So..gf bought me a new gun

rparker762 · December 25, 2008, 12:14 PM

Hello all. First, let me say I am new to this forum and now new to bp shooting. My girlfriend bought me a 1851 Confederate Navy 44 cal bp revolver from Cabelas for Christmas. Sweet looking gun.My question is this. With the brass frame, I've read that I should use light loads to prevent damage to the frame. Cabelas reccommends no more than 25 gr of FFFg powder. What would y'all reccommend for balls and powder? What would y'all say is a good charge? Also she bought me .454 cal Hornday balls. Do I want .451 or will these work?

Hawg · December 25, 2008, 12:46 PM

.454 is best no matter what the pamphlet says. 20-25 grs. of powder unless you use 777 which is hotter. Put some crisco over the loaded balls, stick some prolly #10 caps on it and have a ball. Clean up with hot soapy water and don't use petroleum based lubes anywhere it can get into the chambers or bore.

mykeal · December 25, 2008, 12:46 PM

.454 will work fine. I recommend Goex real black powder, fffg granulation, if you can get it; KIK and Swiss real black powders are ok also. Pyrodex P, 777 fffg and other synthetic powders will work as well. Use 10 to 15% LESS 777 than the equivalent black powder load as it is more powerful. 25 grains of fffg real black or synthetic powder (or 22 gr of fffg 777) is the most I would use in a brass framed .44. I believe you'll achieve the best accuracy with 20 gr of fffg real black, however.

rparker762 · December 25, 2008, 02:57 PM

Thanks for the help! I hope to head out this weekend and see how it does. I already want to get another, but a steel framed pistol.

shortwave · December 25, 2008, 06:46 PM

Don`t know about b/p pistol,never had one. Keep the girlfriend though

.

kirpi97 · December 25, 2008, 06:54 PM

Oh boy, another one hooked! There seems to be an addiction of epic proportions with these black powder firearms.

Maybe I should contact President-elect Obama and have him appoint me as the new Black Powder Czar. The watchdog: Czar for Revolvers, Ammo, and Powder or CRAP.

Someone has to stop this madness. Wait a minute. I have to go reload.

Hawg · December 25, 2008, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Oh boy, another one hooked! There seems to be an addiction of epic proportions with these black powder firearms.

Specially with the .44 navies.

kirpi97 · December 25, 2008, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Specially with the .44 navies.

Oh, please let the .36 Navy count. I want to join the ranks.

Hawg · December 25, 2008, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Oh, please let the .36 Navy count. I want to join the ranks.

Of newbies? I said that because most of the newbs here all seem to have the brass framed .44 navy.

kirpi97 · December 25, 2008, 09:37 PM

You know, the second BP revolver I bought was a .44 Remmy with a brass block. It was my first .44 cal. I got it because the price was right. I paid about $65 for it. It is a nice revolver and the Scouts like shooting it. But for me, it is my .36 Remmy.

But where I live, if someone wants to buy a BP revolver, the brass block is the only thing available without going to a catalog. So it becomes the starter revolver for most.

December 25, 2008, 06:46 PM	#5
shortwave Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2007 Location: SOUTHEAST, OHIO Posts: 5,970	Don`t know about b/p pistol,never had one. Keep the girlfriend though.

December 25, 2008, 06:54 PM	#6
kirpi97 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Location: Oregon Posts: 236	Oh boy, another one hooked! There seems to be an addiction of epic proportions with these black powder firearms. Maybe I should contact President-elect Obama and have him appoint me as the new Black Powder Czar. The watchdog: Czar for Revolvers, Ammo, and Powder or CRAP. Someone has to stop this madness. Wait a minute. I have to go reload. __________________ The parting shot... "Those who hammer their guns into plows, will plow for those who do not." Thomas Jefferson

December 25, 2008, 12:14 PM	#1
rparker762 Member Join Date: December 25, 2008 Posts: 18	So..gf bought me a new gun Hello all. First, let me say I am new to this forum and now new to bp shooting. My girlfriend bought me a 1851 Confederate Navy 44 cal bp revolver from Cabelas for Christmas. Sweet looking gun.My question is this. With the brass frame, I've read that I should use light loads to prevent damage to the frame. Cabelas reccommends no more than 25 gr of FFFg powder. What would y'all reccommend for balls and powder? What would y'all say is a good charge? Also she bought me .454 cal Hornday balls. Do I want .451 or will these work?

December 25, 2008, 12:46 PM	#2
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	.454 is best no matter what the pamphlet says. 20-25 grs. of powder unless you use 777 which is hotter. Put some crisco over the loaded balls, stick some prolly #10 caps on it and have a ball. Clean up with hot soapy water and don't use petroleum based lubes anywhere it can get into the chambers or bore.

December 25, 2008, 12:46 PM	#3
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	.454 will work fine. I recommend Goex real black powder, fffg granulation, if you can get it; KIK and Swiss real black powders are ok also. Pyrodex P, 777 fffg and other synthetic powders will work as well. Use 10 to 15% LESS 777 than the equivalent black powder load as it is more powerful. 25 grains of fffg real black or synthetic powder (or 22 gr of fffg 777) is the most I would use in a brass framed .44. I believe you'll achieve the best accuracy with 20 gr of fffg real black, however.

December 25, 2008, 02:57 PM	#4
rparker762 Member Join Date: December 25, 2008 Posts: 18	Thanks for the help! I hope to head out this weekend and see how it does. I already want to get another, but a steel framed pistol.

December 25, 2008, 09:37 PM	#10
kirpi97 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Location: Oregon Posts: 236	You know, the second BP revolver I bought was a .44 Remmy with a brass block. It was my first .44 cal. I got it because the price was right. I paid about $65 for it. It is a nice revolver and the Scouts like shooting it. But for me, it is my .36 Remmy. But where I live, if someone wants to buy a BP revolver, the brass block is the only thing available without going to a catalog. So it becomes the starter revolver for most. __________________ The parting shot... "Those who hammer their guns into plows, will plow for those who do not." Thomas Jefferson