Well, none of it is mine. But when I first got my ROA I looked at it and thought the cylinder sure seemed close to the size of modern cylinders and figured standard .45 Colt loads (400-450 ft/lbs) should be achievable. But when I asked around, mostly on traditional forums, I kept getting the answers of it being woefully inadequate and barely able to achieve .38 Spl performance levels (200-250 ft/lbs). And so I kept looking and eventually found that this was true if one used the standard powders. Using an energetic powder one can achieve much more, and what I was looking for as I needed my sidearm to be effective and humane.
From the chronographed results I’ve seen my NMA using a bullet and a 30 grn charge of 3F Olde E or Triple 7, which weighs 33 grns, I can achieve roughly standard .45 ACP performance (350-425 ft/lbs). To me a bullet achieving at least 300 ft/lbs (.44 Spl performance) is doable and humane. And it’s not really the foot pound numbers, but the velocity with the mass I’m looking for. Foot pounds of energy is just a convenient and easy way to look at it. Really I feel the Taylor Knockout is a much better means of figuring effectiveness.