load data for 44 navy

[Ammo Junky]

I got a bp brass framed revolver. The bbl is marked 44navy What powder / charg and what cal ball does a 44 navy use? What cap should it use? I have shot bp guns before, but I never owned one. I got the gun cheap becaus it didn't work. I found a broken sear/trigger spring. An order to mid way, a little work with a file and walla.
Thanks for the help. :)

[oldmaster111]

I have a brass framed 44 and shoot 25 to 27 grains of powder with a .451 or
a .454 ball. Wonder wad or grease or both, it's your choice. My revolver works well with #10 caps.:D

[Ammo Junky]

OM, by powder I assume you mean FFF? Your gun shoots .451 and .454? Is the gun intended for one or the other? Do you need a patch under the ball?
Thanks

[Easy E]

The .44s will work with either .451 or .454 balls. The ball is slightly larger than the chambers. When seating the ball a small ring of lead is shaved off. My Pietta 1860 works well with the .451 balls. Others may find the tighter fitting .454s work better (I believe Ruger recommends the .454 for their new army model)

You don't patch the ball in the traditional sense. Pour the powder charge into the chamber first. At this point some BP shooters like to use a felt wad over the powder. It's just a disk of hard felt, about .45" in diameter, usually treated with BP lube of some sort. You just press it into the chamber with a finger tip (I've used them in the past but no longer). Place a ball on top of the chamber and seat it with the rammer. You're not looking to crush it, just seat it firmly to compress the powder a bit. If you used the felt wad you're done. If not, top off the chamber with a dab of Crisco cooking grease. Just enough to fill out the top of the chamber.

[Ammo Junky]

The grease on the out side is how I have seen it done, but I think Ill try the wads. The bbl has some rust in the bore. Any suggestions?

Thanks

[oldmaster111]

Sorry my explanation wasn't complete enough. My two revolvers like the .451 ball, and as said before, some need a .454 and I believe the ruger revolvers use a .457 ball. Any how, as said before, I put the powder in the chanber, then a wad, then the ball. If you have a tight fitting ball, you really don't need grease on top of that. Some people I know also put in cream of wheat on top of their powder, then the wad, then the ball in order to get the ball closer to the forcing cone on the barrel. I haven't tried this, but have always had good luck the other way.

[Ammo Junky]

What is the grease for?

[Easy E]

The grease serves two functions.

1: Grease over the ball seals the chamber. This will help prevent a chain fire (hot gas flashing over from the firing chamber and igniting the adjacent chambers). However, a tight fitting ball will do this just fine. I believe the real danger of chain fire comes from loose fitting caps. keep 'em tight!

2: the grease keeps the powder fowling soft and easier to clean.

[Ozzieman]

I don’t use felt pads but even if I did I would still grease the end of the ball. When you shoot many rounds through the gun like I do at cowboy shoots your doing a lot of reloading and some times power gets in places other than the chamber and it’s hard to clean off. Any loose powder will fire when the gun is set off and having seen one gun set off two chamber at the same time and having been the recipient of the lead slivers I can guarantee you that you don’t want any thing to do with multiple fires.
I would recommend you use some form of grease even if you do use pads. I agree that Crisco works very well but it’s not easy to use and messy. There are many different kinds of grease available and I find that a company that makes “spitball” and “Spitpatch” work well and can be found in most gun stores that handle BP. Its much easer to use becouse it comes in a Toothpaste like tube.
If you want to stay traditional that’s fine but I can’t find any bear grease so I use spitball.
OH one more thing,,,,, there is one other advantage in using some kind of grease,,,,,,,,,
It make a lot more smoke and that’s cool,,, lets face it, if you didn’t want the smoke you wouldn’t be going to all the trouble using a smoke poll would you?:)

[Easy E]

YES. Lots of smoke is a good thing. :D

[Wayner]

Ozzieman, are you referring to "Hodgdon" Spitball and Spitpatch? Thought that was discontinued by Hodgdon. I used to use Hodgdon Spitball and Spitpatch and really liked it. I'd be happy if it was the Hodgdon lube brought back.