Ruger Old Army Powder Projectile Test Part 1

[@lawrencestanley8989]

Can't seem to fine any Ruger Old Army's these days, so I just bought the Uberti 5.5" 1858 Remington in stainless. I can't WAIT to put her through her paces!

[@glnelson1956]

Thanks Mike for all your hard work and efforts. Very impressed with your well-thought-out test set up; logical, consistent & repeatable. Swiss makes a black powder that I think is very close to the actual 1850's Hazard No. 1 Pistol Powder commonly used in revolver combustibles of that time. My informal tests, not nearly as well organized as yours, show it to be about 8% hotter than Hodgdon 777 FFFg. It appears that those 22gr charges common in combustibles were not anemic at all!

[@markotter2707]

Something about this revolver is special.

[@dennishein2812]

I used to have a Ruger old army. It was a nice shooter and safe to carry with 6.

[@paransan]

Good demo Mike, thanks. The noise doesn't bother me, not enough to matter. The bird dog jumped in the pickup, though. Lol

[@PlayaSinNombre]

Oh, no! More videos from Deulist’s Den? Whatever shall we do?😊

[@arlebodee6432]

Hey, I understand. My reasoning (which I should have been more clear about) was that being in one of your videos might get them to help you with your videos. I would enjoy helping you with your videos. :-)

[@126lma]

Thanks for making you videos much appreciated !

[@duelist1954]

I'm sorry about the excessive noise. But, the other shooters pay their money to belong here just like me, and they come to shoot. My convenience isn't their concern. Usually I work in a somewhat more secluded part of the club, but that just wasn't practical for these tests.

[@Gunsforfreedom]

Hey mike, great video. However, in wondering why you did not use a 1860 Army or a 1858 Remington? Just saying, cause the Rugers are hard to come by and most folks have one of the other pistol I mentioned earlier. Thanks!

[@Cjmm007]

I figured the 2 more inches of barrel would have substantial more power. I guess not. I would much rather have a smaller barrel. 5.5 inch it is for me!

[@shinyparts]

Just looking at the ball you captured, was the flatness caused from how the round is seated in the cylinder or from it being fired? I know that you can load a larger ball than the cylinder and then when its rammed home is shaves some lead off, just wondering if thats the case or something else? Also have you tried using a smaller sized ball with a patch in a revolver, much like a musket?

[@3289970]

great vid thanks

[@geralddorrian100]

can round balls be re shot or would the seal be no good?

[@duelist1954]

Actually it was a monday. This is a membership club, but it is very popular. Usually I film in an area we call "The Rocky Gorge". I generally use 4-wheel drive to get the truck into up to those bays, which provide a bit of separation from the rest of the club. But the logistics of these tests are pretty daunting. I haul in 60+ gallon water jugs at a time, plus a portable shooting bench target stands and backgrounds, the chrony, guns, shooting boxes, cameras...well you get the point...cont. below

[@duelist1954]

I previously did a performance series on the 1860 Army with the same three projectiles, but only using Goex as the powder. I may do a Remington in the future. I only did this one because I was criticized about my use of a 14-inch ROA Buntline in a previous test. And I was also criticized for not testing Triple-7. So this series is to address those concerns.

[@duelist1954]

So for these tests I used action bay #1, which is level and has the two long tables I need to work with. Unfortunately, immediately to the left is the indoor range and immediately to the right is the standard pistol range, so it gets pretty loud.

[@historyandhorseplaying7374]

Am very surprised at the minuscule difference in power between FFF in the 5.5 and 7.5 models. The T7 results seem more appropriate. Could the machine have been mistaken?

[@Jagdtyger2A]

I have had someone tell me that the Cowboy Action crowd doesn't use double action BP revolvers. What is the story?

[@johnfaccin5943]

I don't mean to be rude but it hard to hear you talking with someone else shooting at the same location as you. Is it possible to shoot and make the video's somewhere by yourself. I enjoy watching but the other shooter distracts me and makes it difficult to hear what your saying.

[@duelist1954]

Round ball accuracy is actually pretty good, but roundballs have a low ballistic coefficient, which means accurate long range shooting requires a good match of twist rate and powder charge...in rifles. In revolvers, practically speaking, you don't shoot them far enough for that to matter.

[@duelist1954]

I'm not really happy with those groups, but I think the paper cartridges would do as well... or probably a little better.

[@fashionstreet1]

These old firearms are the real deal made of pure hard steel and hit hard with the right powder and ammo there not built like these plastic toys are made of today!

