Pietta 1858 & Pyrodex

[Erik550c]

Hello,

New owner of a Pietta Remington 1858 New Army. I have a question about the proper powder charge. On the forums everyone said to use 40 grains of black powder (with the Pyrodex P equivalent being 32 grain). However, the Cabela's instruction that came with the gun said to use like 22 fffg? The gun also came with a Pietta manual that says to use 28 grain Pyrodex P. Three options here, what do I use?

 

[ZUG]

Are you sure - "On the forums everyone said to use 40 grains of black powder"??? You do not say if it is a steel or brass frame and I am guessing it is a .44 cal?
Go by what the manual says - they made the gun and tested it.
I only punch paper and I have never used more than 25 gr of 3F Goex in either my Colts or Remingtons.

My Ruger Old Army's I have used 35 gr of 3F Goex but not often - no need for me to use that much powder.

 

[Kansas Jake]

In my Pietta 1858's I shoot about 27 grains with a over powder wad and round ball. I have a flask that throws the the 27 grains and they shoot that load pretty well. I have shot less and if I carry the revolver when deer hunting I use about 35 grains. Those weights are by volumn in a black powder measure. I have not weighed the loads. That would be with both 3f black powder and Pyrodex RS.

 

[BullRunBear]

I can't recall anyone using 40 grs. of powder in an 1858. Not sure you can squeeze in that much and have room for the ball. I get my best accuracy in Pietta 1858s with about 25 grs. of 3F black powder or the equivalent volume of Pyrodex P.

Jeff

 

[Erik550c]

Steel frame and 44 cal. .454 rounds ball with an over/under wonder wad. I saw on a forum where about 10 people wrote back saying they use 40 fffg.

 

[Mean Gene]

I recommend going to youtube and bring up videos for 1858 remington. I own a colt replica and not a Remy but of all I have seen no one was shooting anything over 30 grains. Have fun and safe shooting.

 

[AUGUSTUS]

Hello,

New owner of a Pietta Remington 1858 New Army. I have a question about the proper powder charge. On the forums everyone said to use 40 grains of black powder (with the Pyrodex P equivalent being 32 grain). However, the Cabela's instruction that came with the gun said to use like 22 fffg? The gun also came with a Pietta manual that says to use 28 grain Pyrodex P. Three options here, what do I use?

I would just use the 28 grain spout with a steel-frame .44 and a .454 round ball. It will shoot this all day without wear. I always did with my Euroarms .44 1858 Remington 40 years ago.

I now have a Pietta .44 1858 Remington, and do likewise. While the manual that comes with it suggests 12-15 grains of BP as a load, it also states that 35 grains is a maximum load. That 12-15 grains is probably suggested because of their brass frame guns.

This steel solid-frame gun is quite strong, and I think that you could shoot 40 grains of BP in it all day long without wearing it at all. After all, with a conversion cylinder, it will safely handle smokeless factory .45 LC loads.

Perhaps the confusing factor here is weight versus volume? Pietta is talking actual weight in grains, and an equal volume of Pyrodex as BP weighs less. Pyrodex is designed so that equal volumes of BP and Pyrodex perform about the same.

So, 28 grains of FFFg or the same volume of Pyrodex P seems your best load for general shooting.

 

[Mean Gene]

I agree that the gun especialy a Remy could handle a 40grain but is it really worth waisting the powder. So as you were said 28gr is a good place to start and then you can adjust the amount up and down a bit.

 

[Zonie]

Steel frame and 44 cal. .454 rounds ball with an over/under wonder wad. I saw on a forum where about 10 people wrote back saying they use 40 fffg.

I'm not sure the chambers are big enough to hold that much powder along with the ball but if they said they are doing it, they might be. :hmm:

I will mention that the Lyman Black Powder Handbook only shows powder loads in the .44 cal revolver up to a 35 grain load.

Yes, they do show some loads up to 45 grains of powder but those are being used in the Colt Walker which is a much larger (4 1/2 pound) pistol.

In any case, I think using that much powder would be a waste if accuracy is what your after.

The Lyman book shows a difference of 67 feet per second increase by increasing the powder load in a .44 from 25 grains of 3F GOEX to 30 grains.
That's not much of a gain.

These guns shoot roundballs best with powder loads in the 25-30 grain range with the lower amounts giving the best accuracy.

 

[rodwha]

As Pyrodex compresses much more than BP 40 grns might fit as mine will handle 35 grns of Olde E BP easily.

I don't care for Pyrodex though.

In another thread the OP speaks of hunting medium game. If this is the case reduced loads wouldn't be recommended and a more energetic powder such as Olde Eynsford or Swiss, or if you want/need to use a synthetic, then Triple 7.

 

[RADeO]

Hello,

New owner of a Pietta Remington 1858 New Army. I have a question about the proper powder charge. On the forums everyone said to use 40 grains of black powder (with the Pyrodex P equivalent being 32 grain). However, the Cabela's instruction that came with the gun said to use like 22 fffg? The gun also came with a Pietta manual that says to use 28 grain Pyrodex P. Three options here, what do I use?

This steel solid-frame gun is quite strong, and I think that you could shoot 40 grains of BP in it all day long without wearing it at all. After all, with a conversion cylinder, it will safely handle smokeless factory .45 LC loads.

I don't have a conversion cylinder myself but I am guessing they are only rated for use with factory cowboy-type loads, not full-house .45LC stuff. Could be wrong though.

 

[AUGUSTUS]

I don't have a conversion cylinder myself but I am guessing they are only rated for use with factory cowboy-type loads, not full-house .45LC stuff. Could be wrong though.
[/quote]


I think that it will handle the standard factory loads, but as a steady diet cowboy loads would be easier on it. I doubt that the metallurgy and heat treatment of replica BP revolvers is up to modern cartridge revolver standards.

 

[Erik550c]

Thanks for the information!

 

[Erik550c]

Weight versus volume... I was wondering about that. Thanks.

 

[Mr. Troll]

I've been using 25 gr. of Pyrodex P in my ROA, along with a .454 ball. Filed 3/64" off the front blade and it shoots nice 1" groups at 50' almost dead on center. When it was new, it shot 6" low@ 50'..

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I'll bet on a 25gr 3f bp load under a felt and ball giving tighter groups than Pyro, the pyro is compressible and in my experience degrades over time.
MOF I haven't had much luck with pyro in anything.

 

[john gill]

Here's a site where the shooter says he uses 50 grains of pyro in his 1858. Pyro compresses a lot.
Says he gets 462 foot pounds of ME.
http://poconoshooting.com/blackpowderballistics.html

 

[Mr. Troll]

Just spent a jolly 2 hours with my ROA knocking down 6" steel silhouettes @25 yards...usually would miss one of the 5, but that's me, not the gun. .451 cast ball with 25 gr Pyrodex and Remington #10.

 

[rodwha]

Are you shaving a lead ring? Seems typical to have around 0.453" chambers as mine does, and calls for a 0.457" ball.

 

[ZUG]

I agree :metoo: . My two Ruger Old Army's (one blue & the other S.S.) take .457 dia balls and I never saw one that used a .451 dia ball safely :hmm: .