Powerful Colt Navy 1851 Load?

[Homer]

My brother in-law just gave me a 44 caliber Colt 1851 Navy replica revolver distributed by Navy Arms. Other than the area around the barrel pin slot (which is pocked from numerous beatings it took to, I assume, back the pin out) it seems to be in pretty good condition. It was loaded with and looked like it had been for quite some time (I removed the bullet and had to chip the pyrodex powder out of the cylinders). Once I clean it up it should work fine.
Now here’s the question. What is a good load powerful load for this revolver (200 grains at 800 fps)? The bore is pretty big so it should be able to throw a good bullet that could make a good sized hole in something. I’d like to use one of the cheap soft swaged lead bullets from one of the major users or something like it – will they work? Or is a simple round ball the best route to take?

For powder, I’m not sure what is best to use – I’m leaning toward either black powder or 777. This revolver will allow me to buy a cheap BP rifle and hunt during the BP season and still be able to carry a sidearm. I’ve avoided the BP season because I don’t like wandering around the desert without a sidearm, and didn’t want to buy both a rifle and a revolver, but this may just be the motivation I need to take advantage of the BP season (in Arizona, you cannot carry a cartridge sidearm while hunting with a BP rifle).

Any advice is appreciated – thanks.

[DPris]

Standard lead bullets intended for smokeless loads are not a particularly good choice, find a percussion bullet type if you want to go heavier than a ball.

Brass frame or steel?
If brass, you do NOT want to be charging heavy, either way, ball or bullet.
Denis

[Homer]

Standard lead bullets intended for smokeless loads are not a particularly good choice, find a percussion bullet type if you want to go heavier than a ball.

Brass frame or steel?
If brass, you do NOT want to be charging heavy, either way, ball or bullet.
Denis

Mine is a brass frame. Can you recommend a bullet? Is my goal with this gun to ambitious?

[DPris]

Yes, with a brass frame.
Some have better luck than others with those, but I shot with a buddy years ago in South Dakota while stationed there.
Mine was a brass-framed .36, his was a brass-framed .44.
His arbor pin pulled loose in less than 400 rounds & once that happens the gun's junk.

Best to stay light with brass, I've actually retired mine.
I wouldn't bother with a bullet in yours. Why push your luck?
Denis

[Griff]

What Denis said. NEVER use anything but pure lead projectiles in your muzzle-loading revolver! I have four steel-framed .36 cal. 1851s, I just shoot a pure lead round ball under 17grs. of 3Fg for target use, and no more than 23grs. for other work. I've heard that brass-framed .44s should be kept to under 30grs. of 3Fg, with nothing but pure lead round balls.

And, FWIW, stay away from Pyrodex... it is super hygroscopic, in that it's fouling will absorb and hold water faster than true BP fouling will. It needs to be cleaned sooner and more vigorously than fouling from your regular run of the mill BP. For example, I cleaned my Sharps after using Pyrodex after competing in Raton, NM at the 1990 NRA BP Cartridge Silhouette Championships; and when I reached home outside Dallas I had a rusty bore. This was after cleaning with HOT water, runnin' a few dry patches, then an oily patch thru the barrel before leaving the range. After 3 more cleanings I finally got the flash rust removed, never to return. Since then, I've never used Pyrodex, and strongly recommend that others don't also. I can shoot with BP (Goex) leave the rifle to the next day to clean, and simply after rinsing with hot water, drying and running a oily swab thru the barrel, no further problems.

IMO, their advertising is about like Henry Repeating Arms...

[Centennial]

New here but not to C&B revolvers. I like 3F black powder and load for accuracy, and wherever that gets me in FPS is fine.
You can shoot them loose. I had a very accurate brass frame 36 with 20 grains black, but it got undependable and now I have steel frames. My friend and I cut the forcing cones with 11 degree cutter from Brownells, our purpose was to give a gentler entrance for the ball and less hammering out of the frame/base pin. I think it was a good improvement but your results may vary.

[KiwiKev]

What Griff said.

[M. M. Wright]

Like Griff, I have had many problems with Pyrodex, mostly in other peoples guns but came close to ruining some of mine too. I shoot a pair of steel framed 1860 Army 44s and you can't really load them very heavy since the chambers only hold so much.
I started shooting c&b when I was 14, (I'm 75 now) so I do have some experience with this stuff. I like Goex which I think ignites easier than any of the substitutes and cleans up easiest too.
If you want more power then get a Remington copy or a Ruger Old Army.