max load for a single shot pistol

[benjaminw7528]

 I was thinking of getting a traditions trapper 50 caliber pistol to go with my rifle and was wondering what is the max load for it

[simonkenton]

You can put 80 grains of black powder with a patched round ball in a rifle, so I don't see why you couldn't put that into a pistol.
I doubt that all 80 grains would burn in that short barrel, however.
I would imagine that 50 grains of ffg would be about the biggest practical load for that pistol.
I shoot 30 grains in a .44 pistol, so I think that big pistol would burn up 50 grains ok.

[mykeal]

I don't own a Traditions Trapper, so I went to the books.

Ref.: Sam Fadala's "Black Powder Loading Manual", 4th edition, pg 254.

Fadala shot 20, 30 and 45 gr loads of Goex 3fg with a .490 Hornady rb patched with .015 ticking and FP-10 lube. He also shot a 45 gr load of Pyrodex P, same projectile.

His data says 45 gr of 3fg or Pyrodex P is the maximum recommended load.

The results of his testing were that 30 gr 3gf was the most accurate load, but the 45 gr loads were what he called optimum; the 45 gr loads had the highest velocities and energies at both the muzzle and 50 yards.