numbers for you including impact energy, average velocity etc. If your computer has Excel on it and you would like the file to use yourself, PM me with your email address and I'll send it to you.
Tomorrow we're gonna head back out into the kitty litter and see if I can miss my Chrony with the H&R and maybe a Navy, my son-in-law swears he won't shoot through the Chrony until I buy a bullet proof model.