Date: 09 Jan 94  11:46:57
From: Ed Harris
To:   Nolan Lee
Subj: Old Army Question

Loads for Ruger's Old Army:

Ruger's instruction book recommends a light target load of 20
grs. of FFFg, and filling the remainder of the chamber with
corn meal or Cream of Wheat to take up the airspace. 

Round balls should be .457" diameter, to ensure an adequate
cylindrical bearing surface is formed on the ball to take the
rifling.  Soft, bevel-based .45 ACP lead semi-wadcutters such
as the Saeco #131 or H&G #130BB may be used if .453" diameter
or larger.   This is required so they fit the chambers
tightly to prevent their creeping forward from recoil.  I
find the .45 ACP wadcutters are more accurate than the
traditional blackpowder conicals.

As the gun comes from the factory, the sights are best suited
for use with round balls.  Ruger's recommended load of 20
grs. of FFFg strikes high in the ten-ring of the 25-yard
Timed and Rapid-Fire pistol target.  A heavier load of 35
grs. of FFFg hits at 12:00 in the nine ring.  Heavier bullets
of 200 grains or more strike at the upper edge of the paper. 
The Ruger's front sight really needs to be 0.080'-0.090"
higher to permit greater flexibility in loads, as the heavier
bullets are truly accurate and provide greater energy for
hunting loads.

The Lee 200-gr. .45 cal. R.E.A.L. is more accurate than
traditional round-nosed conicals, cuts clean holes in target
paper and is of tapered design so it is easy to load.  It
shoots accurately with the same charges used for round balls
in the Old Army.  I lubricate REAL bullets for my Old Army in
a .454" sizer, and either fill the grooves with a soft stick
lubricant or tumble them in Lee Liquid Alox.  Both methods
work well.

A charge of 20-25 grs. bulk measure of FFFg or Pyrodex P,
(Lee 1.3cc or 1.6cc measure) with the 200 R.E.A.L.
approximates the ballistics of .45 ACP wadcutter ammunition. 
For a heavy hunting load 30-35 grs. bulk measure of FFFg,
Pyrodex RS or P (Lee 1.9cc or 2.2 cc measure), fills the
chambers when a wad is used, produces 2 to 2-1/2" groups at
25 yards and 850-1000 f.p.s., depending upon the powder used.

The 250-gr. Lee R.E.A.L. bullet is highly accurate and
authoritative from the Ruger Old Army with 30-35 grs. bulk
measure (a Lee 1.9cc or 2.2cc measure full) of FFFg black
powder, RS or P-grade Pyrodex.  The 2.2cc measure fills the
chambers to capacity without using a wad, produces 880-980
f.p.s., depending upon the powder type and granulation and
averages 2" groups or less at 25 yards.

--- Load Tables Continue next message ---


In Home Mix We Trust, Regards, Ed
 
 

--- Squish v1.01
 * Origin: None (1:109/120.3006)


===============================================================================

Date: 09 Jan 94  12:21:36
From: Ed Harris
To:   Nolan Lee
Subj: Loadfs for the Old Army

Black Powder Loads For the Ruger Old Army
Average of Five, 6-Shot Groups at 25 yards from sandbag rests
CCI Caps, Ox Yoke wads.

BULLET    GOEX    VEL@10'     EXTREME SPREAD (ins.)
          FFFg    (f.p.s.)    Smallest  Largest   Average
          (grs.)                                  Goex Powder lot
-----------------------------------------------------------------
143-gr., .457" Lee Round Ball
fill+wad  20      801, 43 Sd  1.76      1.93      1.84
wad only  25      738, 31 Sd  1.99      2.58      2.24 92MY20B
                  931, 32 Sd  1.42      2.40      1.88 93JA12B
          30      971, 15 Sd  1.79      2.20      2.00
          35     1010, 9 Sd   1.50      3.96      2.13
          41     1041, 10 Sd  2.46      4.50      3.46 92MY20B
                 1228, Sd 27  2.22      4.14      3.36 93JA12B
-----------------------------------------------------------------
200-gr. Lee R.E.A.L.
wad       20      699, 25 Sd  1.75      1.96      1.81
          25      864, 7 Sd   1.06      2.55      2.01
no wad    30      685, 38 Sd  1.85      2.66      2.23 92MY20B
                  882, 12 Sd  1.78      2.66      2.13 93JA12B
          35      852, 12 Sd  1.20      3.0       2.20 92MY20B
                 1017, 15 Sd  1.59      2.57      1.89 93JA12B
-----------------------------------------------------------------
250-gr. Lee R.E.A.L.

