ruger old army can be loaded to 44mag velocity - Page 2

mykeal · December 2, 2009, 08:20 AM

Yep.

Quote:

Is that 40 grains volume equivalent of BP (this would be the standard recommendation) or is that 40 grains actual charge weight?
A Lee dipper designed to throw 40 grains (39.8 really) -by volume, presumeably - of FFFg will throw just over 30 - again, grains by volume I presume -of 777. A full 40 grains - by weight or volume? -of 777 is equivalent to about 51-52 grains - by weight or volume? -of FFFg. 45 would equal 60 of BP.

darkgael · December 2, 2009, 11:59 AM

Tarnation!
Grumble. Grumble.

Quote:

Quote:
Is that 40 grains volume equivalent of BP (this would be the standard recommendation) or is that 40 grains actual charge weight?
A Lee dipper designed to throw 40 grains (39.8 really)actual weight of the 2.5cc volume -by volume, presumeably - of FFFg will throw just over 30 grains actual weight- again, grains by volume I presume -of 777. A full 40 grains - by weight or volume? by weight -of 777 is equivalent to about 51-52 grains - by weight or volume? Yes. -of FFFg. 45 grains of 777 by weight would equal 60 grains by weight of FFFg BP.

Gettin' hard to read, ain't it?
Maybe we could complicate it a bit more?
The 3.4 CC dipper throws an actual weight of 50 grains of FFg BP. It throws an actual weight of 38 grains of FFg 777. 45 grains by weight of FFg 777 without being shook down fills a 4.0CC Lee dipper which throws 58 grains of FFg BP.
So...when someone says that they loaded 40 grains of 777, are they reading the 40 off the side of a powder measure or off the balance beam of a scale? It's not always clear. Like this post.
Pete

B.L.E. · December 2, 2009, 08:17 PM

40 grains by volume is about all a ROA chamber will hold and still leave enough room to seat a roundball, let alone a bullet. I don't think there is any way you could get 40 grains by weight of 777 into a ROA and still seat a bullet.

Erich · December 2, 2009, 08:39 PM

I've got a friend who's done very interesting things with a ROA. I'm quite impressed with the gun - think I'll stick with that.

arcticap · December 2, 2009, 08:57 PM

Here's a Dixie Gun Works review of 190 grain .457 Buffalo Ballets by TFL's own author in residence mec who states that they can reach 1066 FPS when fired from a Ruger Old Army loaded with the volume equivalent of 40 grains of 777.
Maybe that's not equivalent to the .44 mag. but it certainly rivals and exceeds some .44 special loadings.

Quote:

This is a 190 grain swaged bullet with cupped base and a hatch-mark bullet retention pattern on the bearing surface. They are coated with some sort of lubricant- probably moly. The nose is rounded like a ball to gain optimum fit to loading rams the base is rebated to allow the bullets to seat in the chambers. Seating is in a straight line with no more distortion than desirable and the same for all bullets.

This one is sized .457 and should work in Ubert Chambers-Possibly a bit large for pietta but will likely work in those too. I ordered them for the Ruger Old Army- a revolver set up around .457" balls and bullets. They loaded in a straight line and the optimum load provided a five shot group of 1.8" at 60 feet. Best consistency among loads tested was identical volume of Hodgdon's H777 to 40 grains of black powder.
Chronographed velocity/ calculated energy was:

40Gr./Vol. H 777 1066 fps 51fps spread 479ft/lbs

Other combinations provided good accuracy but larger extreme spreads. These bullets in both this diameter and 36 are as accurate or almost as accurate as round ball and provide optimum downrange energy

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product...reviews_id=566

CraigC · December 2, 2009, 09:59 PM

Methinks a 190gr .45 at 1066fps is still a far cry from Skeeter's 7.5gr Unique under a 250gr Keith bullet for 950fps.

Malamute · December 5, 2009, 11:04 PM

So, how much 777 can be crammed into the Ruger chambers with a conical bullet? Whats the top velocity? I've been curious since seeing this thread.

I looked up the old 44 mag factory info, I was mistaken, it's 1570 FPS w/ 240 gr bullet. That's likely shot in an 8 3/8" barrel, but I didnt look it up, it may be a 6 1/2".

B.L.E. · December 6, 2009, 09:40 AM

My ROA chambers hold 48.8 grains of water/44.9 grains of Goex fffg completely filled to the top.
A bullet that weighs 240 grains would most probably allow only 30, maybe 35 grains of black powder max.

The only way I can possibly see a ROA equalling a .44 Magnum would be if smokeless powder was used with a cartridge conversion cylinder and you loaded "Ruger only" .45 long colt loads for it.
Smokeless powder does not behave well with percussion caps for ignition.

andrewstorm · December 10, 2009, 02:05 AM

my roa will hold 37 gr of 777 and a 255 gr hornady cowboy bullet,compressed,and about 47 grains 777 and a 190 gr buffalo bullet,kicks like hell,sounds like thunder,I use the fff 777 fresh as i can find,I dont know if my gun had the chambers deepend,here In michigan,alot of people hunt with R O A durin the muzzy season,im goin tomory evnin,well however fast the led is flyin,it drops these michigan thumb deer out to 60 yrds or so.

andrewstorm · December 12, 2009, 12:13 AM

ive just read a thread about a roa that produces a 1350fps and 900 fpe now thats factory 44 mag teritory aint it?,go to the hi road r o a heavy load.classic ballistics,devoleped the data.

