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Hal · October 29, 2000, 05:09 AM

Nothing wrong with using BP at all. It's just that the stuff is a general royal pain in the tail to deal with. Cleanup becomes a major issue with black powder. Once you ignite the crap(said loveingly, since I'm a BP junkie from way back), the residue becomes sulfuric acid in the presence of moisture. I loaded exactly one round of .45LC using 38 gr of BP under a 250 gr cast lead bullet and fired it in my Blackhawk. That was years ago, and the thing still stinks like a dog fart

The manual on BP is simple. Fill the case with as much as will fit under the bullet you use. You don't want any air space at all between the bullet and the powder. BP is graded according to the size of the granuals. The more "F"'s, the finer the powder, the finer the powder, the easier it burns (read faster). For both .44/40 and .45, FFG should give you the best burn rate using standard primers. Magnum primers aren''t recommended since the hotter flash would be counter productive. You want the load to burn as slow as possible. When you handle BP, you have to be careful to avoid anything that can cause static electricity. BP burns at a constant rate, either in the open or confined, so a spark can set off an explosion. Unlike smokeless propellant, BP is a true explosive. Before you start, pour a small pile of it outside and toss a match to it. Stand back though,,,waaayyyyy back.
If you want to deal with the mess and the extra handeling precautions, the rewards are going to be a billowing cloud of smoke, that will literally bring tears to your eyes, and a throaty BOOM, instead of a crack. Black podwer sounds like, well honestly, it sounds like the difference between a Harley and a Honda. I would strongly suggest you find someone that can do a hands on with you instead of going it yourself for the first time.
Black powder is a great deal of fun, but it's a bit too much work for my tastes right now. Usually when I get the urge to make smoke, I use a cap and ball pistol. They're made with the thought of stripping them down for cleaning. Those brass frames on most BP arms aren't just for show and cost cutting in mfg. The brass frames don't turn to rust 30 seconds (Ok, gross exaduration, but it always seems like it) after you pull the trigger.
One last word of caution. When you do load it up and shoot, please shoot it outside.

This time of year always brings out the muzzle loaders for their yearly sight in at the indoor range. LOL! I get a LOT of low light practice in, and feel ready to deal with any mace attack.

[This message has been edited by RAE (edited October 29, 2000).]

October 29, 2000, 05:09 AM	#2
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	Nothing wrong with using BP at all. It's just that the stuff is a general royal pain in the tail to deal with. Cleanup becomes a major issue with black powder. Once you ignite the crap(said loveingly, since I'm a BP junkie from way back), the residue becomes sulfuric acid in the presence of moisture. I loaded exactly one round of .45LC using 38 gr of BP under a 250 gr cast lead bullet and fired it in my Blackhawk. That was years ago, and the thing still stinks like a dog fart The manual on BP is simple. Fill the case with as much as will fit under the bullet you use. You don't want any air space at all between the bullet and the powder. BP is graded according to the size of the granuals. The more "F"'s, the finer the powder, the finer the powder, the easier it burns (read faster). For both .44/40 and .45, FFG should give you the best burn rate using standard primers. Magnum primers aren''t recommended since the hotter flash would be counter productive. You want the load to burn as slow as possible. When you handle BP, you have to be careful to avoid anything that can cause static electricity. BP burns at a constant rate, either in the open or confined, so a spark can set off an explosion. Unlike smokeless propellant, BP is a true explosive. Before you start, pour a small pile of it outside and toss a match to it. Stand back though,,,waaayyyyy back. If you want to deal with the mess and the extra handeling precautions, the rewards are going to be a billowing cloud of smoke, that will literally bring tears to your eyes, and a throaty BOOM, instead of a crack. Black podwer sounds like, well honestly, it sounds like the difference between a Harley and a Honda. I would strongly suggest you find someone that can do a hands on with you instead of going it yourself for the first time. Black powder is a great deal of fun, but it's a bit too much work for my tastes right now. Usually when I get the urge to make smoke, I use a cap and ball pistol. They're made with the thought of stripping them down for cleaning. Those brass frames on most BP arms aren't just for show and cost cutting in mfg. The brass frames don't turn to rust 30 seconds (Ok, gross exaduration, but it always seems like it) after you pull the trigger. One last word of caution. When you do load it up and shoot, please shoot it outside. This time of year always brings out the muzzle loaders for their yearly sight in at the indoor range. LOL! I get a LOT of low light practice in, and feel ready to deal with any mace attack. [This message has been edited by RAE (edited October 29, 2000).]