Conversion cylinders

[Knarley]

I have a set of conversion cylinders on the way. Will be using BP loads, does one still need the pure PB for bullets? I have cast WW bullets that I normally use for 45 colt & Cowboy shooting. Those going to be too hard on an 1851 or 60 Pietta? Shooting a LEE 165 gr.

[bob208]

I have a stainless uberti 1858 Remington in .45 I use my standard 45 loads. but then I don't load to maguman levels either. my bullets are 225 gr wheel weight lead and 8 gr. unique.

[William Yanda]

Check with the manufacturer. As I recall, mine specifies "cowboy loads only", nothing about BP only.

[Knarley]

I'm just concerned about the hardness of the projectile. Stressing the frame. As far as the powder, with an 1851 or 60 ya gotta have smoke!

[Outpost75]

I see no issue using wheelweight metal in cartridge cowboy loads. Harder than really needed, but does no harm.

Main issue with harder alloy in cap & ball guns is that the increased seating force needed to push harder bullets into the chambers might bend a soft steel rammer. Alloy up to 12 BHN will usually shoot OK if the bullet fits. A rebated base or heeled bullet aids getting the bullet started straight into the chambers of a cap & ball gun. Cartridges assembled with somewhat harder bullets in correct cowboy loads <14,000 psi are entirely OK. With Holy Black you want to use SPG lube or make your own using equal parts by melted volume of Crisco and beeswax, or alternately "Confederate Army Lube" which is 50-50 Goya manteca or mutton tallow (best) if you can get it, and beeswax.

If unable to get real beeswax, an acceptable substitute is 50-50 Gulf canning wax and anhydrous lanolin for the beeswax, then blend that with the Crisco, Manteca or mutton tallow. Works with smokeless too!

Best powders for cowboy loads are Trail Boss, Red Dot, WST, 452AA, TiteGroup, Clays, Bullseye.

Unique is NOT the powder of choice for Cowboy loads below 800 fps because it does not ignite easily or burn completely in very light loads.

Bullseye, Red Dot or Trail Boss are very MUCH better, WST, 452AA, TiteGroup, Clays also acceptable.

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello Knarley,

I just loaded 100 rounds of 44 Colt with cast Wheel Weights.
I think as long as you can scratch them with a fingernail your Okay.
Also, you might want to try Aliant Black MZ. No need for lube with Black MZ.

AntiqueSledMan.

[jdfoxinc]

All of the suggestions above are correct. Stay below 950 ft/sec and the pressure curve will be gentile to the frame and cylinder. I use 92,6,2 alloy without any problems.

[Walks]

I've used TiteGroup in my Cowboy loads since it came out. It's NOT POSITION sensitive.

But I won't use a bullet lighter then 200grs in ANY cartridge of .44 or .45 caliber.

The majority of Cowboy gun blowups I've seen have been with extremely light for caliber bullets. A 165gr bullet is way too light for caliber.

I use 20/1 alloy for Cowboy Revolver bullets. COWW's in a pinch. SOWW's w/2% tin will work too. 50/50 Lube is just fine.
I like an alloy of 50/50 - #2/COWW for Cowboy Rifle Loads, I shoot 24" bbl'd Rifles. And I obviously use a different Cartridge for Rifle.

If you can find a copy of HODGDON'S old 2003 Cowboy Reloading Pamphlet, It's GOLD.

I hate auto-correct.

[John E.B. Rawton]

When I got my Uberti Walkers I had Kirst converters installed. I shot 200gn rnfp bullets from Penn Bullets which are about 12 bnh. I used trailboss at 5.5-6.0gn with no issues but the soot.
I have recently started shooting black powder with the same bullet with 35gn bp. I melt off the smokeless lube and relube with beeswax/crisco. The recoil is increased significantly. Strangely enough, the bp is cleaner than the trailboss but to be honest, I had made some adjustments to the revolvers which may account.