Pyrodex pellets in C & B revolver

[Chappy]

I am just getting into cap and ball revolver shooting and picked up a Pietta steel 1858 Rem. .44 caliber target revolver at Cabela's.
The clerk advised using black powder or pyrodex ONLY, NO other black powder substitutes, especially not 777, as they were too powerful for these guns.  What is everyone's opinion of that statement?  I love 777 in my T/C Omega and would like to use a cleaner power in the C & B revolver.

Also, the clerk suggested the 44/30 pyrodex pellets and wads under the balls as a convenient way to load C & B revolvers.  Have any of you tried this? If so, how did it work?

Thanks in advance for your opinions and advice!

[R.M.]

I, personaly think you got some "BUM" advise. Yes, 777 is hotter than the rest, but you just use less of it, somewhere around 15% less.  I use 777 in all my C&B revolvers. Don't like Pyrodex, and true "Black" can be difficult to find in some places.

Just this old man's thoughts on it.
R.M.

[Uncle Howie]

I've used the Pyrodex pellets with a Wonder Wad in my Ruger Old Army. It's convenient and works fine.

There are cheaper ways to shoot, as the pellets can get expensive and the wad adds a nickel or so to the cost of each shot.

I normally use Pyrodex "P" and grease over the balls.

I need to try the 777... so many loads, so little time...

[Flint]

I have used Pyrodex 30gr pellets in the Uberti 1860 Army and they work fine.

If you use 777, as R.M. said, use less.  I loaded 30 gr of 777 in a Ruger Old Army and it kicked and felt like a heavy loaded 44 Special and hit with real authority.  I decided from that experience that I would never load that much 777 in a repro Remington or Colt cap & ball.  25 grains of 777 would be more equivalent to 30 gr of real black.

I would bet that a full chamber of 777 in the Ruger Old Army would make a formidablle hunting load, and that gun is strong enough to take it..

Loading 35 grains (by volume) of 777 in a 45 Colt cartridge turned it into a quasi magnum as well.

Cleanup of 777 is so effortless and it is good and smokey that it makes a real good substitute.  A full load of 777 in the 45-70 modern solid head case is equivalent to the original 70 gr load of black powder in the balloon head case.  A modern 45-70 case won't hold more than 65 gr with a heavy bullet.