powder charge

[bama]

i need a little advice ,normally i have 44 cal. but i just purchased a 51 navy 38 cal. can anybody give me a recommended powder charge for it ? thanks pards.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

We need more information.  Is your revolver a cap and Ball or a cartridge conversion?

For a .36 Caliber Cap & Ball Navy, I load  22 to 25 grains of FFF over a .375 to .380 round ball.

For a newly made conversion in .38 Special, any regular load recommended in a loading manual (NOT "PLUS P"!)will do for smokeless.  My blackpowder loads for my Uberti Richard - Mason's are 17 - 18 grains of FFF Goex.  I use 140 to 158 grain cast bullets.

Get reliable info from manuals, and read a lot before you get down to it.  Don't just rely on me!

[Ed Clintwood]

Same question, but different gun.  I'm looking for the correct powder charge for the .44 Colt cartridge, BP.  I figure this is a .44 short special so I can figure on the light end of .44 spec for smokless.  Is a 30gr Pyrodex pellet OK?  How about a 30gr 777?  I am going to order a pair of open tops and was wondering about .44 Colt or .44 special.
Thanks

[Ed Clintwood]

I tried 777 in the .44 colt.  Fill the case to where a 200 gr bullet will touch it and my word that is a bit warm.  It weighs about 19 grs by weight, primers aren't bad, but there is sign of flattening and it shoots about 5" high at 15 yards whereas the smokeless load of 5.5 grs of Universal and the same 200 gr bullet shoot point of aim at 15 yards and is a much better choice for CAS.  I also noted that the 777 loads fouled the chamber on 1 shot to where it was real hard to chamber another round.  I only loaded four with 777 and I think I'll wait a bit before I do it again.  Now, point of aim is said with a grain of salt (Uberti 1872 open top).  Point perhaps, but aim, those sights are little.