Chrony Results on '51 Navy & H&R

[Foto Joe]

Back out to the range this morning with the rest of the toys I brought with me.

The results on the Navy were less than spectacular on speed but the consistancy for a front stuffer was outstanding. Even though the extreme spread was 50 that was caused by only one punky load, the rest were within 5 to 15 fps, not bad for cap and ball. Given that the Navy is a brassy this is about as good as it gets for this gun. But on the other hand it's a plinker that doesn't eat much powder and it's fun to shoot.

1851 Confederate Navy Brass loaded with 16gr Goex 3f with 15gr by volume Corn Meal filler, .454 RB with no lube.
Average Velocity: 640
Extreme Spread: 50
Average Impact Energy: 128 ft. lb.

The H&R on the other hand I would like to see better numbers from. Unfortunately I'm going to have to drop the charge a little to see if I can stop from ballooning primers so the numbers will probably go down from here. Would this make a good self defense gun?? Maybe in a knife fight but that would be about it. Sure is easy to carry though.

I think the extreme spread of 75 was probably caused by a blown primer as I did have one that the hammer pierced.

38 S&W loaded with 10gr 3f Swiss and a 145 RNFP Black Dawge bullet lubed with SPG.
Average Velocity: 594
Extreme Spread: 75
Average Impact Energy: 114 ft. lb.

Take the numbers for what they're worth, your mileage may vary.

 

[BHP FAN]

Try it with 777 . I'd be real interested in seeing those results!

 

[Malamute]

Have you shot any full power loads in the Navy? I think they will take about 30 grs with a ball.

 

[Oyeboten]

I just read that 'Federal' Primers are regarded as 'soft'.


Maybe try a different brand of Primers for Mr. H & R.


Are the Bullets real soft? Pure Lead? And a good fit to the Bore?

I would think you would want them to be all three.


The 'flattened' Primers I was getting in my BP .45 Colt Cartridges, were 'Federal' Brand.

They worked just fine in every other way, but, I kind of did a double take seeing them flattened out like that.



Too, for what it's worth, look over the diameters of the Primer Pocket 'flash hole' which communicates into the Cartridge Case, and see if any are deviant for diameter.

If that hole is over large, you could get a blown Primer I imagine.

 

[MCgunner]

I load 20 grains equivalent of 777 behind a .44 round ball or 16 grains behind a 220 Lee conical in my brass navy. I won't go any hotter. I have an ROA if I want power, or any number of cartridge guns. I bought my gun for fun, not to actually use. It would kill, though, at that power level. I haven't chronographed it, but I suspect maybe 200 ft lbs out of my loads. Your load is VERY light. Cabela's recommends 25 grains fffg as a max with RB, but I'm a little careful with 777 as it makes more pressure. Someone here said to go 15 percent below the fffg load and I'm below that level, so I feel safe that I won't unduly wear the thing out like I did a previous brass .44 Navy.

 

[Foto Joe]

I've never shot full loads in the brass Navy, just haven't felt the need to. It makes a big enough boom and enough smoke to keep my happy. If I want to get serious I shoot the Dragoon or the Peacemaker.

By the way, before leaving AZ on Sunday, I made a deal with a local shop that had bought too many Uberti Schofields. I put money down on a .44 Russian which I need like a hole in the head but I couldn't pass it up for the price. Once I get back down to AZ next month and get my local ID I'll pick it up and see how that one likes BP.

 

[batjka]

I think 16gr of FFFG behind a large conical was a typical paper cartridge load as issued during the Civil War. Noting to sneeze at, but nothing to be excited about either. Got the job done, though

 

[Foto Joe]

What you need to keep in mind was that during that period as well as today, wounding an enemy was preferrable to killing said enemy outright. A wounded soldier took at least three enemy combatants off the field where as a dead one only took one.

Also, in the 19th century, even a "Flesh Wound" was a life threatening event given the medical technology of the day.