Drams versus onces

[A. F Medic]

On the under side or my Parker Hale 2 band enfield, there are some markings 3 1/2 drams of blackpowder and 536 for the .58 caliber bullet. I do not know what 3 1/2s drams is is equal to for FFF powder. Anybody have an idea of what that converts for our black powder in grains. I usually shoot 60 grains of FFF

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[villiers]

1 Ounce = 16 Drams

Google´s a hoot!

[Aussie48]

fairly easy using the internet google "conversion dram to grain"
I came up with 95.703125

[Patrick Chadwick]

... the 3 1/2 drams is a proof load!

The service load was 2 1/2 drams. A touch over 68 gn.
This is about right if you use Swiss No. 3 = FFg

Both No.2 = FFFg (rather harder fouling, use a bit less) and No.4 = 1 1/2 Fg (lots of soft fouling, but comes out easily) will work if you have no alternative. Only use FFFg if you can clean between shots. It all depends a bit on how close your Minié bullet fits, the bullet weight, and how much grease you have.

Try 65-68 gn of No. 3 = FFg. shallow-base bullet, sized to about .575 (depends on bore - is it a real P-H barrel?), weight abut 500-520 gn. Pure lead, of course!

---------- Post added at 11:48 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:46 AM ----------

536 for the .58 caliber bullet.

That must be the bullet weight - in grains - for the proof load.

[A. F Medic]

Thought that might be a proof load. My bullets are .575 swaged. It is a PH and it has a enlarged (?) powder chamber. I will stick with the 70 grains of FFFG. Thank you.