I just bought a cap'n'ball revolver. It is a Pietta- Griswold & Gunnison .36 cal. Modeled after the Colt '51 navy. I have never shot black powder and was wondering what/where to get powder. I ordered some Alliant MZ, without doing much reserch on the matter. Recently I was looking up to see if there was a certain grain weight that I should use due to it being a substitute, and it looks like this was a bad choice on powder to purchase. I understand that I need to be looking for some FFFG, like goex or some sort. But I am having a hard time finding it by the pound and to order over the internet. Currently I am in Afghanistan, so just going to the local gun store is out of the question and want to shoot this pistol when I get home for leave. Is there any suggestions or answers to my riddle?

Mc, first of all thank you for your service to our country. We're grateful.

Regarding your revolver, 20 grains of Fffg under a round ball is about as good as it gets in the 36 cal. '51 Navy and/or G & G. You can use either Wonder Wads between the powder & ball or smear a lube, almost of your choice, over the ball once the cylinder is loaded to prevent chain fire. In years passed I used Crisco with good results.

As you've learned ordering black one pound at a time is a rather expensive proposition due to the hazmat fee. If you can't find GOEX, Swiss or Scheutzen when you get home pick up a pound of Triple 7 Fffg. It's a bit hotter than GOEX but won't be a problem. Then load it up with 20 grs., ram a .357 round ball on top of the powder, grease it up with a lube and have fun. C & B revolvers are a hoot and can be quite accurate.

i use the pyrodex fffg in my .44cal 1858 remington army.i find it locally at bass pro shop.

http://www.basspro.com/Pyrodex-Powder/product/35461/133086

Thanks guys, I appriciate it.
You are correct about the buying it a lbs at a time over the net.
I'll keep doing the research on the one I previously bought untill I get home, and if I don't find anything good I will set it aside and pick up the triple 7 or pyrodex. I don't want to purchase more than a pound because I doubt I will go through that much when I get home, and will have to return to here, then go back to my duty station when the deployment is over. so for a large portion of time I will have an opened can of powder degrading at home.

do not load 777 volume for volume as an equivelant for listed black powder loads

777 burns hotter
is faster and generates more pressure
than its equivelant black powder ffg or fffg listing
a safe thing to do is reduce by 15% a 777 load compared to a blackpowder load
it even says that in numerous publications and i also do beleive their web site



espically with no backstrap bp revolvers and forcing cone issues



pyrodex is volume to volume equal with black powder as a subsitute
prydex is not grain for grain equal as blackpowder


pryodex makes a pistol powder called pryodex p that replicates blackpowder volume for volume made espically for pistol and small caliber rifles




do some research on load and powder suggestion for the revolver
so you know what is up




my one good deed for the day
i gotta wait 40000 more seconds for my next post

i shoot 35 grains pyrodex p in my walker .44 reporduction.
i also use it in a cva navy .44

I haven't had any experience with 777. i just shoot pyrodex or ffg blackpowder.

That's all i can contribute until 12 hours from now.

You know how wimmins is.....

thank you for your service

if your having a hard time finding BP , I would suggest also doing some research into a traditional muzzle loading club in the area you will be when you get home .
a lot of times a well established shooting club will have a supplier for true BP.
At the same time check out the GOEX web site under distributors for one that�s close to you .
If there isn�t one ,call the closest one . Do some chatting and see who they would recommend you contacting in your local area or at least closest to you

I would also recommend you finding a loading Manuel be it the one that originally came with your piece or one of the manuals , be it one of the older Hanson books or the newer Lyman books .
Read it and the load data
In fact you may find or be able to request a copy through the base library .
If your DS doesn�t have such , then find out who is in charge of getting out reading material .
Back when I was in the army , the chaplains took care of a lot of that .
We also had what was called �Books for soldiers � so that maybe another resource for you .

If that doesn�t work or you cant find one, contact me through PM and ill send you one from my personal library .

good luck with the gun
research it up 1st
then load it up and shoot the heck outta the thing

i don't think anyone mentioned but buy you some wonderwads. go in each cylinder to prevent a chain fire.