Recommend load for 1851 .36 Navy

[Lyle]

I plan on using a .375 round ball. I have seen listings for 15 grains to 32 grains. I don’t think I want to create a ‘magnum’ just a good useful and fun load to shoot. What are your recommendations?

[Captainkirk]

My recommendations from personal experience:

25gr 3F max for steel frame, 18 for brassers.

For most accurate loads, 18-20 on a steel Navy, 15-18 on a brasser.

Check your cylinder bore diameters before deciding on a .375 RB. I've had several brass Navies with .375 nominal bore that needed a .380 RB rather than .375.
Caps; Remington #10...IF you can find them. The fit stock nipples tightly without squeezing and don't tend to frag as much as other brands. RWS 1075s work well too, but also hard to come by. If you find a source for either, spend the extra $$$ and stock up. Who knows if and when Remington will resume producing components again?

[Hawg]

25 grains in a steel frame and 15 in a brass frame is what I use.

[mike116]

Yep,  what they said ^^^^^

[Lyle]

Thanks for the information! The Navy I ordered is a steel frame.

[Hawg]

If it's a Pietta you can probably get by with .375 balls but .380's are best for a Uberti. I use .380's in my Pietta's.

[Lyle]

Where do you find.380 round balls?

[Captainkirk]

Pretty sure TOW carries them. Or you can buy a Lee mould and cast your own.

[bigted]

You will never get magnum loads using real black powder. Not enough room in any revolver cylinder to get enough real black powder in there to harm your steel framed revolver from any manufacture ... most especially in the navy caliber.

What I recommend for loads is to bracket load your gun to determine what powder loads IT wants to devour for best accuracy. I would get a good SOLID rest going where you take as much of you out of the picture and be able to see what your revolver is capable of. Start with15 grains of 3Fg powder and do bracket loads up till you discover what it likes best.

To begin I recommend .380 balls of pure lead. Also get some SPG black powder lube to begin with. Caps should remain the same for consistency during load development. Also bring along some good dry corn meal to be used as fill over smaller loads of black powder ... in use the corn meal is put in over your loads of black powder to completely fill the cylinder and this results in having your ball loaded over a compressed load which makes your ball as close to the forcing cone on the barrel as possible ... aids in accuracy and gives just enough room for topping off with a good lube such as the SPG mentioned.

You will find that places such as Track Of The Wolf and Buffalo Arms will have just about everything needed.

Oh and bracket loading is as such ... begin with 6 loads of 15 grains + corn meal and shoot carefully in a controlled position (rested) and at a 15 yard distance for accuracy. Then swab and load 16 grains ... followed by 17 grains and so on up till you have a full cylinder of black powder needing no corn meal as filler [probably be around 24 to 26 grains of real black powder in 3Fg granulation. These 6 shot groups should be shot on a clean new target each so as no confusion as to which load did best AND to keep for further evaluation later when you question your results.

Load development can take a long sweet trip with much shooting and enjoyment with your revolver. Later there will be your lube wars ... followed by powder wars ... followed by cap wars.

Change only one thing at a time to determine what really works.

Also I note using real black powder such as GOEX or SWISS or Old Einsford or KIK ... on and on ... but I really have no real experience with black powder substitutes such as Pyrodex or Tripple 7 or Shocky's gold powders so I always preface my statements with "Real Black Powder" as this is really my only experience.

Whewww!!! 

[mike116]

Excellent post bigted.  ^^^^^

[Captainkirk]

Excellent post bigted.  ^^^^^

+1

[Fingers McGee]

2

[ShotgunDave]

3

[Hawg]

4

[AlaskanGuy]

I would also tell you, if you dont cast your own round balls, to get one of these from BPI.. Pretty good deal for 8lbs of round balls... also knowns as 0000 Buckshot. they are a bit harder then straight soft lead, but they load well..

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Super-Buck-Lead-Buckshot-0000-8lb-380/productinfo/SBK40/

the size is right at .380 , and they make great bear defense in a 12g as well..

AG