Given 5 pounds Pyrodex, 45 Colt

[_Hawkeye_]

I was given 5 pounds of Pyrodex ffg. I shoot 45 Colt from a Ruger Vaquero. I understand that the BP has to be compressed. So, 250 gr bullet, 40 grains ffg, large pistol primer and I am good to go? I have never compresssed power in a reload, how do I tell?

Any and all suggestions appreciated

[zxcvbob]

You don't really weigh it (and you won't get 40 grains of pyrodex in a .45 case anyway, it won't fit. P is lighter than BP)

Put a boolit up next to a sized case at about the length where you're going to crimp it, and mark where the bottom is on the outside of the case with a Sharpie. Set your powder measure to throw that much powder and you'll be in good shape. You can go up or down a little bit from there.

[_Hawkeye_]

I wont use a card or wad with this sort of thing?

[zxcvbob]

I don't, but I don't shoot much black powder. If you do (or a grease cookie, or whatever, just allow that much extra room -- draw another line on the case below the boolit base for the thickness of the card/wad/whatever.

The point is, use enough powder to just fill the space under the bullet and don't worry about what it weighs.

[_Hawkeye_]

Roger that, the most important thing then is to not have any free space under the bullet. I can handle that.

[zxcvbob]

Don't obsess too much about the "any" part.

[montana_charlie]

Just don't buy into the notion that Pyrodex is 'easier to clean' than black powder, or that 'it is less corrosive' than black powder.
When you're finished shooting, clean your gun soon ... and thoroughly.

CM

[Dale53]

I won several pounds of Pyrodex P in a Black Powder pistol match. I decided to use it in my .45 Colt. FFG Pyrodex should work just fine for you. Forget the weight of powder (pyrodex is NOT loaded by weight, per se). As mentioned above, you need to drop enough powder in the case to be compressed about 1/16" for best results. It will be WAY less than 40 grs weight. I use NO wads or grease cookies. I do recommend a bullet with an adequate grease groove. I use the Lyman 452664 Cowboy bullet. It is recommended to use magnum primers (I use Winchester LP primers).

It is EXTREMELY important to use a GOOD black powder lube (SPG is the commercial gold standard). I use Emmert's home mix (50% pure natural beeswax, 40% plain Crisco (looks like lard) and 10% Canola oil. I have recently replaced the Canola Oil with Anhydrous Lanolin for longer lube life.

I get excellent accuracy and my particular Bisley Vaquero will go 70 rounds without tying up the cylinder with fouling. Five minute clean up with a good black powder solvent and the revolver is good to go for another 70 rounds. This is revolver specific YMMV.

My alloy is 30/1 lead/tin sized at .452" (size to fit your cylinder throats).

I clean my revolver thoroughly at the range immediately after use. I use home made Friendship Speed Juice (one pint each of Murphy's Oil Soap, Hydrogen Pyroxide, and rubbing Alcohol). Keep in a dark place as the pyroxide is damaged by sunlight. I save the dark pyroxide bottle for range use and keep the rest in a dark cabinet. After you use several wet patches and are satisfied it is clean, the use dry patches until dry (use a toothbrush to get everything off around the tail end of the barrel, etc). Then you must realize that you have just chemically cleaned your revolver and you MUST use a good rust preventive IMMEDIATELY. I use Ed's Red Home mix (google Ed's Red) and use generously wetted patches and leave the gun wet. I also remember my basic training and do as the Army used to recommend and go back over the gun a couple of days later with a single wet patch for assurance that I didn't miss anything.

This sounds like a lot of effort. It really isn't and the gun is good in storage for a year.

I have shot thousands of these loads and my Ruger Bisley looks like it is new:



Dale53

[GOPHER SLAYER]

One of the commandments tells us not to covet are neighbors ***,etc,etc. It doesn't say anything about his Bisley Vaquero, and I do.

[Dale53]

I hit it really lucky with this one. It shoots point of aim at 25 yards with both black powder loads and equivalent smokeless loads. The sight picture is excellent for a fixed sighted gun.I bought this to shoot side matches at Black Powder Cartridge Rifle Silhouette matches. My crowning achievment came at Friendship, IN at a large BPCR Sil match. There were eight pistol matches for an aggregate and I won seven of the eight shooting a 92x100 at Fifty yards holding high (remember you can't adjust fixed sights). It was a GOOD day, for sure!!

Gopher Slayer - you don't have to "covet" just keep your eyes open and when you find one, buy it!(:>)). It's a shame that Ruger no longer makes the full size Bisley Vaquero but some would say get one of the replacements (small frame Vaquero). Many prefer the smaller one...

Me, I like what I have!

Dale53

[Kermit1945]

The only virtue your Pyrodex has is that it was free. Ever ask yourself why? It is hands down the most disappointing powder I've ever spent money on. After you've shot about a half pound, the rest makes a passable fertilizer--or a gift to folks you'll never see again. Sorry to have held back so much on expressing my opinion.

[Dale53]

The only virtue your Pyrodex has is that it was free. Ever ask yourself why? It is hands down the most disappointing powder I've ever spent money on. After you've shot about a half pound, the rest makes a passable fertilizer--or a gift to folks you'll never see again. Sorry to have held back so much on expressing my opinion.

I had several pounds I won in a pistol match (mentioned before) and found that it worked extremely well in my .45 Colt.

I am a fan of black powder but haven't had any of the problems with Pyrodex that others state.

FWIW
Dale53