Recommended Powder load

[Lakewood57]

I see different powder loads for Pietta 1851 New Army pistols.44 cal the book says 15 grains for a 454.Ball I have ordered .451 balls and a bottle of P type powder for pistols What amount of Of (P) powder is normal.
Thats in the Pietta book that came with the gun
tains
I have a small Cabelas book that says for (P) powder
Note from book a .45cal .440 ball use 35 Grains of (P) powder

Again I have a Pietta .44 with .451 round balls Im so confused//// to say the lease.

 

[Lunie]

The Cabela's data for a .45 cal using a .440 ball is likely referring to single shot pistols or rifles. If they are talking about revolvers, it should say .44 caliber and the ball size will be somewhere around .451", .454", or sometimes .457".

If your revolver has a brass frame, the manufacturer probably does list a 15 grain charge of black powder or Pyrodex. I'm assuming the (P) Powder you have is actually Pyrodex, a commercial substitute for black powder. It is a direct substitute when you use the same amount, measured by volume. Do you have something like an adjustable powder measure? And does your revolver have a brass frame?

 

[72coupe]

Lakewood your question is somewhat confusing. First off is a Remington New Army and is it brass frame or steel?

If it is an 1851 it would be a Navy replica which were originally in 36 caliber and the 15 grain charge would be correct. If it is one of the Piettas that is a reproduction of something that never was in 44 I don't know.

I assume (P) means Pyrodex which means you use the same volume of (P) as blackpowder.

 

[darkerx]

You can load any kind and any quantity of black powder (or substitute) without risks, provided:
-pure lead bullets
-no air between bullet and powder (or spacer if not a full load)

Now, for accuracy, 24grains are often better than full loads... you should try different bullet sizes and quantities of powder and check the group sizes when fired from a rest.

Have fun.

 

[Smokepole14]

If your revolver is a .44 cal you will need either .451 .454 or .457 round lead balls. As for the load it can vary. If your revolver is brass I would stay below .20 grains and steel frame you can go as high as 40 gr, but 30 is a good load. All powder measures are by volume not weight. Pyrodex is the only powder I know of that list as (P) and it will work fine.

 

[hso]

You can load any kind and any quantity of black powder (or substitute) without risks,

Please explain since it is counterintuitive that there is no unsafe loading.

 

[72coupe]

hso I have been told that if you use real black powder and a soft lead ball in a modern reproduction revolver you cannot get enough in the cylinder to be destructive.

I have tested this thousands of times and find it to be true.

 

[mykeal]

1) A revolver can safely be shot with full chamber loads of any black powder or black powder substitute. The operative word is 'safely'; the gun will not catastrophically destruct.

2) I would take exception to the use of 'without risks', however. A brass framed revolver, such as the OP likely has in this case, will certainly be damaged by repeated use of full chamber loads. It will eventually be rendered unsafe to shoot with any amount of powder by such abuse. Thus a brass framed revolver cannot:

load any kind and any quantity of black powder (or substitute) without risks

I suspect that is the explanation the moderator is suggesting.

 

[Skinny 1950]

If you loaded a .44cal. 1851 with a full cylinder of Triple Seven (BP Substitute) I don't know how safe it would be as 777 is more powerful than real black powder.

 

[darkerx]

Please explain since it is counterintuitive that there is no unsafe loading.

I have no opinion... I called the CIP proofhouses, and wrote to Pietta...
It is safe to use full chambers of swiss 1 in a brass framed rem...
777 is on par with swiss 1.

I agree with the other comments, though... Wear signs will probably appear faster with full loads.

 

[darkerx]

I precise: Trail Boss is NOT a black powder substitute...

 

[Lunie]

You can load any kind and any quantity of black powder (or substitute) without risks, provided:
-pure lead bullets
-no air between bullet and powder (or spacer if not a full load)

Now, for accuracy, 24grains are often better than full loads... you should try different bullet sizes and quantities of powder and check the group sizes when fired from a rest.

Have fun.

darkerx, your comment is too general, especially if it is taken to mean that any load is safe in weapons that are not revolvers, or if your advice were used for long pepperboxes, etc.



Depending on the design, condition, or other factors, a given charge of black powder topped with some type of lead projectile might not always be safe.

 

[darkerx]

darkerx, your comment is too general, especially if it is taken to mean that any load is safe in weapons that are not revolvers, or if your advice were used for long pepperboxes, etc.



Depending on the design, condition, or other factors, a given charge of black powder topped with some type of lead projectile might not always be safe.

This thread was about a Pietta .44 1851... so was my answer.

Anyway... when reading again my sentence, I must admit that I was wrong... "ANY" quantity is not safe... as TOO LITLE QUANTITIES ARE DANGEROUS!!! (those are the quantities that will leave a bullet in your barrel without you knowing it... the next bullet will destroy the gun)

 

[marvinl]

I have a peitta 44 brass navy colt and find that using a spent 357 brass as a measure. Works well also I use 454 round balls.

 

[marvinl]

Also. I never use anything but real black powder.