Quick question on Compression...

[LivewireBlanco]

How much pressure do ya'll put on your charge in your cap and ball revolvers? I loaded my Pietta 1860 with 35 grains of Jim Shockey's gold and it seemed to compress quite a bit and was seated well below mouth of the cylinders. I was also using a Wonder Wad. I rammed the balls down until they stopped with what I thought was enough pressure but not leaning hard on the rammer. Do ya'll compress very lightly on your rammer or seat the ball firmly down?

 

[fdf]

I do not use the rammer on Cap and Ball pistols they come equipped with, I use the one from Powder, Inc., much easier to use and no damage to the pistol from being stupid.

Oh, if you bend the loading parts on a ROA while loading, there are "no more parts" from Ruger, to replace what you just bent and ruined.

Something to think about.

 

[mykeal]

Firmly. One time. Not enough to cause pain, but with a good thump nonetheless.

 

[white smoke]

Another vote for the Powder Inc loading press. Been using mine for a little while now, very solid and fool proof.

 

[LivewireBlanco]

Well, seeing how much of a pain my wedge is to get out I think I'll pass on the loading press but thanks guys. Just looking to see how much to compress my load with the cylinder on. One more thing, with 35 grains in the cylinder it looks like I could easily fit 40 grains inside. Anyone ever shoot 40 grains in an 1860 or is that unwise?

 

[Lunie]

Well, seeing how much of a pain my wedge is to get out I think I'll pass on the loading press but thanks guys. Just looking to see how much to compress my load with the cylinder on. One more thing, with 35 grains in the cylinder it looks like I could easily fit 40 grains inside. Anyone ever shoot 40 grains in an 1860 or is that unwise?

Yes, and more, but that isn't a recommendation for others to do so.

I think 43 grains or so will fit beneath a bare ball on mine. 45 gr leaves the ball slightly proud of the cylinder face. Those values are not verified by weight, but are obtained with an adjustable powder measure.

 

[kendak]

better lighten up on that load in the Pietta 1860 ...mine is less than a month old & arber is loose & wedge won't tighten brl. anymore ...talked with Pietta today about repairs but they made it clear that anything over 20grs. FFF Goex is considered overload...am sending the gun back today but may have to pay for repairs because of "overload" at 30grs. BP

 

[Patocazador]

better lighten up on that load in the Pietta 1860 ...mine is less than a month old & arber is loose & wedge won't tighten brl. anymore ...talked with Pietta today about repairs but they made it clear that anything over 20grs. FFF Goex is considered overload...am sending the gun back today but may have to pay for repairs because of "overload" at 30grs. BP

Remind me not to buy a Pietta if 30 gr. of 3FG is an "overload."

 

[Noz]

The wedge is only to hold the barrel in place. It does not have to be driven in. Finger tight is good.
I've been shooting my Pietta 1860s for several years now with 25-28 grs with no visible wear.
I don't know how Shockey Gold compares with pressure but 30 grs of real black should not be an overload.

 

[LivewireBlanco]

From everything I've read Shockey's is weaker than Pyrodex and is a volume for volume substitute for black powder. I suppose I should probably drop down to 30 grains. This seems to be a favorite load for many people anyways. I just love the recoil and smoke 35gr gives!

 

[rodwha]

If 30 grns is an overload I wouldn't buy their pistols either. And i had been considering a Colt as I haven't heard of the short arbor problem with them.

Uberti, on their site, proudly mention that their guns are better built than the originals, yet claim you can't use anything other than BP or Pyrodex.

 

[Prairie Dawg]

Cap guns typically shoot more accurately with lighter loads.
20 grains FFFg is plenty for Cowboy action with 44s (15 grains FFFG is plenty for 36s) & helps preserve the gun.
Load more if you want, but for banging steel, you don't need it.
When I was target shooting .36s 30 years ago, the top guys were shooting 12 trains FFFg.

Remember, every time a round ball slams into the forcing cone, it puts pressure on the frame-arbor attachment.
Less pressure = longer life, IMHO
Brass-framed guns seem to loosen more quickly, which is why light loads are always recommended for them.

A cylinder loader's main advantage is the ability to produce consistent pressure on the loads.

They also let you compress more if you want to, but that is not their main reason for existing.

Wedges should be finger-tight if fitted properly.
You should be able to remove with thumb pressure of perhaps a tap with a screwdriver handle.
If you have to "pound" them out, consider doing a little fitting.

Just my 2 cents on the topic.
--Dawg

 

[rodwha]

They were originally designed to handle a full chamber of powder. If they were built with weaker metal why can't the repro's handle it?

Would hardening the wedge fix this? Maybe the arbor too?

 

[J-Bar]

You know how when you goof and seat a ball in a chamber without first putting any powder down there, you can pull the nipple and trickle in a bit of powder and then shoot the ball out? Well there is not much compression on that trickle of powder, but the ball comes out and the chamber doesn't bulge, and the world does not come to an end. And then sometimes you get sloppy and put so much powder in the chamber that you have to really really grunt to get the ball seated far enough into the chamber so that it will clear the barrel frame? And it will go bang and the cylinder will be fine and the barrel will be fine and the world will not end.

So I think there is a wide range of compression that will work. Eliminating free air space is good. Beyond that I don't lose sleep.

 

[PRM]

Firm is good. As far as damage to the gun from using the attached lever??? Been shooting mine for over 35 years and they are still as good as the day I brought them home.

 

[kendak]

the Pietta is made out of very mild steel & when I got the gun new the wedge barely got through the right side after 24rds. at 30grs. it would go all the way through with wedge screw removed ...the arbor is loose & pulling out of the steel frame ...book that came with it list 22 start & 30 max. with .454 rb ...phone person said 20 max??...I know it's a repo & I just bought it because I like the look but figured it would last longer than this ...maybe just a lemon made on Fri. afternoon LOL ...lets see what they do with it...meantime I'll stick with one of my ROA's ..take care

 

[LivewireBlanco]

I've put 23 rounds at 35 grains and 30 rounds at 30 grains and the pistol still seems just as tight as I first got it. I think I'm going to stick with 30 grains and just seat the ball firm. Thanks guys! By the way, I'm soooo hooked on black powder now!

 

[Noz]

It is possible to bend the loading lever on any cap and ball revolver by using too hard of a ball alloy. With dead soft balls the lever is more than adequate to operate as designed indefinitely.
The gun will also shoot far more accurately with the soft balls.