ruger old army can be loaded to 44mag velocity

r o a loaded to 44 mag

ive since seen balistic info that claimed,1200 fps 255 grain bullit 800fpe with 40 gr 777.
 
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robhof

I've got a pair of the Ballistix after market cylinders for my ROA and they are tapped deeper, they hold 45gr of 3F under a Lee conical, but best accuracy is achieved with 40 gr and filler.
 
"ive since seen balistic info that claimed,1200 fps 255 grain bullit 800fpe with 40 gr 777..."

I'd be curious to see the particulars of the ballistic info. That sounds pretty high, both the powder charge and velocity for a 255 grain bullet. I may be mistaken, but am intersted to see the info.

What's the weight of the Lee conical?

The old standard 44 mag load was a 240-250 gr bullet @ 1450 fps velocity in a 6" barrel, perhaps more in the early days.
 
r o a loaded to 44 mag performance

classic ballisttics,among others,load the r o a to near mag performance,I can stuff about 45 gr 777 under a255 gr hornady cowboy boolit,it kicks like a 44 mag i dont have a chornograph,but it shoots with a crack that sounds like a rifle.
 
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ROA

Ruger made a fine gun when they made the ROA. Shooters are continually trying to make it something that, maybe, it's not.
I'm in the "want a .44 mag, buy a .44 mag" school.

About 777 -
1200 fps 255 grain bullit 800fpe with 40 gr 777
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In these types of discussions, it is frequently unclear what people mean exactly when they refer to load data involving BP subs like 777. Not necessarily unsafe, just not clear.
Is that 40 grains volume equivalent of BP (this would be the standard recommendation) or is that 40 grains actual charge weight?
A Lee dipper designed to throw 40 grains (39.8 really) of FFFg will throw just over 30 of 777. A full 40 grains of 777 is equivalent to about 51-52 grains of FFFg. 45 would equal 60 of BP.
In recent years, I'm never quite sure which reference to expect.
Despite the "school" I'm in about .44s, it really would be kinda neat to have a BP revolver that would have that kind of power and not weigh 4 or five pounds.

Pete
 
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Yep.

Is that 40 grains volume equivalent of BP (this would be the standard recommendation) or is that 40 grains actual charge weight?
A Lee dipper designed to throw 40 grains (39.8 really) -by volume, presumeably - of FFFg will throw just over 30 - again, grains by volume I presume -of 777. A full 40 grains - by weight or volume? -of 777 is equivalent to about 51-52 grains - by weight or volume? -of FFFg. 45 would equal 60 of BP.
Click to expand...
 
yep

Tarnation!
Grumble. Grumble.
Quote:
Is that 40 grains volume equivalent of BP (this would be the standard recommendation) or is that 40 grains actual charge weight?
A Lee dipper designed to throw 40 grains (39.8 really)actual weight of the 2.5cc volume -by volume, presumeably - of FFFg will throw just over 30 grains actual weight- again, grains by volume I presume -of 777. A full 40 grains - by weight or volume? by weight -of 777 is equivalent to about 51-52 grains - by weight or volume? Yes. -of FFFg. 45 grains of 777 by weight would equal 60 grains by weight of FFFg BP.
Click to expand...
Gettin' hard to read, ain't it?
Maybe we could complicate it a bit more?
The 3.4 CC dipper throws an actual weight of 50 grains of FFg BP. It throws an actual weight of 38 grains of FFg 777. 45 grains by weight of FFg 777 without being shook down fills a 4.0CC Lee dipper which throws 58 grains of FFg BP.
So...when someone says that they loaded 40 grains of 777, are they reading the 40 off the side of a powder measure or off the balance beam of a scale? It's not always clear. Like this post.
Pete
 
40 grains by volume is about all a ROA chamber will hold and still leave enough room to seat a roundball, let alone a bullet. I don't think there is any way you could get 40 grains by weight of 777 into a ROA and still seat a bullet.
 
I've got a friend who's done very interesting things with a ROA. I'm quite impressed with the gun - think I'll stick with that. ;)
 
Here's a Dixie Gun Works review of 190 grain .457 Buffalo Ballets by TFL's own author in residence mec who states that they can reach 1066 FPS when fired from a Ruger Old Army loaded with the volume equivalent of 40 grains of 777.
Maybe that's not equivalent to the .44 mag. but it certainly rivals and exceeds some .44 special loadings.

