44 cal bullets
I just bought a 44 cal muzzle loader pistol. Can I use regular 44 cal bullets for it, or only the ball that I can find for sale? It's just me that dosn't like ball ammo, my rifles never shoot as well as with the conicel, I know the spellings wrong, or with the sabits.
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Hello 1022man
1. You did not tell us who it was made by --- for example Ruger Old Army or Pietta replica Remington 1858. There are little "quirks" on various makes and models that some of us might be able to tell you about.
2. The black powder replicas in .44 actually use a .451 (45 caliber) ball - so NO your .44 heads won't work. Yes, you can find conicals from Dixie Gun Works that will fit your .44 black powder replica. Personally, I have not found them to be worth the difference in price and convenience compared to the .451 round ball that is available at both Wal-mart and K-mart in this area.
3. You are going to hear --- use Pyrodex --- use CleanShot --- Use ClearShot --- Use Triple-7. Hog-wash!!!!! I have tried them all and I am not impressed. If you are going to use a black powder replica ---- then by gosh use black powder. My preference is "Swiss" followed by "Elephant" and lastly "Goex". Use FFFg granulation. I would suggest starting off with 25 grains and working up to a max of 30 grains to see what works best in your shooter. Be sure to put a ".45 caliber "Wonder Wad" between the powder charge and the head to prevent a "chain-fire" that will ruin your whole day.
4. "Oh---you must use Pyrodex-CleanShot-ClearShot-Triple 7 so that you can leave it laying around and clean it a week later". If you do not have time to clean it after a day at the range, then in my opinion you don't have any business with a black powder replica. I don't mean to cause you any hurt feelings, but that I my opinion---and you know about opinions.
5. The junk you hear about "only load 5 and leave a dead chamber to rest the hammer on" is sheer garbage. The Ruger Old Army and all of the replicas' have "safety notches" to rest the hammer on and all 6 chambers can be loaded safely. Yes -- I know it is in the directions that accompany some of the replicas such as the Pietta......that doesn't change the fact that the directions are WRONG!!!!!!!!
Best Regards0 -
1022man:
Listen to AQH. He knows his stuff. On this subject at least.
Lee makes a great bullet mold for the Ruger Old Army and other .44 cal. ML revolvers. I forgot what they call it. It's a .457-230 grn. conical bullet with 2 lube grooves and 3 graduated (successively larger) bands so as to start easily, center the bullet without canting, then the top one cuts a nice little ring off for a tight fit on The Old Army's .454 cylinder. Shoots good over 30grns.of FFFG(I forget the actual charge wt. It's packed to the max. I.E., bullett to the cylinder face so it just passes the forcing cone, when I jamb the loading lever down as hard as I can on a strong table. I made these copper tubing measures 20 years ago.). My favorite load for that gun however is a .50 calber lead ball over 33-35 grns FFFG.(Again,see above) This gives you a very tight fitted 185grn oblong bullet with lots of power behind it. I shot a dessert White Tail deer through the heart with this load at 75 yards some years ago. After going through the near arm,rib cage and lower heart,the bullet (ball) went through one off side rib, took off the tip of the elbo of the far arm and lodged under the skin. The deer just shook his leg and held it up about 30 seconds and then laid down and died. This load is as accurate as the Lee bullet and packs plenty enough punch for anything I want to do with a pistol as the above prooves. AND the .50 cal ball WILL NOT shoot loose from recoil and jam the cylinder as I have had happen with the Lee bullet. This cuts off a big ring at loading which I save for re-casting. Bigger balls may be even better. (They usually are in most other cases I'm told.) It's only possible drawback is the lack of grease grooves but my beef tallow or suet liberally applied in front seems to handle the job well.
Get a good inside mic. or caliper measuring of your cylinders if it's not a Ruger, before you buy bullets, balls or a mold. Whatever you load should cut off a full diamiter ring of lead at loading to insure against chainfireing and a bullet moving out from recoil and blocking the cylinders' rotation by hitting the frame or forcing cone. The over bullet lube you use should be dictated by conditions and climate. Crisco is good in cool weather if you're not getting rough. If you're riding hard and/or hunting hard and want the load to be still there and ready when you are, especially in hot weather (Ariz.) then you need something stiffer and stickier. There's lots of stuff for sale, but for me, it's gotta be STIFF but still applicable with your finger (just). I've rendered my own beef tallow and been happy with that for much of the year but in real hot weather, I've used streaght beef suet successfully. Most other lubes will melt all over the inside of your holster here in S. Ariz.
Make cleaning your BP pistol easy by putting a big pan of hot soapy water on the stove, remove the wood grips and run HOT tap water through it to get the big pieces,and then just dunk and slosh the whoal thing in the pan of hot soapy water and pump some soapy water through the barrel and cylinders and nipples real good with a rod and wad of rag. then rinse in more hot water (TAP'S ok). Wipe it good inside and out. SHAKE and blow WATER OUT OF THE ACTION AND DRY IT ALL IN THE OVEN OR THE SUN IF YOU GOT IT. USE Breack Free liberally afterwards. Don't I repeat DO NOT use WD40 on or anywhere near this or any other gun. It's not at all the stuff it was 40 years ago. It will do nothing but gum up your guns AND let them rust in the bargan.(It kills bugs pretty good though).
OK, that's MY 2 cents. Well, looks more like .25 I guess.
ranahan
Edited by - ranahan on 09/10/2002 02:39:30
Edited by - ranahan on 09/10/2002 02:55:410 -
Hey guys thanks. I've almost awalys had luck here. Don't know what make it it yet, think it's one of those similuar to what Cabellas sells. Just worked out a trade for it. Already have a Kentuky rifle, never shot just inhereted it still in kit form, and have been hunting with a knight in-line, 5 whitetails, a hog, and two Coyetes. 0 -
1022man
Correction. The Lee mold for the Ruger Old Army is .456-220 grns. I think I'll write them and see If I can get them to make it in .460.
That would give a tighter fit with more bearing surface in the cylinder. Sounds like you're doing good with your Knight rifle and I bet It's a great gun, but you put that side hammer Kentucky style smoke pole together and learn how to use it right and I'll bet you'll have even more fun and satisfaction from your hunt. I built a .50 caliber Hawken from scratch many years ago(sculped the trigger guard out of an old hay bailer spring with files a torch and rusty baling wire for welding rod.). I used a Douglas 1-72 twist, 1 1/4"X 32" barrel & a Sheilen Lock Kit. I even cast my own Pewter nose cap right onto the stock. God what a beast! It was a thing of beauty. Cherry stain and 5 coats of True oil on the walnut stock. It weaghed a full 11 pounds. I carried it a-horseback and killed Nevada Prong Horn, Coyotes, rock chucks, Sage Hens and LOTs of Ground squirrels in my alfalfa fields. Went to lots of Rondevous in the Nevada- N. Cal. region and always did well. I found an old bulls horn in the dessert and shaped it with a horse rasp and pocket knife into a powder horn and scrimshawed it into a swooping American eagle(still got that). His beak is the pour spout plug. Never had more fun with a gun in my life. I could fire 3 shots a minute with loose ball and a muzzel-cut patch. Now THAT'S FUN!
ranahan0 -
Building a black powder rifle from a kit sure is great therapy. Just don't get in a hurry or work on it when you really don't feel like it.
John
I might not always tell you the truth, but I will never lie to you!0
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