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Thread: .36 Cal and .44 load data?

  1. #11
    hobbler is online now
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    Quote Originally Posted by noonanda View Post
    With Nationals a week away Im prepping my stuff and I am going to shoot individuals for Pistol for the first time. What do people use for loads, and do most use roundball or conical. This is the one area where I waited until the end to prep for and its gonna be kind of rushed. I do plan on testing my loads prior to, just trying to get a feel for good baselines.

    I have bot an 1851 Navy(.36 Cal) and an 1860 Army(.44 Cal)
    With long bullets maintaining their alignment and the base staying perpendicular to the bore take forethought, design and care in execution. The round balls are self aligning and the round backsides take care of the bases needing to be perpendicular. So people shoot round ball because it works. If something worked better they'd be using it.

  2. #12
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    If something worked better they'd be using it.
    And indeed, a lot of people are.

    Steve
    Steve Sheldon
    Commander
    4th Louisiana Delta Rifles
    NRA Certified Muzzleloading Instructor

  3. #13
    Eggman's Avatar
    Eggman is offline Banned
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maillemaker View Post
    And indeed, a lot of people are.

    Steve
    Numbers please.

  4. #14
    Eggman's Avatar
    Eggman is offline Banned
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    Quote Originally Posted by hobbler View Post
    With long bullets maintaining their alignment and the base staying perpendicular to the bore take forethought, design and care in execution. The round balls are self aligning and the round backsides take care of the bases needing to be perpendicular. So people shoot round ball because it works. If something worked better they'd be using it.
    Another factor not addressed here is bullet weight. Revolvers' biggy issue is coping with recoil. The more weight you push forward the more recoil to cope with. Thus the low powder charges, and, the lighter weight round ball, plus, ball contact/friction with the inside of the barrel much less with round ball.

  5. #15
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    Numbers please.
    I know the Moose "Collar Button" bullet is quite popular with a lot of N-SSA shooters.

    At least 4 people on my team shoot it. And I know other people outside our region shoot it. Ian Egbert is a fan.

    Steve
    Steve Sheldon
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    4th Louisiana Delta Rifles
    NRA Certified Muzzleloading Instructor

  6. #16
    Gary Vikar is offline
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    Here the thread on the Moose collar bullet. posted in 2015, https://www.n-ssa.net/vbforum/showth...-Moose-Moulds?
    Gerhardt Vikar Sr.
    Richmond Purcell's Battery
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    Former National IG
    Former NWT Regional Commander.

  7. #17
    noonanda is offline
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gary Vikar View Post
    Here the thread on the Moose collar bullet. posted in 2015, https://www.n-ssa.net/vbforum/showth...-Moose-Moulds?
    Thanks, looks like an interesting bullet
    Daryl Noonan
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    12th Regiment US Regular Infantry

    "You see in this world there are two types of people my friend. Those with loaded guns, and those who dig. You dig!!"

  8. #18
    TCLewis's Avatar
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    I know I am late to the party since it is November but here is my experience.

    I have been able to get most revolvers to shoot about 1" groups at 25 yards regularly with a support under the firing hand. Anytime I get a new revolver or dial one in for someone I use both conical and round ball. I have noticed a good amount of hate towards conical but they should never be counted out. I have never had a issue with conical and they shoot great! I will say that round balls are easier to use and buy versus casting and sizing conicals. I have a revolver that shoots .454 round ball and it also shoots .450 concials. Other revolvers that shoot .456 round ball that shoots a .452 and .451 conical. In my experience with conicals I found that you should be able to push them into the cylinder with your finger with little force then seat them with a press.

    Once I figure out what size round ball and conicals a revolver shoots I load up 6 tubes of 3F powder. For a .44 cal I load 16-24 in 2 grain increments. For a .36 cal I load 6 tubes of 12-20 or so. The higher number depends on the type of revolver. So for example I load 6 tubes of 16,18,20,22,24 grains of 3F. I shoot the different load in one sitting at a large piece of paper marking and tracking groups by measuring all 6 shots. I also lube and size my conicals in a Lubisizer. Bullets with a square or flat base need to be concentric so as they leave rifling they leave the muzzle evenly and squarely.

    When it comes to using filler again, there are different opinions such as using corn meal or whatever. I have tested using filler and not filler with revolvers that shot conicals the best and noticed that filler did not effect the grouping. When I use conicals I load powder, conical, and fill cylinder with lube (borebutter). I would suggest testing grouping with using filler and not using filler. As most loads will be different and filler makes up for using less powder. In the N-SSA we shoot for accuracy so using 16 grains versus a full combat load will increase the gap from conical to forcing cone. So filler makes up for the less powder being used to close that gap.

    With all of that being said I do agree that any revolver with a top strap frame like a Rem 1858, Rogers & Spencer or Whitney will be the most consistent and accurate. This is due to having a more solid of a frame (top strap) and not having the rear sight on a hammer.

    To get the most out of your revolves I recommend testing both conicals and round ball along with different powder charges. Remember conicals are not plug and play like round balls can be so they need a little more fitting initially. In my conversations with people that do not like conicals have missed a step in figuring out how to use them effectively. Obviously I cannot speak for everyone that says they do not shoot good but I am willing to bet I can get them to shoot just fine. I have made believers out of some anti conical people. My first Nationals I shot individuals 19th overall (out of 350+ shooters) with a bone stock (not tuned or accurized) Euroarms 1858 shooting 18 grains of goex 3F and .450 conicals with no filler.

    Know that when asking for revolver load data you will get as many opinions as you will with asking a musket shooter what lube he uses. Oh, also make sure you get a tall front sight that you can cut/file down once you figure out the load that gives you the best group.
    Last edited by TCLewis; 11-18-2021 at 02:02 PM.
    Trent L.
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  9. #19
    Don Dixon is offline
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    The N-SSA statistician very kindly posts distinguished points totals awarded to members for their performance with various firearms after every national match. In evaluating technical posts on the Small Arms thread and other threads on the N-SSA webpage it is useful to also look at the distinguished point lists for a reality check.

    Regards,
    Don Dixon
    2881V

  10. #20
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    Where do you view those points? Do you have a link?

    One trick/problem with the conicals is it is difficult to "eyeball" the correct amount of filler due to how long they are - you may not be able to accurately see the correct depth. With round ball it's pretty easy to eyeball how much filler to pour in and still be able to fully seat the ball.

    In the end once I find the correct amount of filler to seat the bullet (of any kind) flush with the chamber mouth I store my filler in pre-filled .36 tubes, just like charges are.

    Another reason people may get different results with their load workups is evidently some of these revolvers have different twist rates than others, depending on who made them and when. Even among the same type of revolver.

    Steve
    Steve Sheldon
    Commander
    4th Louisiana Delta Rifles
    NRA Certified Muzzleloading Instructor

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