Newbie lookin for load info.

[Scorpion]

Howdy pards and pardettes,

I'm new to c&b shootin, but I've been loading .45 smokeless (I know, I know) for awhile. Based on my limited research, I think a decent load might be 25g's of 777fffg under a 457 ball. No filler, no wad, no grease and #10 Rem caps in my 58 Pietta Remmies.

How close am I?

Thanks fer yer input.

Scorpion

[Logan Hawke]

Howdy and once once again welcome!!

You will get a lot of help from the wonderful people on here. I am no expert at all compared to some of the other pards on here but I will give you what I know. The load you have described will work in a perfect world ...meaning that if your gun likes it, go with it.  I shoot Piettas myself (love them) and I actually shoot .454 balls and wads on top of 30 grains of Goex FFFg with remington #11 caps. (Wal-Mart clearance for 1.50 per pack ) The #11's fit the factory nipples on my gun perfect...although that might change when I switch out to some new nipples.

It's all trial and error and figuring out what your guns like the best.

[Willie Dixon]

Hey Scorpion, I'm a noob too so no worries there.   Here's a great website with a ton of info on shooting black powder. 
http://www.curtrich.com/frontiersmen.html

I'm former USCG so I know all about .45! LOL

Also by the looks of it, you seem pretty right on with powder (although the first shot you may want only 20 to see how that does, why full throttle it if you don't have too is my thinking) and also don't be afraid to try other ball sizes.  They'll all work to a point.  If it's too loose than nope, if they're too tight, nope!  But if they require the ramrod to get in, but not too hard, then you're good to go.  All the barrels from what I've seen tend to be unique and have their own personalities... minus slugging the barrel trying out different weight and size balls is the best way to go.

Also,
you may want to put grease on the ends just safer is always better...
get some good Treso nipples for the cylinder, helps prevent blowback.

also there is a great "how to for the weekend gunsmither" somewhere on these boards.  Basic polishing and filing and it makes a world of difference on the parts.

don't forget the cap remover and cap placer too, that way you don't blow your thumb off.  Seen it, don't want it to happen to me!

[Wolfgang]

wuz hopin' fur someone who uses 777 to chime in. ? . . . I only use the "real stuff" and 2f .   I understand that 777 is hot.  And I figur hotter in 3f than in 2f, . . is that what you've got on hand ?   I use 30 gr.  2f Goex and that is mild.  I also have a 40 gr. spout and sometimes load with that.  It is stout.   Have I heard no compression with 777 ?  that in reference to cartridge loading with it.   Someone with 777 experience in C & Ball needs to chime in here . . .

Good shootin ', . . . . 

[Willie Dixon]

wow, 40gr in a Remington replica?!
so the more "f" in the logo the hotter it burns?  So a FFF is hotter than FF, so you could use more FF powder than FFF powder?
I figure since he's a noob too he'd appreciate this question as well.

[Scorpion]

I believe that ff is courser than fff. Smaller chunks ignite faster, perhaps? All I know fer sure is - it's fun!

I've been to Capt'n Baylors web site (theat's where I got a lot of my info). One of his suggestions is to use a wood dowel to seat caps, thereby saving digits. I use a wooden match, but not the match end.

Scorpion

[Wolfgang]

Yes. . . the more fs the smaller the granules and the faster it burns.   4f is for the flash pan on flintlocks.  Some ( me included ) use 1f for shotgun as it burns slower and makes more SMOKE !    2f is pretty standard for rifle cartidges.  2f or 3f for pistol.  For small pistol 3f is prefered by some. ie.  36 cal Cap & Ball or .38 cal.  cartridge.   As I said i'm not familaire with 777 but know from the wire that it is hotter than the same amount in standard "black".  I figure 777 3f to be pretty hot stuff.  Again, . . someone with experience using 777 in cap & ball needs to chime in. 

30 gr. of  Goex 2f is a nice load.  If I expected some Confederates to come charging at me with fixed bayonets I'd be loading 40 gr.  It has some "OOOmph" to it.  Should knock 'em over at close range like hitting 'em with a sledge hammer. 

[Mulee Pete]

I stray from the subject, Suh, but you would need at least 40 grains of BP to start to blunt the detrmination of a fixed bayonet charge of the Sons of the South. 

Your Ob'd Servant, Suh,
MuleePete