hello, from new blackpowder shooter

[krazykat]

well, thanks to you guys, I just ordered my first blackpowder revolver, the 1858 army from cabelas...I just couldn't pass up a neat piece of history (albeit a replica) for a mere $219.00 bucks!

and the best part of it is, it gets sent directly to my door! no middleman, no 3 day wait, and no background check...gotta love it.

I feel like a small kid at christmas

I was on the fence about getting into blackpowder, but stopping in today at one of my favorite gun shops, noticed he'd taken in on a trade a box of old goex fine rifle blackpowder, and that was all I needed to seal the deal. I went home and purchased the Pietta Remington from Cabelas.

I now have a ready supply of real black powder...if I was going to get into shooting cap and ball I wanted to shoot the real stuff...

well, it's great to be here, and I look forward to years of enjoyment from my new hobby.

[Doc Hoy]

You came to the right place.

Your choice of the Remington was a good one. It will not likely be your last.

Monitor the conversations and, by all means, join in.

Let us know how it shoots when it arrives.

BTW....Where in central Florida?

Tnx,

[krazykat]

thanks, doc...

I'm just a few minutes from the beach here in sunny St. Petersbury, Fla...I do most of my shooting over at the Wyoming Antelope Club.

Alot of interesting reading material here and can't wait to sink my teeth into some of it.

[Hawg]

Welcome to the dark side. Smokeless is just a passing fad anyway.

[DG45]

1858 Remington models are known to be good strong guns, and you certainly got it at a good price, but before you load that fine rifle blackpowder, ltell us what type it is; for example is it FFg or FFFg or what?

I'm no expert at black powder. I'm brand new to it myself, but I've been told that the black powder that's used for long guns is a lot slower burning that what you would normally use in a pistol.

I'm not saying it can't be used. I just don't know if it's safe to use it in a pistol, and as you're new too, you may not know either. Hopefully, somebody on the forum will know. Don't mean to be minding your business, but better to be safe than sorry.

[krazykat]

thanks for the concern, dg45...

it's in a red and white can labeled FFFg superfine black rifle powder...manufactured by goex, inc, belin plant moosic, penn.

the can looks to be more than a few years old, but I've read that black powder has a long shelf life compared to smokeless, and I did check the powder before I purchased it...it looked good to me...loose and powdery and not clumpy.

well, we'll give it a try as soon as I get my new gun from cabelas... if all goes well, I'll take all the stuff he's got.

[DG45]

FFFg is what I've been told to shoot in my revolvers.

[Hawg]

FFG is fine. I use Pyrodex RS which is an FFG equivalent.

[mykeal]

Just to clear this up -

FFG is not a lot slower burning than FFFG. It is slower, but the use of 'a lot' is not warranted. It's just as safe as FFFG.

[Rifleman1776]

Congrats on coming to the dark side.
Your FFFg is ideal for pistols. And Goex is an excellent brand.
You said dealer had a "box" of the powder. Do you mean a full case? If that is so, I suggest you buy as much as you can whenever you have the extra money. In many areas black powder is hard to find for sale and the prices keep going up.
If you get to enjoying that pistol one pound will not last you very long.

[AirForceShooter]

Wait until you get to the range.
All the Glock shooters will be in complete envy.

AFS

[krazykat]

some guy traded in some of his reloading supplies...20 cans of the goex and remington #11 caps...I took one can home to see how it shoots, if the powder works ok, I'll go back and buy as many as I can afford...he's willing to sell 6 cans for $100.00 bucks...not the greatest deal, but the stuff is hard to find.

I took home 2 tins of the remington #11 caps and hope they fit the 1858...man, I can't wait till next weekend...lots of reading to do here for original cleanup and inspection, as well as how to load, shoot and clean it up afterwards.

the sticky at the top of the page is greatly appreciated...tho a little daunting on the cleaning aspect

[Hawg]

The caps are prolly going to be too big but you can pinch them together a tad before you put them on and they will be fine.

[krazykat]

thanks, hawg...

the #11's is all he had...they'll have to do for now...if I find I love shooting the replica's then I'll start scrounging on-line for supplies...maybe I'll get lucky and my remington 1858 has big, fat nipples

[Hawg]

.maybe I'll get lucky and my remington 1858 has big, fat nipples

It's possible. My 1860 took #11's but most take #10. or you can get Treso nipples that will take #11.

[krazykat]

I'll remember the treso nipples if they dont fit, thanks hawg.

[mykeal]

Don't be put off by the cleaning thing. Use the easiest method first and then sit back and wonder about all the rest. Sometimes I just can't believe what I'm reading.

[Rifleman1776]

6 cans for $100.00 bucks...

Yes, good deal. Many places sell for $20.00 and up. And it is on the rise.