BT1201.JPG


This is a 190 grain swaged bullet with cupped base and a hatch-mark bullet retention pattern on the bearing surface. They are coated with some sort of lubricant- probably moly. The nose is rounded like a ball to gain optimum fit to loading rams the base is rebated to allow the bullets to seat in the chambers. Seating is in a straight line with no more distortion than desirable and the same for all bullets.

This one is sized .457 and should work in Ubert Chambers-Possibly a bit large for pietta but will likely work in those too. I ordered them for the Ruger Old Army- a revolver set up around .457" balls and bullets. They loaded in a straight line and the optimum load provided a five shot group of 1.8" at 60 feet. Best consistency among loads tested was identical volume of Hodgdon's H777 to 40 grains of black powder.
Chronographed velocity/ calculated energy was:

40Gr./Vol. H 777 1066 fps 51fps spread 479ft/lbs

Other combinations provided good accuracy but larger extreme spreads. These bullets in both this diameter and 36 are as accurate or almost as accurate as round ball and provide optimum downrange energy

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_reviews_info.php?products_id=3631&reviews_id=566
Click to expand...
 
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Methinks a 190gr .45 at 1066fps is still a far cry from Skeeter's 7.5gr Unique under a 250gr Keith bullet for 950fps.
 
So, how much 777 can be crammed into the Ruger chambers with a conical bullet? Whats the top velocity? I've been curious since seeing this thread.


I looked up the old 44 mag factory info, I was mistaken, it's 1570 FPS w/ 240 gr bullet. That's likely shot in an 8 3/8" barrel, but I didnt look it up, it may be a 6 1/2".
 
My ROA chambers hold 48.8 grains of water/44.9 grains of Goex fffg completely filled to the top.
A bullet that weighs 240 grains would most probably allow only 30, maybe 35 grains of black powder max.

The only way I can possibly see a ROA equalling a .44 Magnum would be if smokeless powder was used with a cartridge conversion cylinder and you loaded "Ruger only" .45 long colt loads for it.
Smokeless powder does not behave well with percussion caps for ignition.
 
my roa holds 48 gr of water

my roa will hold 37 gr of 777 and a 255 gr hornady cowboy bullet,compressed,and about 47 grains 777 and a 190 gr buffalo bullet,kicks like hell,sounds like thunder,I use the fff 777 fresh as i can find,I dont know if my gun had the chambers deepend,here In michigan,alot of people hunt with R O A durin the muzzy season,im goin tomory evnin,well however fast the led is flyin,it drops these michigan thumb deer out to 60 yrds or so.
 

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r o a as mag

ive just read a thread about a roa that produces a 1350fps and 900 fpe now thats factory 44 mag teritory aint it?,go to the hi road r o a heavy load.classic ballistics,devoleped the data.;)
 
From http://www.clementscustomguns.com/rugerrevolvers.html

.50 Cal. Ruger Old Army: This is a 5-shot conversion of the Old Army to .50 caliber. Gun will shoot .490" round balls @ 1250 fps "616 fpe" and a 250 gr. .488" dia. bullet @ 1150 fps "733 fpe" using Hodgdon's Triple 7 powder. Standard features include an oversize 5 shot cyl. made to fit your individual gun, 6 3/4" straight taper bull barrel made from a Kreiger blank with pinned blade front sight base, (fixed sight conversions will have a dovetailed front sight), action job, and reliability modifications. Load data furnished. We pioneered this conversion and it is only available from us. Cylinders are linebored for accuracy. $995 on your gun. Extra .50 cal. cyl. furnished with conversion $500
For 6 3/4" octagon barrel with integral front sight base and dovetailed blade add $300.
Fixed or adjustable sight guns are suitable for this conversion.
The 6 3/4" barrel is the only length available for this conversion.
Ruger has recently discontinued the Old Army. Conversion is only available on customer supplied guns.

Complete bullet mold dimensions are furnished with each gun.
 
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