1858 Pietta Remington advice please

[MrD]

Hi

our club has just purchased one of the above (steel frame) and I am the lucky person looking after it. I normally shoot a ROA and am confident that I know what I am doing with it, but could use some advice with the Remmy pls.

Ball - manual says .454 but I found this to be very tight, and was worried about bending/breaking a pin on the rammer. A former shooter had donated some 777 and .451 balls, so I tried these balls and they seemed to work but am puzzled why the manual states .454 - or am I just being a wuss?

Charge - manual states 15gr whereas Hodgdon site states 35gr Pyrodex P - seems one hell of a difference, what do others use?

777 - I have no experience of using this but we have a tub that we'd like to use up. Hodgdon states 25gr max - again what do other people use? Also, I read the warnings about NOT using any filler with 777. I assume then that it works reliably when loose in the chamber unlike Pyrodex.

Thank you in advance

Donald

[DW58]

Goody goody, hope you get a load sorted out Donald, I fancy trying this.

[Sim G]

Firstly, 777 is not a B/P substitute. It is a nitro powder than can be used in muzzle loaders. It was designed for hunting and velocity gains. Do not stray from Hodgdons load data which will include a lubed wad. This gives the height of powder tower and compression that is safe. 777 can cause pressure spikes if loaded outside of the stipulated parameters. The big advantage is that it is cleaned up with cold running water.

Pyrodex P on the other hand is a B/P substitute. You can use it as you would B/P which includes light powder p**f loads with a filler, or fill the chambers and squish a ball on! It is however, dirtier than real B/P and more "corrosive". Clean up requires hot detergent and scrubbing.

Ball wise, if it fits, then use it. If .451" are a nice snug fit and cut a thin ring of lead off the ball when seated, no problems. If not, they're too small. .454" should be no issue.

Load wise, try 20gn by volume of Pyrodex P with 10gn by volume of an inert filler such as semolina and a ball. Personally, as convenient as 777 is, the load requirements are too specific for club usage in my opinion.