Pet Loads for your .36 1851

[Come On Christmas]

I’ve owned a sold many cap & ball pistols over the years.

 

I’ve never owned an 1851.  I bought two yesterday.

 

I have some black powder and some 777.  Also what I call floor sweep reinactors black  powder.

 

My buddy likes the floor sweep to shoot antique weapon.  A little more sizzle and less bang.

 

What’s your favorite loads.

 

i shoot for frontiersman for fun and don’t worry too much about my scores.  How does .36 caliber do on knockdowns?  Use conicals for more momentum?

 

Thanks,

 

Come On Christmas

[Hawkeye Kid]

15 grain by volume 3F with 80 gram EPP-UG bullet (Big Lube)

One year shooting our annual match in frontiersman - I was the only clean shooter - this club loves knockdowns and shotgun - 10 10 8+

[McCandless]

I only shoot .44s now.  But, when I shot .36s I used 19gr of Goex Cowboy.  (Yeah, I know they don't make that anymore.)  I found that the little 88gr ball did not make a loud enough "clang" to be heard by the spotters; especially when there were other berms shooting, or over the boom of the BP.   So, spotting being what it is, I would get Miss calls when I know I hit the target, and the T.O. agreed, but there's nothing we can do but grin and take it.

 

I went with 144gr conical bullets for the extra weight and the louder "clang"... much mo' betta outcome!  

[Doc McCoy, SASS #8381]

18 gr FFF and a round ball. With a wad. I use a variety of powder brands, Goex, Skirmish, Schutzen, whatever real BP is available.  

[Come On Christmas]

Thanks fellers

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

15 grains FFFg + sagebrush lubed felt wad + 375 or 380 pure lead roundball 

—Dawg

[Rillito Red]

I used 15 grains of Triple 7 with a round ball for most targets, and 20 grains with a conical for heavy knock downs.  I could go 8 stages without any cleaning.

[Griff]

I've shot an .36 cal. 1851 since 1987.  I use a Hornady .375 RB, 15 grains of 3F Goex and a .36 cal. lubed wad.  Remington #10 caps, and simply aim for the top 1/3 of KDs.  Many clean matches, IME a conical shouldn't be needed if a club calibrates their KDs to go down with a std. 38 Special and you can reliably hit the upper 1/3 of the target.  

[Lead Monger]

My 51s and 61s like 18g of FFF GOEX with a Hornady round ball and lard/beeswax lube over the top. Light it with a REM #10 cap. Using 15g of Swiss FFF and a Eras Gone 36 Cal. Colt conical lubed over the top and ignited with the Remington #10 is a little more accurate (maybe) and hits the steel a bit harder. Have also used a Howell conversion cylinder with .375 throats and fired 38 Special 148g hollow base wadcutters propelled by 2.8g of Red Dot. More accurate than I thought it would be.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

PLUS ONE for Hawkeye Kid (except). Depending on the cast, an EPLP UG - 36 Weighs 89 - 90 Gr.  So I load my 36s with 12Gr 3F APP and EPP UG - 36 Bullets.  Gives a nice KLANG and will take down most knock downs.