Best cap and ball load

[Dutchy Rodell]

All:  I've had my '58 Cabela Remmie for about 3 weeks.  So far I'm using Pyrodex pellets.  Will begin using 777 next week.  What powders and loads do you feel are best for 7 - 15 yards?  (Don't plan to convert to cartridge.) So far I'm shooting several inches low, but I think most of the error is my aim point, nervousness, jerking the trigger or flincihing or some of all of the above.  Until I picked up the Remmie I had not shot a pistol in over 40 years.  I'll keep at it, but I'm open to suggestions.  Dutchy

[Mason Stillwell]

OK yer open to suggestions.

We are not hunting Elephants !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I shoot 58 Remie's most every weekend.

Same load for  years now.

15 gr of FFFG and a .454 Ball with some of my home made lube over the ball.(not for crossfire but ease of loading the next round)

Save some $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ , and yer gun , and lighten the load.

Remember all C&B's are different so work up yer load slow like.

Mason

[River City John]

Dutchy,
I've never shot the Pyrodex pellets. From past experience, I've scratched Pyrodex off my list as far as propellant in my Remmie c'n'b, (and most other BP firearms). Either true BP or 777 is what I've used.

When I do shoot 777, though- my load comes out to about 14 gr in my .36cal. Remmie., .375 ball and #10 cap on Treso nipples. No Wonder Wad used. I have chamfered my cylinder mouths so that the ball is compressed as it is rammed home, as opposed to shaving off a sliver of lead. Seems to seal just fine for me. I am of the school that any chainfires occur from the nipple end, not improper sealing of the chamber mouth.

I would suggest you have fun experimenting with different loads, caps, variations etc. and see what your Remmie likes. I do use a bit of Bore Butter and Ballistol on the cylinder pin. I also turned a slight shoulder on the lathe on the end of my cylinder to open up a slight gap for gasses to vent to the sides and not back in under the cylinder pin. This through experimentation.

For our shooting in CAS, and for accuracy, you do not need to load them up to the max. Use a hand rest and get yourself used to sight picture and squeeze. As you train yourself to not jerk, it will come back to you.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I have a Pietta Remmie.  I tried slow, and thought the thing wouldn't shoot!  I went up to 28 grains before it shot well.  It taught me that C&Bs are tack-drivers.  It may have just been my pistol, but there it is.

[hellgate]

Hey Dutchy Rodell,
You been Ridin' w/the Devil now that you gotta new Remmie? Say hi to Holt for me.

Back to the Remmie.  Several of my Remingtons needed to have some metal taken off the top of the front sight to get them to print to point of aim so what you are finding is not unusual. As has been said, make sure it is the gun and not you that is shooting low before you dig out a file. Also a conical bullet (LEE cast 200 gr bullet) will shoot a couple of inches higher than a lighter round ball. The powder charge used will not make as much difference in POI as does the weight of the projectile. Light bullets hit lower than heavy ones at close ranges.

As for loads, I shoot 3 charges:
A "gamer"/plinking load of 20grs FFFg+lube wad+.454 ball+grease
A boomer load of 30gr FFFg+wad+.454 ball+grease
A knockdown load for big fallers of 30grs FFFg+200gr LEE conical+grease

I do not use Pyrodex in my guns because it can be harder to ignite unless heavily compressed. I got delayed ignition with Pyro P and did not like that. I have not used 777 in my C&Bs yet but probably will not as I like the BOOM of real gunpowder. Also you likely can overload a C&B with 777 but not with BP. I know of one Walker Colt that came apart at the cylinder pin with 777. The Remingtons can take a higher charge of 777 than the Colts without something having to give but there's no point in pressing your luck. I have lived with the statement (no longer made) commonly repeated that "you can't overload a C&B with black powder". I still believe that to be true but with all the subs there can be a problem with that statement. You may want to try Goex Pinnacle for a closer to BP performance if getting the real thing is difficult.

Sir Charles may have gotten an accurate load at a full charge due to the ball finally obturating to seal the bore. Some guns don't shoot worth a darn due to the chambers in the cylinder being smaller than the bore diameter. When folks have them accurized by a BP smith, the chambers are usually drilled out to about .001" larger than the bore diameter so the ball grabs the riflings well to fly straight. Don't do anything to it if it shoots well.

[sundance44`s]

I think you`ll find that loose powder is the way to go on the 44 remmies ...eaither pyrodex p ..or goex 3f  shoot real good at around 24/25 grs of powder and a dab of lube over the holes . I`ve never shot a modern pistol  that shoots as well ..these remmies will impress ya to no end . Just work up the right load with the right caps ..and there ain`t no greater pleasure shooting .

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Hellgate;  Thanks for the explanation,  I wondered?  I just reviewed another threat, about Rogers & Spencer repros, and one of the contributors found out that his pistol liked it hot, as well.