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Old November 8, 2012, 04:48 PM   #26
Malamute
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Curious about the several comments about a "full 40 gr charge", when the Dragoons should take 50grs. Mine has room left over when loaded with 50.


Quote:
....This load, unfortunately, is just strong enough to drop the loading lever almost every time.....Some guys just twist one of those ladies stretchy hair elastic thingies or a rubber band around the barrel/loading lever to combat the LL drop.
Being a 'real man', I just deal with it.....LOL!
Um, why not just fix it? A heavier spring can be used, or some put a small stell ball bearing or piece of shot in under the spring to stiffen it up.


I can't imagine that it would be that hard to kill a deer with a Dragoon. Back in the day, the Dragoons were used for killing buffalo from horseback, and considered a good tool for the job. Audubon killed a buff that was about to overtake him on foot once, it was so close it burned the hair on its head at the shot. Killed it dead with the one shot though. There was also a report from Wyoming in the 1850's of a cavalry detachment that had cornered a grizzly and they had shot it several times with 36 cal Navies, without effect. Another guy came up with a Dragoon and killed it with two shots. When they skinned it, the discovered that the 36 cal balls hadn't penetrated far enough to do fatal damage, tho the Dragoon certainly had.

I'm planning on using my Dragoon to shoot deer, and a buffalo one day.
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Last edited by Malamute; November 8, 2012 at 05:06 PM.
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Old November 8, 2012, 04:59 PM   #27
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Ben Towe: Probably more deer were killed with the old 44/40 than any other round except maybe the 30-30. The 44/40 had a 40 grain charge of black powder but the velocity was higher shot out of a carbine versus a pistol. Custer- in his book my "Life on the Plains" spoke of using just a plain old 1860 Army to ride up beside a buffalo and shoot it at point blank range.
I don't know what it is about that soft lead ball but it seems to defy logic in how it kills. The foot/lbs of muzzle energy used with most modern arms don't seem to apply.
so....I'd say at a VERY close range with a 40 grain charge, placed where it doesn't have to plow through a shoulder- should be okay.
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Old November 8, 2012, 11:38 PM   #28
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Curious about the several comments about a "full 40 gr charge", when the Dragoons should take 50grs. Mine has room left over when loaded with 50.

Mine takes a full 50 of Pyrodex with a little room left over; but accuracy suffers. 40-45 is my best accuracy, so that's what I usually use.

Um, why not just fix it? A heavier spring can be used, or some put a small stell ball bearing or piece of shot in under the spring to stiffen it up.

Haven't got around to it yet. I have like twenty other BP pistols to shoot and the Dragoon has only made it out to the range twice.
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Old November 9, 2012, 12:22 AM   #29
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I'm jealous of your gun pile.
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Old November 9, 2012, 09:30 AM   #30
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Gunbroker is your friend......
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Old November 9, 2012, 11:43 AM   #31
davem
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Sorry if I was misunderstood, if you have a dragoon then go ahead and cram as much powder in it as it will hold. I was just pointing out that the 44/40 had a 40 gr black powder charge and killed plenty of deer, and I realize that the bullet was a lot heavier than a round ball and shot out of a lever action rifle, the velocity higher; still, Custer did claim to have killed buffalo (probably females) on many occasions with an Army 1860 at point blank range.
Many years ago I was sitting against a tree (I'm right handed) with my rifle resting on my lap and a buck came in on the "wrong" side- my right. The only way I could shoot it was to slowly move my rifle around and try to shoot left handed- the only trouble was I was in the thickets and the buck was only about 8 yards from me. If I had a revolver I could have taken that deer. I started to move the rifle and got it about half way and the buck took off. After that I have often carried a pistol if I am on the ground, stump sitting.
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Old November 9, 2012, 01:26 PM   #32
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Gunbroker is your friend......
Finding them isn't the issue, paying for them is.
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Old November 9, 2012, 03:48 PM   #33
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Many years ago I was sitting against a tree (I'm right handed) with my rifle resting on my lap and a buck came in on the "wrong" side- my right. The only way I could shoot it was to slowly move my rifle around and try to shoot left handed- the only trouble was I was in the thickets and the buck was only about 8 yards from me. If I had a revolver I could have taken that deer.

I had the same thing happen a while back, and after the season ended ran right out and bought a Contender in .35 Rem.
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Old November 9, 2012, 03:50 PM   #34
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Finding them isn't the issue, paying for them is.

True statement.
Occasionally one slips through the cracks, though. Sometimes, twenty.
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Old November 9, 2012, 03:51 PM   #35
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BTW; how do you get the "quote" function to work on your posts? I don't seem to have one.
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Old November 9, 2012, 04:04 PM   #36
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Quote:
BTW; how do you get the "quote" function to work on your posts? I don't seem to have one.
Nevermind
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