[Bill Akins]

Welcome to black powder shooting Krazykat. Hey, you only live about an hour away from me. I'm in Hudson, Fl., just north of New Port Richey and just south from Spring Hill. I know of the Wyoming Antelope Club where you shoot. Do you know my friend Tom Doty who shoots there and sometimes R.O.'s there too?
Everyone calls Tom "Sweep" because he's a professional chimney sweep.


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[Shotput79]

Over the last few years I've learned that FFF can be used in my hawken rifle. I had always thought it was just for pistols, and revolvers. 70grs of FFF and a 200 to a 270gr maxi type bullet, or just patch and rd ball work out real well. And the tighter the press on top the powder the better. krazykat You can't say you weren't told right here on this forum once you pull that trigger you've had it. your hooked, and like others have said try to get all the goex while you can. As for nipples I had always used #11s on my 58 Remington, till I found out a few years ago that on a model 51 Navy, and a 60 Army that I would need #10s. Oh well, as for you. I see another call to Cabela's

[mykeal]

Someday you're going to wake up with a tremendous headache, your mouth will be dry, your stomach will be doing flip-flops and it'll hurt just to open one eye. You'll look around and the room will be spinning, clothes all over the place. The room will smell foul, like rotten eggs and there will be smoke in the air. Your wallet will be open on the floor, and while all you cash and credit cards are intact, the cards are all maxed out and there's a stack of overdue bills on the dresser. You're not sure you even recognize the name on the letters, nor the address. You especially don't recognize the places they're from, strange names like Track of the Wolf (some kind of religious cult, maybe?), October Country (must be a travel agent), The Log Cabin Shop (who wants to buy a log cabin?). You pick up the phone and check recent calls, and all of them are to a speed dial number set to Cabela's (some kind of bar, maybe, or heaven forbid, a sporting house!).

Resistance is futile.

[krazykat]

mykeal...my girlfriend's going to have to start hiding the credit card again.

bill...no, don't know tom, but do know RO bill white. sold him a rifle once.

and bill, I drive a fuel truck and i'm up in hudson twice a week...if you promise to leave me a few cans, I can tell you where to pick up some black powder

[Legionnaire]

Given prices around here, if I found six cans of Goex for $100, I'd jump on it.

Yeah, the BP Bug bites hard. I'm a newbie, too, and in the last couple of months I've acquired several cap'n ball revolvers, a 209x50 barrel for my T/C Encore, and a Lyman Trade Rifle flintlock. Broke the latter in today.

Nothing like the cloud of white smoke from a charge of black powder!

[bedbugbilly]

I don't know where the idea came from that FFFG was for pistols only? I've shot for close to 50 years and was always instructed and always used 3F in rifles of smaller caliber and pistols as well. I've always used 3F in my .32, .36, .40 and .45 caliber rifles - in fact, never used anything different in them. The 2F was reserved for my military rifled muskets - .58 and also used in my .69 muskets and .62 flint Fusil de Chasse. General rule of thumb taught to me by several "old timers" who were old men when I was a kid - "the smaller the calibeer, the smaller the grit". I had a .54 Hawken that I custom built and it shot well with either 3F or 2F. 4F was reserved for priming flintlocks - but, I've used 3F for my smaller caliber flintlock rifles with smaller locks when I didn't have any 4F and I've also resorted to using 2F for priming powder in my larger bore flinters with the larger locks when I needed to. In my BP revolvers, I try to use 3F but, when I have run short of it, have used 2F. I will note though, that some fellows use a much heavier charge in their rifles than I ever have (not being critical here - if it works for you then it's your choice). I was taught many years ago by an old BP gunsmith to figure 1 grain per caliber size in a rifle - i.e. - if your rifle is 40 caliber, your load should be 40 grains of BP. From there, you can work up a load that works best. Of course I'm talking RIFLES - not pistols - whether the pistol be single shot or revolver - they will take a reduced load. It's just common sense as the barrel is shorter and it takes less powder to get the projectile out - that was his theory anyway and while he wasn't a scientist - he was one heck of a shot! Good luck with your new pistol - you're going to love it and welcome to the forum!

[Bill Akins]

Bedbugbilly, like you, I too have always used 3F in my .50 cal, CVA mountain rifle. Never had a problem and its one of the most accurate rifles I own, including my modern ones. I also most often use 50 grains of 3F with round ball for my .50 cal, just like the old timer told you...."1 grain per each unit of caliber". There's another old timer way to measure how much powder to use that works and is especially handy if you lose your powder measure.......

Put the round ball in the flattened out palm of your hand and pour your powder over it until the powder just barely covers and hides the ball. That is approximately how much powder you need to use. Forget exactly where I learned that from, but it was close to 40 years ago when I leaned that.



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