My day with my Chronograph.

R

Raider2000

New member
I've had my Competition Electronics, ProChrono for a cupple of years, mostly using it for reloads & archery related excercises but today I decided to see what my Stone Mountain Arms repro. 1851 Navy .44 would be capable of doing, sortof a test of how powerful these loads were for the persons using such weapons during the Cap & Ball era.

My findings were quite interesting.

28gr. FFFg & then Pyrodex P
142gr. .454 swaged ball
CCI #11 percussion caps

Now mind you this is stuff I've had in my inventory for going on 12-14 years.

Standing 5 feet from the chronograph.

Velocity:
845 FPS average
Muzzle energy:
221.8 Ft. Lbs.

WOW, that is a little better than an orriginal 158gr. LRN load from a .38 special!!

How about this!
24gr. Pyrodex P
200gr. .452 semi wad cutter
CCI #11 percussion caps

Velocity:
739 FPS average
Muzzle energy:
242.5 Ft.Lbs.

That's a pretty decent thump from a weapon & caliber that was obsolete more than 100 years ago...

What do any of you think?
 
J

Joe Martin

New member
Those results are real close to the Lyman test that were done for the, 'Lyman Black Powder Handbook' where they used 28 grains of 3fg and
4fg, G&O & C&H black powder along with a .451 RB, and .450 bullet (450229)...

Contrary to what many may think in todays world of magnum loads, those using the old cap & ball revolvers were not under gunned by any means. Add these ballistic tests you did into the equation that they were also (just as today) able to load a fresh cylinder (the equivalent to a fresh magazine for them back in the C&B days) and those who relied on the reliability of the C&B Revolvers and knew how to use them were quite a force to be reckon'd with.

Thanks for the test info!:)
 
R

Raider2000

New member
Ya know if I was in the hey day of either before or slightly after the Civil War, I deffinitly wouldn't feel under gunned with one of these fine weapons next to me.
I would imagine that a Dragoon being capable of handling a charge of 40 grains safely would produce approximatly 920 FPS - 263 Ft. Lbs. or more using just a Ball & the Walker being capable of loading 55 grains would approach .357 magnum velocities!!!!
 
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