So what kind of load would you put into an Historic firearm

I

indy1919

New member
The other night on the TV Show triggers, They were doing the history of Pistols.. They went to the NRA National Firearms Museum and they handled and fired John S. Mosby's (aka the Gray Ghost) 1860 Army Revolver.

Now I am sure the pistol was properly inspected and all. So it was safe to fire.. But if your job was to decide the load to put in that gun what would you recommend???? You could not risk the gun getting hurt..

Sure the gun may be solid, but how much to put in a historic gun ??????

What would be the Minimum load that you would use???

What would be the Maximum Load???
 
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30 grains. That may may some people cringe but if the gun is in good shape I don't see why not and yes I've done it with a 58 Remington that was sound mechanically but looked pretty bad.
 
My first thought was 25 gr/volume fffg real black in an 1860 Army, but I wouldn't have any problem with 30 gr/volume.

I guess I'd prefer the 25 but I wouldn't refuse to shoot 30. So, minimum of 20 and maximum of 30.
 
What you want is all the space behind the ball or bullet filled with black powder.No air!.However much that volume is ,is the proper charge.
 
In that particular, historic, valuable gun, just to shoot it, I'd keep the load under 25 grs and I'd use FFG to keep the pressure down, maybe even an undersized ball. Yeah, I'd be cautious with that one. I would not want to be the "expert" who destroyed it.
I use pretty much "regular" loads in my antiques. In my original .44 Remington New Model I use about 30 grs.
 
@Pohill, you'd certainly forfeit your expert status if you blew up that particular revolver on national tv... :eek:

25-30 grains sounds about right. Nothing fancy just what the gun was designed to use. We have Old Army's Dragoons and Walkers for the BP Magnum stuff.
 
Frankly . . . . I'm quite surprised at Hawg's reply! :D

I'm one of those "Yankees" but if you over look that . . .

First off, I don't think they would even let me TOUCH Mosby's revolver . . . BUT, if they did . . . I wouldn't be shooting it . . . I'd be handling it with cotton gloves and setting it up on an alter to worship! :rolleyes:

I'm sorry I missed the show . . . I would have liked to have seen that. In my mind (and it's only my opinion) . . . Mosby was a very intelligent and skilled leader of the Partisans. If you haven't read "The Gray Ghost" . . you should if you have an interest in the Civil War. OOPS! Sorry Hawg . . . I meant to say the "late unpleasantness". :eek: It's amazing how Mosby and the other Partisan leaders kept the amount of Federals busy along the B & O Railroad.

It must have been a great thrill for whoever was allowed to shoot it . . . don't you just wish that revolver could have spoken and told the story of its travels?
 
I had a relative that rode with Mosby. Notice the revolver butt sticking out of his jacket.

HH.jpg


Well that pic came out small lemme see if I can find a bigger one.
 
Hawg . . . thanks for sharing that image! It's nice that you have it and its remained in the family.

I found it interesting in the book that I mentioned about the Union forces and the Partisans in regards to the "eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth" hangings that went on for a very short time. I don't have the book handy to get the specifics but at one point, I believe it was the Partisans who had captured 6 or 7 Federals that the Partisans were going to hang in retaliation. In the process of taking them to a location in the darkness of night, one or two of the Federals, who were Free Masons gave the grand distress hail which was instanly recognized by one of the Partisans who also was a Free Mason - and as a result - the Masons "escaped". Having been a Mason for close to 40 years, I thought it was an interesting story of how the bonds of "Brotherhood" extended across the barriers of two enemy armies.

My family was from Norther Ireland and my branch settled in the North but I know that several of my g-g-grandfather's brothers came over earlier and came in through the Carolinas. I believe on branch ended up in Tennessee and the other in Texas. My g-g-grandgather came over in the mid 1840s - the others earlier. I've been trying for years to make a connection to the other branches with no luck yet - I'm sure that there were many of them who wore the gray.

It's funny how history "repeats" itself. State's rights versus Federralism. Kind of has a familiar tone to it - especially in light of all of what is going on today. Personally, if I had been alive at that time, I could see myself heading south to take a stand. Today . . . I have a feeling that at some point, the states will once again have to stand up for their individual rights and make it clear to the Federal government that they are not our "keepers".

Thanks for sharing the image and information - I think it's fascinating! :)
 
Its not in the family, its an old newspaper picture. Lets see if this pic is any better.

hhatcher_a1-1-1.jpg



What's really weird is I looked just like that when I was the same age, hat hair and all. Gave me a bit of a start when I first found it. I showed it to my ex wife and she liked to have freaked.:eek:
 
you guys are braver then I

I do not think I would be as gutsy as you guys, I was thinking of just 12 or grains...

In fact the guy who shot the gun on the show noted there there was no recoil..
 
I'd feel comfortable with 20 - 25 grs FFG and, like I said, an undersized ball.
Personally, I don't know why they'd shoot that gun, unless a descendant of Mosby was doing the shooting.
 
It fired OK for Mosby and there is no reason to think it won't fire OK today.

FWIW, Colt cartridges for the .44 were loaded with a 230 grain bullet of .456" diameter and 20 grains of powder. Some other ammunition makers used round balls of 137 grains and a powder charge as great as 30 grains.

Jim
 
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