Raider2000 · December 12, 2009, 06:16 AM

From http://www.clementscustomguns.com/rugerrevolvers.html

.50 Cal. Ruger Old Army: This is a 5-shot conversion of the Old Army to .50 caliber. Gun will shoot .490" round balls @ 1250 fps "616 fpe" and a 250 gr. .488" dia. bullet @ 1150 fps "733 fpe" using Hodgdon's Triple 7 powder. Standard features include an oversize 5 shot cyl. made to fit your individual gun, 6 3/4" straight taper bull barrel made from a Kreiger blank with pinned blade front sight base, (fixed sight conversions will have a dovetailed front sight), action job, and reliability modifications. Load data furnished. We pioneered this conversion and it is only available from us. Cylinders are linebored for accuracy. $995 on your gun. Extra .50 cal. cyl. furnished with conversion $500
For 6 3/4" octagon barrel with integral front sight base and dovetailed blade add $300.
Fixed or adjustable sight guns are suitable for this conversion.
The 6 3/4" barrel is the only length available for this conversion.
Ruger has recently discontinued the Old Army. Conversion is only available on customer supplied guns.

Complete bullet mold dimensions are furnished with each gun.

Riot Earp · December 12, 2009, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Ruger has recently discontinued the Old Army.

Well, sort of.

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=54066
http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/view...ght=ruger+army
http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/view...ighlight=armys
http://www.rugerforum.org/phpBB/view...b58cf9d2a222e3

December 5, 2009, 11:04 PM	#32
Malamute Senior Member Join Date: June 6, 2004 Location: Rocky Mts Posts: 859	So, how much 777 can be crammed into the Ruger chambers with a conical bullet? Whats the top velocity? I've been curious since seeing this thread. I looked up the old 44 mag factory info, I was mistaken, it's 1570 FPS w/ 240 gr bullet. That's likely shot in an 8 3/8" barrel, but I didnt look it up, it may be a 6 1/2". __________________ "Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt-

December 12, 2009, 12:13 AM	#35
andrewstorm Junior member Join Date: October 4, 2009 Posts: 198	r o a as mag ive just read a thread about a roa that produces a 1350fps and 900 fpe now thats factory 44 mag teritory aint it?,go to the hi road r o a heavy load.classic ballistics,devoleped the data.

December 2, 2009, 08:17 PM	#28
B.L.E. Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2008 Location: Somewhere on the Southern shore of Lake Travis, TX Posts: 2,603	40 grains by volume is about all a ROA chamber will hold and still leave enough room to seat a roundball, let alone a bullet. I don't think there is any way you could get 40 grains by weight of 777 into a ROA and still seat a bullet.

December 2, 2009, 08:39 PM	#29
Erich Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Albuquerque, NM, USA Posts: 2,543	I've got a friend who's done very interesting things with a ROA. I'm quite impressed with the gun - think I'll stick with that.

December 2, 2009, 09:59 PM	#31
CraigC Junior member Join Date: November 28, 2001 Location: West Tennessee Posts: 4,300	Methinks a 190gr .45 at 1066fps is still a far cry from Skeeter's 7.5gr Unique under a 250gr Keith bullet for 950fps.

December 6, 2009, 09:40 AM	#33
B.L.E. Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2008 Location: Somewhere on the Southern shore of Lake Travis, TX Posts: 2,603	My ROA chambers hold 48.8 grains of water/44.9 grains of Goex fffg completely filled to the top. A bullet that weighs 240 grains would most probably allow only 30, maybe 35 grains of black powder max. The only way I can possibly see a ROA equalling a .44 Magnum would be if smokeless powder was used with a cartridge conversion cylinder and you loaded "Ruger only" .45 long colt loads for it. Smokeless powder does not behave well with percussion caps for ignition.

December 12, 2009, 06:16 AM	#36
Raider2000 Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 719	From http://www.clementscustomguns.com/rugerrevolvers.html .50 Cal. Ruger Old Army: This is a 5-shot conversion of the Old Army to .50 caliber. Gun will shoot .490" round balls @ 1250 fps "616 fpe" and a 250 gr. .488" dia. bullet @ 1150 fps "733 fpe" using Hodgdon's Triple 7 powder. Standard features include an oversize 5 shot cyl. made to fit your individual gun, 6 3/4" straight taper bull barrel made from a Kreiger blank with pinned blade front sight base, (fixed sight conversions will have a dovetailed front sight), action job, and reliability modifications. Load data furnished. We pioneered this conversion and it is only available from us. Cylinders are linebored for accuracy. $995 on your gun. Extra .50 cal. cyl. furnished with conversion $500 For 6 3/4" octagon barrel with integral front sight base and dovetailed blade add $300. Fixed or adjustable sight guns are suitable for this conversion. The 6 3/4" barrel is the only length available for this conversion. Ruger has recently discontinued the Old Army. Conversion is only available on customer supplied guns. Complete bullet mold dimensions are furnished with each gun.