Smith & Wesson Schofield (.45) revolver made in 1876?
I would research to see if that old revolver is in a condition that make it too valuable to shoot.
Smith & Wesson Schofield (.45) revolver made in 1876?
I would research to see if that old revolver is in a condition that make it too valuable to shoot.
Toot, think you meant volume, not grains
Black Powder Grades, Sizes and Mesh
This chart contains black powder grain sizes of commonly used black powders as well as a comparison of Blasting and Sporting grades.
Black Powder Grades & Equivalent Sizes (in mm)
Sporting Grades (G) Grain Size (in mm) Blasting Grades (A) Grain Size (in mm)
1FA 8.0-4.0
Cannon Grade 4.76-1.68 2FA 4.76-1.68
1FG 1.68-1.19 4FA 1.68-.84
2FG 1.19-.59
3FG .84-.29 5FA .84-.297
4FG .42-.15 7FA .42-.149
Meal D .42
5FG .149 Fine .149
Commonly used Black Powder Grain Mesh Sizes
GRADE MESH RANGE
FA 3 - 5
2FA 4 - 12
3FA 10 - 16
4FA 12 - 20
5FA 20 - 50
6FA 30 - 50
7FA 40 - 100
Meal D + 50
Fine Meal + 100
X-Fine Meal +140
Cannon Grade 4-12
1FG 12-20
2FG 16-30
3FG 20-50
4FG 40-100
5FG +100
Here is another for those inclined to look.
Give me something to believe in. Poison
Arosmith What it takes
A 12 step program
Go on u-tube and watch Everything Black powder about blowing up black powder barrels . Dixie gun works welded the end of a barrel shut and filled it with black powder & they say it didn't blow up. I have heard a ton of horror stories about cataclysmic events, but I have never seen one or evidence of one. I have only seen them blow up ML barrels with smokeless powder. I make my own BP so mine isn't as screened as the Factory stuff.
Go on u-tube and watch Everything Black powder about blowing up black powder barrels . Dixie gun works welded the end of a barrel shut and filled it with black powder & they say it didn't blow up. I have heard a ton of horror stories about cataclysmic events, but I have never seen one or evidence of one. I have only seen them blow up ML barrels with smokeless powder. I make my own BP so mine isn't as screened as the Factory stuff. You would think that there would be a ton of blown up barrels from the civil war but I haven't seen any evidence of any, Has anybody else?
The cost of a can of 2 or 3 FG and knowing your gun, eyes and fingers will be ok versus a chance or a risk? I'm not saying that 4FG wouldn't work, but black is an explosive, so I'd buy the right powder as recommended.
I have always been told no 4FG will not run well as main charge BUT in an old Lyman black powder book they used 4FG in 44 revolver , I wonder if it was fact or misprint?
I doubt pressure is the problem if used in 45 colt cartridge stability in ignition could be. In Greener's book he had a image of a fine British Express double rifle shattered by using FFFG equivalent rather then FG . The case was a 3 or 3 1/4" black powder case and it was said the powder detonated rather then burned .
When I think back on all the **** I learned in high school it's a wonder I can think at all ! And then my lack of education hasn't hurt me none I can read the writing on the wall.
Depends on what they mean by "shattered". You have to remember that those guns were pretty much soldered together.
The drawing showed a mess both chambers destroyed it looked like a detonation but these old books had few pictures as the technology was so new.
https://www.amazon.com/Gun-Its-Devel.../dp/1616088427
When I think back on all the **** I learned in high school it's a wonder I can think at all ! And then my lack of education hasn't hurt me none I can read the writing on the wall.
The only reason i do not use 4f in my .44 bp revolvers is that it is so fine it runs out the nipple hole. I do however load it in my .38 and .357 cases for my cartridge guns and find it more accurate than postol powders. This is probably due to the way the recoil works.
I'll be danged if I can find the article but awhile back I did read some pressures testing data on the various grades of BP. I do remember that the 4F did not product any unusual pressure spikes.
Currently this is all I can find
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...f-black-powder
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...4F-Blackpowder
Last edited by M-Tecs; 01-13-2023 at 05:58 PM.
2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
"Before you argue with someone, ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of different perspectives? Because if not, there’s absolutely no point."
– Amber Veal
"The Highest form of ignorance is when your reject something you don't know anything about".
- Wayne Dyer
I can't speak to Swiss; the only commercial BP I have ever used is Goex and I can tell you it is not that consistent in size. If you ever screened Goex 3F, you'll see quite a bit falling through to the next sieve sizes. That being said, their 3F has 2F and 4F mixed in at measurable proportions (I believe that info is mentioned earlier in this thread). However, I don't believe that means much in the long run, especially if you are compressing the load. All of the powder in a batch has the same ratios of ingredients, so the speed and pressure won't vary that much. I've shot my homemade BP over a chronograph and my 2F is actually faster that my 3F - only explanation I can come up with is that the larger grains have more air space and allow a slightly faster burn.
Regardless, I seriously doubt anyone will blow up a sound firearm with 4F that the same charge in 3F wouldn't damage as well.
I wondered the same thing about 4F in the 44-40, did a thread on it a couple of years back. I’m Still kicking!
But…. Recently TxCowboy52 gave me some 44-40 ammo and brass in a trade. In this bounty were 20 Balloon head Small Primer brass. Hmmmm.
Turns out that 34 grains of Dupont FFFF to the base of a Lee 200gr rnfp (cast of pure PB) produces a pleasant, seemingly powerful load- but not the level of my Unique hunting loads.
The problem is that my H&R Topper won’t fire all of these cartridges. Seating the primers was quite easy- perhaps they used a special height small primer? Maybe meant for the old convex face primers? I’ve never had a misfire before this.
The fired cases and primers looked normal.
No drama there.
John Taylor nailed it on the fouling. I could feel the crust breaking loose with the hot water patches.
The two that did go off would have dropped a deer at 40 yards.
This is entered into the “Now I Know” category.
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A lot of interesting comments here. In short i believe the answer to be yes, you can. And safely too. I have only used Swiss 4f in my revolver and that is thousands of rounds on. It works well and provides for an accurate load. I have shot many at full compressed fill for 100m shooting and have no issues. I load it in my .357 for my Manurhin revolver and it gives excellent accuracy, obviously the danger here is non existant as this is a revolver for pistol powders.
The one thing that has not really been mentioned is that all powder makers manufacture 4f to differing sizes and that may have bearing on the issue. Personally the only thing that has stopped me using some 4f is the fact it is too fine and literally drains out the nipple. If it does not do that i use it.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |