44 Dave
Member
Are balloon head cartridges safe to reload?
Then I fired them in the three standard barrel lengths (7-1/2", 5-1/2". and 4-3/4") through my chronograph.
And, and?
…My 4-3/4" Colt left the factory as a 1887 civilian gun that shipped to a big dealer in Cincinnati, Ohio (cant' remember the name). It chronographed the same ammunition at 864 fps. These were all 5 shot strings of fire.
Dave
Dave,
Perhaps B F Kittridge?
Kevin
You have SR 80 powder? Do be careful, it was hazardous to Elmer's guns. Phil Sharpe shows velocity but not pressure.
And what were the results??Then I fired them in the three standard barrel lengths (7-1/2", 5-1/2". and 4-3/4") through my chronograph.
OK.
Forty grains of FFg under a 1-20 cast 255g RNFP, in the NOS balloon-head cases, chonographed 914 fps from the 7-1/2",1880s era Cavalry Colt. From a 5-1/2" "Artillery Model" whose frame dated from 1880s also, but its other parts dated from 1874 to 1890 chronographed at 894 fps. Those two 1st Gen SAAs were military guns. My 4-3/4" Colt left the factory as a 1887 civilian gun that shipped to a big dealer in Cincinnati, Ohio (cant' remember the name). It chronographed the same ammunition at 864 fps. These were all 5 shot strings of fire.
Dave
It is interesting what they did use for measuring velocity back then. For sure not portable, one I know of was a very large "contraption" consisting of a very large drum or cylinder with graph paper on it. They would spin it at a specific RPM, shoot at it, and by measuring the distance between the holes in each side it could be determined mathematically what the velocity was. !!! Very clever. However, the common 1" pine board method of penetration testing wasn't "bad". Gave one a pretty good comparison between calibers/cartridges. Not perfect, and didn't tell all, but velocity in it's self does not always tell all either.Nor did anyone have a portable chronograph.
Yep, me and Billy hate the cell phone. I don't have one either. However, I have fallen prey to the internet. Dang.Everyone knows, Billy the Kid did not have a cell phone or internet.