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Light load

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Forgive me asking instead of looking up old threads. I have a friend that after me trying to get him into muzzleloaders traded for a brass frame 51. He want to shoot it but wants lightest load possible. From memory I think I'm shooting 20 grains 3f in mine. Can you go lower and if so what would be lowest safe load? 454 balls are what I will be loading. Thanks
 
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Two big problems can arise from under loading a revolver.

1. The ball can stick in the barrel and or cylinder.

2. The balls can ricochet of the target, bouncing back and striking the shooter.
 
Thank you, I was thinking 15 grains with a filler was low end, but couldn't find notes on load. Target is cardboard on target stand or cans and/or plastic bottles. My regular plinking loads are not heavy, he will probably go to them after first cylinder? I just didn't want to guess and be too light.
 
15 to 18 grains with a corn meal over powder to fill the chamber would be my minimum recommendation.

Good suggestion. I loaded 18 grains in a 44 and shot a target on red oak block of wood, 40 feet. The bullet penetrated the block just enough it could be retrieved and used again. My biggest hang-up about target shooting, slinging lead and nothing to eat.
 
As a general rule don't shoot at anything the bullet won't go through and have a back stop that will capture it.
 
Trying to remember my light load ... pretty sure it was 20 or 22 grains 2F powder under corn meal that was filled to the cylinder mouth, then the .454 dia ball of pure lead. Sparked up with CCI # 11 caps.

As memory serves ... this load was very accurate in my Uberti 1860 Army with its 8 inch barrel. This is a light load that still has enough snoot to do what is needed with most targets AND small game.

Light recoil and fun fun fun. Clean when used with Old E powder. The corn meal helps keep it clean but the Old E powder is KING in my books being a little bit hotter then all except for maybe Swiss.

These are lubed OVER the ball that is seated just flush with the cylinder mouth.

Another way is to roll them with these same components into paper cartridges and then dip the ball end and about 1/8th inch down on the paper in melted SPG lube. These are rolled in Zig Zag cigarette papers on a carved mandril to make the cartridge paper case.

Nice thing about this powder charge is the ability to use the 20 to 22 grain spout on my old powder flask that I use for my 36 cal 1851 and 1861 revolvers.
 
Thank You Sir, I'm shooting 20 grains of 3f and to me it is a light load that works well for plinking. He has ask for lightest load to start out with. I just plink cans and plastic bottles so a heavy load is not needed. Load I'm shooting would work just want to load his first round like he ask. Not anyone else around that shoots blackpowder so if he likes it will have someone to make smoke with. Best friend died a few years ago, miss the company when shooting muzzleloaders.
 
Friend came over and we loaded his cap and ball revolver. He shot it some, wasn't impressed with loading process or cleaning. He is firmly sold on modern cartridge guns being all he needs. I bought his cap and ball revolver. Was hoping he would like shooting. He couldn't tell much difference between light load and my 20 grain load. Thanks again for the help.
 
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