From: viking@iastate.edu (Dan Sorenson)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: Black-powder, Pyrodex or ?
Date: 3 Jan 93 03:38:27 GMT
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames IA

dnewcomb@whale.st.usm.edu (Donald R. Newcomb) writes:

#I made one mistake in buying my Ruger "Old Army" cap & ball revolver:
#I got blue steel rather  than stainless. Now every time I take it out
#it has to be cleaned scrupulously or severe rusting will be my reward.

	It happens with all caps, all powders (save smokeless, and if
you use that you forfeit your right hand and possibly your right eye
if you load it too hot).  It can be done -- my grandfather has worked
out a fairly proper load for it.  On the other hand, he doesn't
figure he'll live another year anyway.  How long you plan on shooting?
BTW: according to his notes, as I read them, 1.75 grains of powder felt
pretty hot.  WARNING: this is a guesstimate only! His measurements are
based on the volume level of the powder measure, and these may have
been fired in a standard Kentucky pistol.  I give you this so you know
that 1.75 grains of smokeless is hot, while I pack 30 or 32 grains of
Pyrodex in my Old Army.  Think about this ratio before you experiment.
He didn't mention which smokeless powder he was using, so it may have
been rifle powder too for that matter.  And no, I won't call him and
find out what he has used -- I won't take the blame if he's wrong in
your gun, and I doubt he wants to either.  Just be careful if you
choose to try it.  Better yet, purchase a different gun (I know of
an old man who'd like to have yours).

#[MODERATOR: I don't think I'd recommend throwing in any Unique ... I
#have no experiences along those lines, but it doesn't sound prudent to
#me.  For what its worth.   Anyway, I just want to add a request that
#those of you who answer Donald's post might also comment in general on
#the interchangeability of black powder and pyrodex.  Santa Claus brought
#a reproduction 1851 navy colt to the magnum household, and your humble
#moderator will be playing with coal burners for the first time... ]

	Pyrodex comes in two flavors, R and P.  R is rifle, P is pistol.
Both are to be substituted *volume-for-volume* with black powder.  The
Pyrodex is 20% lighter than black powder, and the P version may be used
in rifles by reducing your load by 10%.  Use the hottest caps you can
find.  I like the CCI caps.  I also opened up the nipples on my Old
Army a bit with a Dremel and drill bit.  This caused fewer misfires, but
the back-blast from the nipple did cock the hammer for me a couple
times.  I decided hotter caps were the safer bet, hence the CCI.  The
CVA primers, if available, seemed even better still.

	Any kind of black powder or Pyrodex will cause rusting in short
order.  I use Hoppe's #9 to clean it (soak the cylinder in really
hot water for a few minutes first -- it loosens things up a lot), and
then give it a spray of WD-40 to remove any moisture.  The next day,
take it out and look it over.  I bet you missed a spot or two.  Get
those spots, then coat her with gun oil and you'll be fine.

	If you're really in a hurry, swab it with Hoppe's, then drench
it with gun oil.  That will keep it from rusting so easily, but this
isn't for long-term storage.  Also, Pyrodex should not be kept in the
gun if you load it before storing it, as it seems a bit more corrossive
before it's fired than black powder.  I did a cold-nickel plate on my
barrel and hammer (and no, I still haven't found the product I used
for this), and it has kept rust down to a minimum.  Should your bluing
be wearing thin, this is a fairly inexpensive option.

< Dan Sorenson, DoD #1066 z1dan@exnet.iastate.edu viking@iastate.edu >
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