Using FFg in bp revolver

It's been about 30 years since i owned a bp revolver. All that i used in them back then was bp. I just bought a 1858 army and would like to know if there would be problem with using ffg pyrodex instead of fffg. There is no one around that sells bp and prodex is easier to find. Thanks for any information i can get.

buffalo bob said:

It's been about 30 years since i owned a bp revolver. All that i used in them back then was bp. I just bought a 1858 army and would like to know if there would be problem with using ffg pyrodex instead of fffg. There is no one around that sells bp and prodex is easier to find. Thanks for any information i can get.

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Mornin', Bob and welcome from all of us here! There are many different makes of Remington Model 1858 on the market, but all seem to like a diet of between 25 and 30gr of FFg and ball.

My Pietta likes around the upper level and is very accurate. It also shoots the same VOLUME of Pyrodex P, which is especially formulated for pistol use - hence the title - P stands for pistol.

Just remember that you have to clean up with Pyrodex just as fast as you do with regular BP - the myth that you don't have to clean up is just that. A pal's pitted ROA, left for a week uncleaned, is the proof of that little fallacy.

Best wishes and welcome to the best ML site on the planet.

tac
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund

Using 2f is fine but your velocities will be reduced as a result. If that doesn't concern you then there is no issues that should prevent you from using 2f BP or Pyrodex RS.

Don

I've used Holy Black & one of the subs in FFg with no problems at all. 27~29 Gr seems to be the sweet spot for most of these.
I did have a slight problem with one of the subs where the FFg grains were so big they wouldn't drop from one of my 2 measuring spouts. One won't handle them the other will so just check.
I solved that by dropping into a measure & then using that to transfer to the cylinder, its a safety step anyway, but if you don't visually observe the volume dropped it might cause accuracy problems.

thanks for the information. I have two bp rifles that i shoot, a bobcat that was cheap new but shoots fine and an a remington treehawk i got cheap.

B.B, just curious...why would you want to shoot 2f (Pyrodex RS=Rifle/shotgun) when you could shoot 3F (Pyro "P"=Pistol)?
RS will work, but your velocities will be lower, and you might be more apt to experience hangfires due to the size of the granules. As you may or may not know, Pyrodex has a deliberate higher flash point than real black and the "RS" is harder to ignite than "P".
Unless you can't get "P" I would recommend going that route.

the only reason for using 2f would be there is only one place that sells 3f and when they are out it takes a long time for them to get it back in. The only other places close by is 1 to 2 hours away

FWIW;
IMHO Pyrodex sux. It's fouling is corrosive & it goes bad after a couple years. I've been stocking up on Swiss 2F & 3F black & have enough of their 5F for my hissboomers to last. Again, it's just one man's opinion but I won't shoot any of the replica powders in my frontstuffers.

I've got Pyodex "P" and "RS" which are over ten years old, and it is shooting just as well today as the day that I bought it FWIW. :hmm:

I have never noticed Pyrodex being any better nor worse than regular black powder.

Dale

Wow! That's interesting & completely different from my experiences. :hmm: I've got some really old smokeless powders that I sometimes load cartridges with but Pyrodex that's set around for a couple years is useless.

It might be the climate the powder is stored in.
Here in Wyoming there is virtually no humidity, and I keep my powders in a closet in an unheated room, that does not get damp :hmm:

Where are you located

Dale

I'm in the Ozarks in NW Ar & we do have significant humidity here. That must be the difference.