Swiss FFFG ... newbie redux...

[Afy]

Does one use it like regular Black Powder?

The stuff is about twice as expensive as normal BP....

What loads for 1858 New Army/1860 Colt Army/and of course the Walker...

and as usual... Merci beaucoup..

 

[Phillip Allen]

The Swiss powder will give higher velocity and weight volume for volume. I get 63 grains of Swiss for the same volume of about 60 grains of Goex...the velocity goes from about 1150fps in my 40-65 with the Goex to about 1300fps with the Swiss

I intend to use the Swiss 1 1/2Fg for competition regardless of cost...just the way the old cookie crumbles

 

[Afy]

I picked up the (3) FG is that the wrong kind?

 

[mec]

Its real black powder with more consistent grain size and more compresison in manufacture than goex or other blacks. Here's what I get with the 3f variety compared to goex in a couple of measures in regular use:
Flask type valve measure.
21 Grains Goex FFFg = 24 Grains Swiss
30 Goex =34 grains Swiss
35 Goex = 39 Swiss
40 Goex = 49.3 Swiss. (no wonder that remington was so hard to load)
The drop tube:
50 grain setting = 45.2 Goex and 52 Swiss
55 grain setting = 51.2 Goex and 57 Swiss
60 grain setting = 57 Goex and 64 Swiss.
even at equivalent weights, the swiss gets more velocity than goex . I've heard that people trying to find loads regulated for the old black powder double express rifles have to use Swiss 1.5 fg to get the barrles to shoot together- making it appear that swiss may be equivalent to high grade 19th century powders used to regulate the barrels.

It may be that swiss deposits less fouling in the rifle barrels. I cant tell any difference in pistols and revolvers and accuracy seems to be the same.

If you're shooting a revolver or rifle of 50 caliber or smaller, 3f is the right stuff to get. Load performance well vary depending on variables among individual guns and loading techniques but you can use the published or proven charges just as you would with goex or a substitute.. You might be able to find some comparisons by searching this forum or, if you want, by buying this book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/05...2748?_encoding=UTF8http://www.yahoo.com/?rs=1

 

[Plink]

3F is the right kind for your revolvers. Since it's more powerful than Goex, you might back off your loads about 10-15% and work up a new load for accuracy. It burns a lot cleaner too. Good choice.

 

[Afy]

So the paper targets will die quicker with Swiss in my case...

I only have a single 357 mag empty case... approx 22 grains, an empty 45 auto case... unkown measure. And a fixed spout which is supposed to throw 24 grains in my arsenal...