Basic Black Powder pistol load ?

[Keyless]

Sorry to be asking such a basic question .

Many years ago I was given a single shot pistol made by my brother in law from a CVA kit. I shot it about 15 years ago and it has been apart in a drawer for years . I found it when cleaning out a desk and cleaned it up and want to shoot it again .

I am looking but have not found a good basic starting and maximum load chart. I am seeing a good rule of thunb is 1 grain per caliber . So that would be 45 grains for a 45 caliber . That seems like a little much for the single shot pistol .

I am going by the local Books A Million to look for any info but would welcome any suggestions. Thanks in advance .

[Mike.357]

I have not owned a single shot BP pistol but 45 grains sounds like a lot.

I use between 18 and 30 in .44 cal revolvers.

I do not have any load chart. It would seem to me that you should start very low and work you way up until you get accuracy. Anything past that is just more noise and smoke.

[1gewehr]

Sorry to be asking such a basic question .

I am seeing a good rule of thunb is 1 grain per caliber . So that would be 45 grains for a 45 caliber . That seems like a little much for the single shot pistol

That is a good rule of thumb for a black powder rifle. Not for a pistol. As stated above, I'd start with 15 or so and work up. for a pistol, you should be using FFFg powder, or if it's a pocket pistol or small caliber, you might want to use FFFFg. The very small grained FFFFg powder is also used for priming with a flintlock weapon.

[Guest forklift]

Shot a trapper .50 pistol this weekend and was using 30 grains. It was a great load!

[SHbicycle]

That is a good rule of thumb for a black powder rifle. Not for a pistol. As stated above, I'd start with 15 or so and work up. for a pistol, you should be using FFFg powder, or if it's a pocket pistol or small caliber, you might want to use FFFFg. The very small grained FFFFg powder is also used for priming with a flintlock weapon.

This is a good start. Try 2f starting a 15g then move up 5g till it kicks to much. then go to 3f and do the same thing then look at all the targets and see what groups best.

I have Lyman planes .54 one shoots best with 60g 3f the other is best with 85g 2f.

[Keyless]

Thanks for the replies.

What I have is some powder that is 777 FFF and the measure I bought goes down to 20 so it looks like that will be my starting point. It is a CVA colonial pistol and I am not going to be to concerned on getting it dead on , but just shooting for a little fun and to remember how it was years ago .

I shot this pistol over 15 years ago and enjoyed it very much , but then bought some black powder revolvers and sort of put this one to the side. I sold all the revolvers years ago . I found this when cleaning up and now picked up a little interest in shooting balck powder again.

My brother in law ( who built the kit ) has since bought several black powder revolvers and we will be getting together to shoot them next week. He has never shot this one that he made . I still have to get some 440 lead balls if I can find them .

Can you shoot maxi balls out of a pistol ? That might be all I can find without ordering them. The barrell is around 6" and I sort of see it as a waste to use maxi balls . Anybody know of a store in the Chattanooga are that has 440 lead balls ?