Enthusiast
New member
I read about small single shot pocket pistols and how they were used for self defence in the Old West. I found a modern experiment measuring the power of these pistols, and surprinsingly a bigger load of gunpowder increased the velocity remarkably despite the barrel being very short. A 15 grain bp charge behind a .44 ball made a .44 hole in a watermelon, while a 40 grain charge blew it open. The barrel was I think just a little less than 3 inch long.
This made me wounder about the internal ballistics. I guess the explanation is that the bigger load had enough time to generate higher pressure before the ball had left the bore? If we take two .44 guns for example. One with a 4 inch barrel, loaded with 40 grains behind a single ball, and one with a 2.5 inch barrel loaded with 40 grains behind two balls. Which one will have highest velocity?
In a rifle same amount of powder and two balls means each has half as much potential energy as a single ball. But in this case I think a double ball load (or heavier bullet) will give the gunpowder more time to burn and time for pressure to build up, resulting in the two balls actually having higher velocity than a single ball would. What do you think?
This made me wounder about the internal ballistics. I guess the explanation is that the bigger load had enough time to generate higher pressure before the ball had left the bore? If we take two .44 guns for example. One with a 4 inch barrel, loaded with 40 grains behind a single ball, and one with a 2.5 inch barrel loaded with 40 grains behind two balls. Which one will have highest velocity?
In a rifle same amount of powder and two balls means each has half as much potential energy as a single ball. But in this case I think a double ball load (or heavier bullet) will give the gunpowder more time to burn and time for pressure to build up, resulting in the two balls actually having higher velocity than a single ball would. What do you think?