wad       20      672, 12 Sd  1.91      3.0       2.39
          25      781, 31 Sd  2.04      2.56      2.22
no wad    30      882, 12 Sd  1.30      2.14      1.60
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Unless otherwise stated, all black powder tests above were based
upon firing Goex FFFg of lot 93JA12B. Two charge levels were
repeated with the 143-gr. round ball and again with the 200-gr.
Lee R.E.A.L. using a different powder lot 92MY20B.  This was done
to illustrate that black powder of the same brand and granulation
is subject to variations.  The results in this brief test
represent the maximum lot-to-lot variation an individual user is
expected to encounter.

Hodgdon Pyrodex RS Loads For the Ruger Old Army
Average of Five, 6-Shot Groups at 25 yards from sandbag rests
CCI caps, Ox Yoke wads.

BULLET    Pyro.RS   BULK VEL@10'   EXTREME SPREAD (ins.)
Wt/Type   ACTUAL    BP   (f.p.s.)  Smallest  Largest Average
          (grs.)    (grs.))
-----------------------------------------------------------------
143-gr. .457" Lee Round Ball
wad, fill      16   22   725, 30Sd 1.93      2.71      2.40
wad, no fill   20   30   883, 30Sd 1.21      2.52      1.80
               25   35   947, 26Sd 2.17      2.68      2.42
no wad/fill    30   41  1201, 27Sd 2.29      3.18      2.53

200-gr. Lee R.E.A.L.
wad, no fill   20   30   836, 29Sd 1.28      2.42      1.91
               25   35   914, 41Sd 1.08      2.43      1.82
-----------------------------------------------------------------
220-gr. Lee Round-Nosed Conical 
wad, fill      16   22   714, 16Sd 1.73      3.17      2.34
wad, no fill   20   30   815, 25Sd 2.23      3.16      2.73
wad, no fill   25   35   889, 27Sd 2.01      2.99      2.57
-----------------------------------------------------------------
250-gr. Lee R.E.A.L.
no wad/fill    25   35   913, 32Sd 1.81      2.17      2.03

Hodgdon Pyrodex P Loads For the Ruger Old Army
Average of Five, 6-Shot Groups at 25 yards from sandbag rests
CCI caps, Ox Yoke wads

BULLET    Pyro. P   BULK VEL@10'   EXTREME SPREAD (ins.)
Wt/Type   ACTUAL    BP   (f.p.s.)  Smallest  Largest Average
          (grs.)    (grs.))
-----------------------------------------------------------------
143-gr. .457" Lee Round Ball
wad, fill      16.5 20   851, 11Sd 1.62      2.10           1.91
               18   22   884, 14Sd 1.66      2.41           1.94
wad, no fill   21   25   942, 19Sd 1.59      2.3            2.00
               24   30   985, 22Sd 1.77      4.85           2.86
               29   35  1117, 51Sd 2.15      3.91           2.87
               33   41  1189, 31Sd 2.15      4.65           3.32
-----------------------------------------------------------------
200-gr. Lee R.E.A.L.
wad, fill      16.5 20   816, 13Sd 1.73      2.74           2.12
               18   22   860, 14Sd 1.66      2.41           1.91
wad, no fill   21   25   940, 31Sd 1.45      2.51           2.02
               24   30  1002, 12Sd 2.03      3.17           2.55
no wad/        29   35  1123, 22Sd 1.98      2.85           2.44
-----------------------------------------------------------------
250-gr. Lee R.E.A.L.
wad, fill      16.5 20   759, 9Sd  1.41      2.0            1.76
               18   22   781, 16Sd 2.02      2.69           2.40
wad, no fill   21   25   876, 12Sd 1.68      2.08           1.83
               24   30   982, 28Sd 1.61      2.69           1.94
-----------------------------------------------------------------



In Home Mix We Trust, Regards, Ed



--- msged 2.05
 * Origin: Home of Ed's Red (1:109/120.3006)

