Ruger NMV 357 And Holy Black!

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Howdy Pards,

Getting a Pair of NMV in 357 for Katie to use for Frontier Cartridge Duelist. What Problems have you had with these shooting Black Powder. Any Modifications you would reccomend before I get them to the Smith?

Thanks,

Sam :-D

[Dale53]

I have reloaded the .45 Colt extensively with both black powder and Pyrodex. I suggest you get one of Mike Venturino's books on shooting and reloading sixguns. He offers complete details on a variety of calibers reloading with black powder.

It's actually quite simple. Determine where the base of the bullet normally seats in the case. Put in 1/16" more black powder than that calls for. Then, when you seat the bullet it will compress the black powder 1/16".

I use a bullet alloy of 30/1 lead/tin with a good black powder lube (VERY important. SPG lube is the gold standard but I use Emmert's Home Mix bullet lube. In the .45 Colt I use Lyman's Cowboy Bullet 452664. Lyman has a similar Cowboy bullet designed for .38 Special/.357 magnum that should work quite well - 358665. I size my .45 Colt to .452" and suggest you size your .38/.357 to a size of .358".

Keep in mind that you load black powder by VOLUME, not weight. It is a good idea to use the same brand and lot of brass as the volume changes from brand to brand. At any rate, the 1/16" powder comression should work with all revolver calibers.

It is critically important to clean a gun fired with Black Powder OR Pyrodex immediately after use (that does NOT mean the next day or two). I clean my revolver on the range immediately after use. It takes maybe five minutes. Use a good BLACK POWDER solvent (I use a proven home mix black powder solvent that works quite well {this is called, Friendship Speed Juice]- one pint each of Murphy's Oil Soap, Rubbing Alcohol, and Hydrogen Pyroxide. This immediately dissolves all black powder fouling. Then I use a good preservative. Here again, I use a Ed's Red, an excellent preservative and gun solvent designed by Ed Harris a former Ruger Engineer and NRA Staffer:

http://home.comcast.net/~dsmjd/tux/dsmjd/tech/eds_red.htm

NOTE:
Using Friendship Speed Juice will leave the gun chemically clean. There is NOTHING to prevent rusting until you go over the gun with Ed's Red. You need to make this a part of your discipline and immediately use Ed's Red after the use of Friendship Speed Juice.

Of course, I removed the cylinder after finishing for the day and made certain to get all black powder fouling clean (a tooth brush helps inside the frame opening).

Black Powder will foul some revolvers faster than others. In my own case, I can get 75 rounds before the cylinder gets reluctant to turn (easily solved with cleaning). That will depend on your brand of black or if you use Pyrodex, etc. I would suggest serious use in practice until you get used to "managing" black powder. It is NOT hard to use but it IS different. Just get Mike's book, read it carefully, and you should NOT have any problems.

I have several thousand black powder loads through my Ruger Bisley Vaquero and there is not the slightest bit of rust or corrosion on my revolver. BUT-T-T, I cleanded it exactly as stated above.

One thing that I learned, is that Black Powder is a very practical and useful powder in revolvers. My Ruger .45 Colt will generate more than 900 fps with Swiss 3F. This will be accompanied by more than sufficient recoil. Using 2F will reduce velocity AND recoil.

Good luck!
Dale53

[McLintock]

One main consideration is to open up the barrel/cylinder gap from the factory .003-5" to somewhere around .008", or even more if all you're going to shoot is black. Some recommendations go clear to .012". Also, a black powder chamfer on the leading edge of the cylinder won't get clogged as residue builds up in the gap and between the frame and cylinder during a match. I think probably those two are the best mods for black powder shooting and keeping the guns cycling good during a match. Then a good black powder bullet and lube and loading like Dale 53 outlines ought to keep her going.
McLintock

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Thanks guys,

I am loading with The Snakebite Biglube bullets from Springfield Slim with 1.3cc of Goex 3f in 38spl cases. 1.525" OAL which works well in my Win 94AE and Chapparal 73 and Katie's Marlin 1894 CBC. Knew some people had some problems with the NMV and BP so wanted to get the work done before picking up the guns.

Sam :-D