Am I overloading my .44?

[Sim G]

It was always general consensus that you could not overload a B/P revolver. Not with proper black powder anyway. Pyrodex and in particular Triple 7 are substitutes. Triple 7 is alot more unforgiving than Pyrodex. This is why Hodgdon only recommend their exact loads, with felt wads. Using fillers, reduced or overcharges changes the burning properties of Triple 7 due to compression and height of the powder tower in the chamber. Varying from the published Hodgdon loads can produce excessive and violent pressure spikes.

Perhaps that Colt was incorrectly loaded, with a "correct" powder?

[Steve]

I went to Roding armoury yesterday to pick up some ammo and the brothers had a cylinder well not a whole one , at least three quarters of it that someone had overstoked , or maybe put the wrong type of powder in , it was from a Colt .

Dave

-must be some sort of requirement for RFD's to display a blown up pistol because my local has one too.However this one was caused by the owner using nitrocellulose powder which blew the cylinder apart along with the top part of pistol and looks real nasty.

Like Sim said im pretty sure you cant overload genuine blackpowder.

[Robin128]

But why would one try????

:roll:

[Tower75]

Cool. I'll stop worrying now, thanks, chaps.

Right, were those Russians at? [click]

[Doz]

As you said right at the beginning of the thread, Pietta advise a maximum of 15gn (which I must admit I was a bit surprised at) so I wouldn't get too carried away if I were you. Especially as, having had a couple of Piettas, I can safely say that there are better grades of steel out there...!