[@singleactionrevolver4376]

Just bought my first black powder revolver & yes it's a ruger old army.. 7.5" blue fixed sights the first I have ever seen.. Pretty good find.. What do you think of pyrodex pistol pellets ?

[@steveroush4147]

I have been able to cut down 3" saplings at 75 yards with my buffalo bullets and 45 grns of triple f goes powder.

[@duelist1954]

Not my gun. it was a loaner for the test.

[@duelist1954]

It is from seating in the cylinder

[@morganfrmn]

Thanks for the work

[@jayn8392]

These things are super cool, but I couldn't see paying their asking price for one when you can get a very solid repro of all sorts of cap and ball revolvers for half the price.

[@duelist1954]

Remington #10

[@357bullfrog]

here a while back you told me the comparison between the modern cartridges and the 44 and 36 cap and ball. could you do a gelatin test between them to see the penetration differences?

[@arlebodee6432]

You should get some of those guys (the ones doing all that shooting in the background) in some of your videos... Maybe they'll be nice and let you do your reviews without them having to be so damn noisy.

[@paransan]

The longer the projectile spends in the bbl, the higher the poi. The longer the bbl, the longer the bullet spends in the bbl. the heavier the bullet, the longer the bullet spends in the bbl. ( at these short ranges) thus poi in this case is a result of recoil/ muzzle jump?

[@arlebodee6432]

Interesting way to test penetration, using water-filled plastic milk jugs. Proves beyond doubt that those old black powder guns had more than enough power to do what was needed.

[@arlebodee6432]

The longer barrel results in a higher p.o.i. because of the higher velocity, which is produced by the higher pressure (the longer barrel gives more time for the powder to fully burn). The p.o.i. would likely be even higher with a lighter weight bullet. But, usually, the lower the velocity, the lower the p.o.i. will be.

[@WhiskeyRiverRifleman]

those are fine groups for those pistols at 25 yards. Mike, would you expect similar groups from those combustible paper cartridges from one of your other vids?

[@steveroush4147]

What is the difference in measure of the different powders...? Thanks

[@tiedyedkarma]

The background noise was off the charts, this time. Must have filmed of a busy Saturday.

[@electriceyeslide5959]

Let’s just agree that this gun destroys men.

[@shinyparts]

Would that affect accuracy at all? I guess accuracy and round ball aren't really put together in a sentence that much!

[@paransan]

Longer bbl results in higher p.o.i. Especially w/ low velocity round, right?

[@raiderluvr7715]

question for anyone who can answer: can you load a black powder pistol and store it for moths at a time or will the powder start to corrode the cylinder? appreciate any advice on this.

[@duelist1954]

You can store it loaded for decades, as long as you keep it dry.

[@larsonfam3861]

Did you not test Pyro P because it's negligibly equivalent to the Goex? just curious, I know it's supposed to be the same but some live it or hate it, swear by one brand or another and have heard inconsistency complaints regarding pyrodex, most often with the pellets though.

[@larsonfam3861]

*love

[@duelist1954]

The only sub I tested was T-7 because of its power. Pyrodex and ascorbic acid powders like APP and Ed Shokey's Gold are weaker than Goex and have other problems.

[@joes1363]

Hi Mike, where should one look to find an almost NIB version of this revolver.

[@duelist1954]

Probably Gun Broker or Guns America

[@angelogarcia2189]

where did you get the flat nose bullets from? i can't seem to find a mold for them. thank you

[@Jak-it]

Kiado bullet mould

[@paransan]

If the same powder charge is used.

[@xdannydewx]

Great firearm i love these old western ones :)

[@Gunsforfreedom]

Understood, carry on : )

[@steveroush4147]

That works!

[@greatsportb5376]

.

[@Beamos12]

I wish they would start making these again.

[@reinghorse1970]

Thomas Myers Good news just found these listed on lipsey's they are listing four models 1411 ,1401 ,1405, 1406 . I found some on GunBroker listed (Nib) so I inquired as they have not made these in a while now , fellow responded they were new (Talo) guns sure enough a search for Ruger old army on lipsey's site shows these four . The kicker is msrp was $1269 ,which is steep for Bp revolver but some searching a fellow may find a deal.

[@user-be9ii9ut4t]

why did Ruger call it "Old" Army when it's clearly the "New" Army design

[@Blu0tuth0ninja]

Because when they made it new army design was old. There had been many army designs after. And its not a remington reproduction. None of the parts are cross compatible.