Pedersoli Derringer Load

[John L Venable]

I know this load has been discussed before. but there is a guy in another forum on FB, "Cap and Ball Revolvers, Pistols and Rifles" stating he uses 60 grains of FFF in his Derringer, I find that quite far fetched. Your thoughts?

 

[snubnose57]

20 sound good to me/

 

[John L Venable]

20 sound good to me/

That's fine, but I was hoping on your thoughts about using 60gr, doesn't sound safe to me.

 

[noelf2]

It would make a nice fire ball, because most of the powder would burn outside the barrel. And probably not much accuracy or velocity on the ball because it won't have much barrel left to travel through.

You could load it up to the end of the barrel and it wouldn't hurt it. The powder wouldn't have room to burn and build much pressure in that short barrel.

 

[Stormson]

Tell him to try it with a white sheet on the ground in front of him and his 60grs...

15-20grs umph... 10grs useless fireball... the rest wasted and useless on the sheet...

Shugs.. he doesnt HAVE to believe YOU or ME.... Tell him go try and look for HIMSELF..

 

[Loyalist Dave]

FB, "Cap and Ball Revolvers, Pistols and Rifles" stating he uses 60 grains of FFF in his Derringer, I find that quite far fetched.

It's possible that he has a poorly made powder measure, or perhaps a DIY and only thinks that's 60 grains. The barrel on the only derringer that they sell the might hold that much is the Philadelphia Derringer with it's .45 caliber barrel and 3.0625" barrel. I'd venture to guess however, that either he just fills it up and fires blanks, OR his patched round ball is barely below the edge of the muzzle, so he's not getting anything other than a good BANG out of it. I don't think it would have much MV as I suspect it clears the muzzle too soon and thus doesn't accelerate much. Safe? Probably would be more dangerous if he loaded it with 45 grains and seated the bullet deeper..., but I guarantee it's exceeding the loading manual's recommended max load.

LD

 

[arcticap]

Maybe it's some super fluffy home made powder.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I just checked Dixe Gunworks, and they recommend 20 grains of FFFg under a .440 round ball with a .010 patch.

 

[woodnbow]

That's fine, but I was hoping on your thoughts about using 60gr, doesn't sound safe to me.

Perfectly safe IMO, unless you’re in a very dry, high fire danger area like western Colorado in July or August.

 

[John L Venable]

There are a few hard-headed guys in that forum swearing it will all burn... I'm bowing out of that thread

 

[John L Venable]

Perfectly safe IMO, unless you’re in a very dry, high fire danger area like western Colorado in July or August.

It's possible that he has a poorly made powder measure, or perhaps a DIY and only thinks that's 60 grains. The barrel on the only derringer that they sell the might hold that much is the Philadelphia Derringer with it's .45 caliber barrel and 3.0625" barrel. I'd venture to guess however, that either he just fills it up and fires blanks, OR his patched round ball is barely below the edge of the muzzle, so he's not getting anything other than a good BANG out of it. I don't think it would have much MV as I suspect it clears the muzzle too soon and thus doesn't accelerate much. Safe? Probably would be more dangerous if he loaded it with 45 grains and seated the bullet deeper..., but I guarantee it's exceeding the loading manual's recommended max load.

LD

I download pedersoli powder specs a while ago, interestingly, they do not have the Philadelphia Derringer listed, everything else is?

 

[Loyalist Dave]

...they do not have the Philadelphia Derringer listed....

Strange..., I wonder if it has data in the manual that comes with the pistol...

LD

 

[John L Venable]

Strange..., I wonder if it has data in the manual that comes with the pistol...

LD

I don't recall seeing it in mine, I inquired here. BTW, This guy said he could hit a plate dead center at 40 yds with it, so I challenged him to post a video.

 

[noelf2]

BTW, This guy said he could hit a plate dead center at 40 yds with it, so I challenged him to post a video.

2.5" barrel, 60 grains BP, plate at 40 yards... hmmm... I'd be lucky to hit the broad side of a barn with mine, at 10 yards, with half the powder.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I don't recall seeing it in mine, I inquired here. BTW, This guy said he could hit a plate dead center at 40 yds with it, so I challenged him to post a video.

AH well you didn't limit him to the number of shots nor to the size of the "plate".....

But I suspect as others do that this person is rather poor at arithmetic, or decimal point location is perhaps difficult for him ... the problem with a video is that they can be easily faked as well.....

Now 6 . 0 grains and at 4 . 0 yards.... I might believe......

LD