The Hodgdon website (which should be your first stop when using Pyrodex) recommends a maximum of 30 grs. of Pyrodex P in a STEEL-framed .36 revolver with lead ball.
Consequently, I'd suggest you use 20 grains, and no more than 22 grains, of Pyrodex in that brass-framed revolver.
Hodgdon does not list any loads for brass-framed revolvers on its website, implying that it does not approve the use of either Pyrodex or 777 in brass-framed revolvers. You'll have to contact Hodgdon for a clarification, but I certainly would NOT use 777 in any brass-framed revolver. It's stout stuff.
The easiest, cheapest filler is corn meal. After adding the powder, add corn meal to nearly the top of the chamber. No need to measure an exact amount, since corn meal is compressible. Cream of Wheat is NOT compressible and must be measured more exactingly. Stick to corn meal, it's easier to use.
You may also use two or three lubricated felt wads, but the cost is higher than using corn meal.
A relatively inexpensive alternative is to order a sheet of 1/8" thick, hard, pure wool felt from Durofelt at
http://www.durofelt.com/You can punch your own wads with a 3/8" hole punch, often sold inexpensively in a set of punches by Harbor Freight. For about $25 of felt, and the 3/8" punch, you'll be able to make thousands of .36-caliber felt wads. If you buy them commercially, they'll cost about $10 per 100. It's far cheaper to make your own.
Making your own wads will also allow you to experiment with different lubricants. The best I've found, which is based on a 19th century recipe that I improved, is named after me: Gatofeo No. 1 Lubricant.
It's composed of 1 part canning paraffin, 1 part mutton tallow and 1/2 part beeswax. Melted together at low heat, and allowed to cool at room temperature, this creates an outstanding black powder lubricant. Nearly as good are the commercial lubricants SPG and Lyman Black Gold, but plain' ol bacon grease, Crisco, beeswax (the real deal, not the synthetic stuff sold as toilet seals the past dozen years or so), or lard will work okay.
The important thing is to use natural oils and greases, from plants and animals. Petroleum-based lubricants tend to create a hard, tarry fouling.
Yes, canning paraffin is a petroleum product, but a chemist told me long ago that it lacks the offending hydrocarbons. I don't know about that, but I do know that it doesn't promote the hard, tar-like fouling that other petroleum products do.
If you use a lubricated felt wad between ball and powder, there is no need to put grease of any sort over the ball. This speeds loading and is much less messier.
If you can find it, best accuracy will be found with black powder, of FFFG grade. I've been shooting cap and ball revolvers for 40 years, and bought my first can of Pyrodex P in 1979. I've also used 777 for about five years. I've experimented enough to affirm that black powder remains the most accurate in all of my revolvers.
But if you can't find black powder in your area, and don't wish to order it from the net (it's expensive because of hazardous material charges), then Pyrodex P is your best bet.
I would NOT use Hodgdon 777 in any brass-framed revolver.
If you can find them, use .380 inch lead balls. These may be ordered off the net; a search will find a number of sources. The slightly larger ball, by virtue of creating a wider gripping area when seated in the chamber, will keep the ball from shifting during recoil and handling. The larger ball also creates a wider bearing band for the rifling to grip, and seals better in the bore (obturation).
The extra effort required to seat a .380 inch ball is barely noticeable, compared to a .375 ball. Loading rammers have ample leverage to accommodate the larger ball, without damage.
You will find, almost certainly, that your Colt-design revolver shoots high, compared to where the sights align. This can be as much as 12 inches above point of aim at 25 yards. Filing the notch deeper in the hammer, used for sight alignment, can help bring the point of impact down a little.
But before you do that, find an accurate load and THEN modify your sights to meet that most-accurate load or come near it. Ultimately, you may have to use some "Kentucky Windage" to hit precisely. This is what the old-timers did, so learn to live with it as they did. It will enhance your understanding of these revolvers, giving you an appreciation for their shortcomings compared to a modern, adjustable-sighted, fast-firing cartridge gun.
For detailed information on the use and care of cap and ball revolvers, search the internet under my name -- Gatofeo -- and treatises I've been posting for years:
"So you want a cap and ball revolver"
"Proper use of a cap and ball revolver"
"Original loads for cap and ball revolvers"
These will give you a wealth of information. They're long, so you 'll want to print them out.
Enjoy that 1851 of yours. Clean it immediately after use, and use mild loads for its brass frame, and it will last for generations. Neglect it, and load it beyond max, and it will be a paperweight in short order.
