Just got hold of a full box of old Rem/UMC factory .44 specials loaded with black powder. the box is in un-collectible shape so I experimented with them. They were loaded with an average of 25.5 Grains of Black Powder that appeared the same as Goex 3f. Charges over ten rounds weighed from 24.2-27 grains. the primers were dead so I replaced them with new remingtons and reassembled the cartridges. The bullet was 246 grains with a variation of 1.3 grains over five bullets.
I also loaded ten rounds with 25.5 Grains of Goex 3f from a new can with my charges varying no more than .1 grain.
Ten round averages with the old powder were 709 fps froma 4" Model 29 Extreme spread was 73 fps
The rounds loaded with goex averaged 762 with a 56 fps spread.
I fired two bench groups from a makeshift rest. both were loaded with the original powder On the first, I cleaned the barrel after ever round. It went 3". On the next I fired all five without cleaning which was the right thing to do because keeping the gun on the rest increased my consistency and the group was 2.1 inches. This is very close to what I get with smokeless factory and handloads from that revolver.
I fired the revolver 30 times without cleaning anything but the barrel and the gun was still operating smoothly at the end of the session.
The only visible difference in the powder whichis probably from about 1920 was that there was considerable black dust-like material that would kind of float in the air and show up on white paper. I would guess graphite but it could just as well be sulphur. The goex didn't have that. both had a detectible number of extra small flakes mixed in. Both loads got more velocity than I have measured with 264 grain RN smokeless factory loads.
I have enough powder left from the old loads to try in a percussion revolver. I don't expect any surprises. Probably lower velocity than goex but not by a whole lot.
I also loaded ten rounds with 25.5 Grains of Goex 3f from a new can with my charges varying no more than .1 grain.
Ten round averages with the old powder were 709 fps froma 4" Model 29 Extreme spread was 73 fps
The rounds loaded with goex averaged 762 with a 56 fps spread.
I fired two bench groups from a makeshift rest. both were loaded with the original powder On the first, I cleaned the barrel after ever round. It went 3". On the next I fired all five without cleaning which was the right thing to do because keeping the gun on the rest increased my consistency and the group was 2.1 inches. This is very close to what I get with smokeless factory and handloads from that revolver.
I fired the revolver 30 times without cleaning anything but the barrel and the gun was still operating smoothly at the end of the session.
The only visible difference in the powder whichis probably from about 1920 was that there was considerable black dust-like material that would kind of float in the air and show up on white paper. I would guess graphite but it could just as well be sulphur. The goex didn't have that. both had a detectible number of extra small flakes mixed in. Both loads got more velocity than I have measured with 264 grain RN smokeless factory loads.
I have enough powder left from the old loads to try in a percussion revolver. I don't expect any surprises. Probably lower velocity than goex but not by a whole lot.
Mike
