Having really good luck with Lee conicals and 1860 Army (Pietta)

[Dakota Widowmaker]

Point of aim with a 5 1/2" barrel and 25gr of GOEX FFFg.

good recoil and shoots clean. (I pan lubed a bunch of bullets to see how they would work... just fine!!!)

I plan on testing them in my Walker here shortly. The extra 70gr of lead should make for a fun day.

I am casting with two sets of 2 cavity molds. One gets filled while the other is cooling.

100 bullets takes very litte time when I get into a rhythm.

[hellgate]

Dakota,
Don't go hog wild on heavy loads for that Walker. I crushed two wedges in ONE single match using my brace of Walkers. My load at the time was 50grs FFFg+lube wad+.454 ball+grease overball+Rem#10 cap. Two wedges later I have adopted the following load: 44grs FFg+lube wad+.454 ball+over ball grease+Rem#10 cap. Note the FFg as opposed to FFFg. A softer recoil (as if there ever was any). The finer 3F powder has a sharper recoil, higher pressure and is more likely to drop the lever. If I was you I'd use 2Fg with the conicals and I wouldn't exceed 40 grs powder or you could have the wedge cutout stretch and then you are really screwed for a repair. I was getting lots of flame & smoke but after the match I realized it was all due to a widening cylinder gap and I actually was losing power. So, take it from someone who's "been there, done that" and resist the temptation to fully stoke that hogleg or it could become an interesting $250 conversation piece.

I know of one that sent the barrel down range when the owner stuffed it full of 777. I won't go near that stuff in a Colt design C&B.

[Mason Stillwell]

I cautioned a shooter about using 777 in a brass frame 51 .  He would not listen to me. I'll be  he is now !!!!!!!!!!!!!!


The gun was recoiling almost to the unsafe zone .


Mason

[Dakota Widowmaker]

Oh, I am certainly sensitive to wedges on my Walkers.

Shooting a cylinder full once in a while is about all I care to shoot. That thing is so big and heavy, I can't really justify using it during a match.

As far as my Army's, they appear to handle it just fine. I might drop down to 21gr just for the conicals and leave it at 25 for the round balls.

[Arcey]

>>I know of one that sent the barrel down range when the owner stuffed it full of 777. I won't go near that stuff in a Colt design C&B.<<

Mornin' Hellgate, mi amigos.

Bet that just made his day.  Do ya know whut failed?  The wedge or the arbor?

I gottah cheap clone.  Kindah like ta know whut ta look at ta see if I'm ever approachin' that there condition.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Glad to hear yer havin fun!  Jus' don' break nuffin'.

[Dick Dastardly]

Ho Dakota,

Whut's the chamber diameter of yer C&B gun?  I'm wonderin' if a DD/ROA conical would fit?

DD-DLoS

[hellgate]

Arcey,
Twas the arbor what failed at the wedge cutout. Snapped in two and sent the barrel & wedge down range. Old Scout was thinking of how to make a pepperbox outa it for the poor feller that owned it. I think that's the story.  Been a while.

[River City John]

Same incident happened to one of my friends, only his was a '51 with a 7 1/2" barrel. Arbor broke, barrel and wedge sailed downrange.. The loads were not excessive, so he chalked it up to flawed metalurgy of the arbor.

[Arcey]

Thankee, boys.  I'll start payin' more attention ta the arbor.

[litl rooster]

Thankee, boys.  I'll start payin' more attention ta the arbor.

Been following this also...............will keep an eye on my Navies

[Tommy tornado]

Been shooting a brace of '51 Navies with a cylinder full of powder and a ball.  They are steel framed but I think I am going to back off that load a bit.  It is fun to feel the buck of a full cylinder, which by the way is about 25 grains of 3fg.