I must just be lucky...

[subsonic]

I've been thinking about getting a cap and ball revolver lately to hunt with during the muzzleloader season here in Missouri. But until yesterday I had never fired one.

My FIL was given an un-named .31 cal 51 brass frame copy in rough shape a while back and I thought it might be fun to take it for a "spin".

He had some old Pyrodex and old cci #11 caps and a while back I bought him some hornady .380"(?) balls and .31 wonder wads. We were set. Sort-of.

Well, since neither of us had any idea of how much powder to use, we guessed that 20gr looked about right. After seating wads and balls, there was still a lot of room left. He loaded up his 6 and what seemed like half an hour later proceded to fire them off. Very underwhelming. He said recoil was like a .22 and i'm not sure my earplugs were needed, and at least one ball came out slow enough that I was worried it was stuck in the bore.

Now it was my turn. My stepson was shooting his Lyman GPR and we had 777 in the powder flask, so I checked to see how much powder the nozzle on it would dispense. About 28gr. Well if 20gr is mouse-fart, 28gr should work, right? So I dumped 28 in and it overflowed the cylinder. I shook a little out and seated a wad then a ball which barely cleared the barrel as I rotated the cylinder. I tried 25 gr for the other 5 and they fit better. As I seated the first cap, it was very hard to seat and I used the end if a nipple wrench to force it on all the way and split a little as it bottomed out. All the other caps went on about the same. I indexed the first ball that was sitting nearest the mouth of the cylinder and had the most powder so that it would be the one I fired first and cocked the hammer.

Lining up the bead and groove in the hammer, I squeezed and figured for a miss regardless at the paper plate looming at 50yds.

And my very first cap and ball shot was chainfire. Both cylinders nearest the one I was actually trying to fire went off, hitting the wedge that holds the barrel on and breaking the spring in it. I didn't notice the broken spring, but inspected the revolver and myself otherwise and after a few seconds not finding imediate danger or blood, went ahead and fired the other 3 shots. They felt more like .38spls than .22s and the 777 definitely had more zip. At that point we noticed the broken wedge spring and decided to call it quits. I really expected more dammage and carnage, but both outboard balls seem to have exited in a manner that didn't harm anything but that spring due to the narrow barrel.

My best guess on WHY the chainfire happened is that those tight caps that split allowed for sparks to enter the rear of the cylinder.

[ss40_70]

ditto on greasing the cylinder mouths .. and i'd also be inclined to blame the split cap as a future culprit .. snug caps are a good thing split caps are bad

[jh45gun]

If you buy one get a steel frame one the brass frame ones stretch and I bet the 777 was not kind to that brass frame. I had one and shooting heavy loads stretched the heck out of that frame and loosened it all up. The stories of these brass frames stretching is true.

[44man]

Chain fires mostly happen at the rear at the caps. Since you split caps I would guess that was the trouble. Combine with large flash holes and you have a problem.
Use Rem caps.
If you want power, use Swiss powder, I get 1102 fps from my Old Army and it kills deer with aplomb.
I would not shoot deer with anything less then a .45.

[subsonic]

I have a pal who is getting close to 1400fps from his ROA with 777. His technique is to fill the chambers with powder and strike it off by rotating, then seat a wonder wad, then a ball.

[Jim]

44Man, I just learned something, thank you! I always thought chain fires occured because of a bad seal between the ball and the chamber or a faulty wad behind the ball. I never heard of it occuring by the fire 'jumping' the caps.

Take into account, too, I'm not a big time cap & ball shooter, either.

[EMC45]

Chain fires will get your attention.

[MtGun44]

Poor cap fit more than front fit, as long as you are shaving a good ring of lead.

You did shave a ring of lead, right?

If it is a .31 cal, why .380 balls, these are for the .36 cal guns?

I'd be careful whumping up loads with the brass framed guns, they will stretch on you
pretty easily, need very soft loads.

Bill

[subsonic]

Sorry, 36 cal. Typo.

Definitely made little lead rings.

[44man]

I have a pal who is getting close to 1400fps from his ROA with 777. His technique is to fill the chambers with powder and strike it off by rotating, then seat a wonder wad, then a ball.
I tried it and found 777 hates any compression at all. In the ML rifle you MUST just feel the powder when seating or accuracy goes haywire.
Then the twist of the OA does not promote even my 1102 fps, too fast. The gun shoots better with 20 gr of powder and a filler.
Pyrocrap needs some compression but too much will fail. BP can be compressed much more yet has a limit where it will move no more.
I have to load my OA with the cylinder out of the gun with a loading tool I made because I do not want to bend my loading lever.
777 has failed 100% in cartridge guns like the 45-70 BPCR. It can't be compressed or you can just throw boolits. Without compression you can't get enough in the case for any velocity.
Even Pyrocrap can't be compressed too much in the 45-70 or it will shoot large chunks from the muzzle to burn like flares in the grass. Yet it works wonderful from my .54 Hawken. I can control compression with a spring loaded tool to push on the ramrod.
Go to the 777 web site and it will tell you that it does not like to be compressed.