BP or 777 in cartridge conversion pistols?

[TM7]

I have a Taylor cartridge conversion cylinder [45colts] for my 1858 remmie. Of course, I fire cowboy strength loads; eg 5gr Titegroup under 200gr bullets. When loading BP or 777 or even pyrodex one is advised to load the case pretty near full and seat the bullet with some compression. Some guys even use magnum primers. Are these BP and substitute loads too stout approaching cowboy+p or cowboy minimag; would these kind of loads be to much for the conversion cylinder/58 remmie setup?

............TM7

[ribbonstone]

Don't think it will take them aoart but like any other mechanical devise, the harder you run it the shorter it's life span.

No real reason to run that fast in cowboy shooting...tend seems to be towards less vel. for faster recovery.

To run slower the choices ssem to be :
1.Shorter case...holds less powder but atill compresses.
2.Filler/  take up the volume with a felt wad or a card wad with an inert filler...still compress, but uses less powder.
3. A "slower" grade of powder.  RS in Pyrodex or Fg in black.  Chunky powders may leave a bit more fouling, but they'll slow things down and still let you use a full length case and powder compression.

[Flint]

I shoot 5.5 or so gr. of titegroup in mine with 200 gr bullets.  I shot some black and 777, but the Remington is a light pistol and the recoil of a case full of 777 is very noticeable.

The Remington "58" does not get along well with real black powder as far as fouling is concerned, it fouls to a stop much sooner than a Colt type, but the advantage of the R&D conversion over the cap & ball cylinder is that the removal of the cylinder pin every time you reload gives you the chance to clean it off between loads.

One way to reduce the kick is to load 45 Schofield cases as they use about 6 or 7 less grains of black powder.  The later R&D cylinders might accept them, but I had to open my  rim recesses up with a 17/32 end mill to accept the slightly larger rim diameter.  While I was at it, I milled viewing windows so I can see the rims and know which is the empty chamber more easily, but I think all the newer R&D cylinders already have the windows in them.

[Will52100]

I load 40 grains of Graf's 3f black powder under a 250 grain wheel wieght bullet for my rifle load.  I've shot it in a 5 1/2" 73' repo and can tell you that was a painfull experiance.  Felt more like 454 than a 45.  I don't use more than 30 grains BP on the 45 for the pistol.  I've never shot 777, but I do use Swiss for some loads and don't want to even think about 40 grains of Swiss in a pistol, recoil would be painfull to say the least.

The 58' is bad about fouling, but I have a rough 58 that I've been playing with as I have time and if you'll open up the head space where the cylinder pin goes through the frame it'll help a little.  I took a file and took a couple thousands off the area just below the barrel.  Lets lube in and around the pin a little better.  Realy needs a gas ring though.

[Will52100]

Fillers are no big deal, but they do add a step to reloading and I haven't found them to be a real fouling reducer.

I have shot at a match where a guy had shortened 45 long colt brass to schofield length.  Think the charge was 28 grains of compressed black and a magnum primmer?  I would cut back to schofield length and load a full case under a 200 grain bullet with a big lube grouve.

[leverfan]

Don't change the case, change the bullet.  Lyman's Maxi-Ball mould in .45 caliber will seat deep in the case, reducing 45 Colt capacity down to a Schofield's case volume.  Sans lube, the bullet also weighs about what the Schofield's bullets did.  Reduced .45 Colt loads go back almost as long as the parent round, according to old ammo catalogs, but this particular recipe comes to us from Cuts Crooked.  Some folks are nervous about using this bullet in tube magazine rifles without altering the nose of the bullet.  It certainly carries plenty of lube.