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Old March 17, 2013, 08:31 PM   #1
Mr_Raw
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hmmm, the sweet smell of sulfur

It's been a while, but I pulled out my Thompson/Center .50cal today. I forgot just how fun and addictive it was, lol. groups are 8" at 50 yards, which I think isn't bad for me shooting. I'm running 55grains of FFg Goex pushing a patched Hornady .490" lead ball. Sry no pics.
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Old March 17, 2013, 08:38 PM   #2
Doc Hoy
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To me....

The mark of a good day shooting black powder is the amount of bore lube on the steering wheel of my pickup on the way home.
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Old March 17, 2013, 09:43 PM   #3
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It was a good day shooting. I shot a lot and had fun and made lots of smoke and noise.
I didn't get any spectacular groups or have any amazing failures or mishaps either (unless you count dumping about 200 grains of Pyrodex in the shag carpet)
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Old March 18, 2013, 02:25 PM   #4
Rigmarol
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Quote:
The mark of a good day shooting black powder is the amount of bore lube on the steering wheel of my pickup on the way home.
\

Just yesterday after a CAS match I had stayed after to shoot my Sharps Quigley clone, and found myself driving home with "wet wipes" cleaning the steering wheel as I drove... very similar, I know the feeling sir.
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Old March 18, 2013, 05:14 PM   #5
Hawg
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Quote:
I'm running 55grains of FFg Goex pushing a patched Hornady .490" lead ball. Sry no pics.
Try bumping it up to 80-90 grains and see how it does.
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Old March 19, 2013, 08:08 AM   #6
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^^^ What he said !!!

It will tighted up that spread considerably.
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Old March 19, 2013, 03:30 PM   #7
Mr_Raw
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thank you, I'll try that when the weather warms up again. Sry I forgot to mention that I'm shooting off hand, no sling. Just curious does anybody know how much the Hornady balls weigh?
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Old March 19, 2013, 07:04 PM   #8
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Doc Hoy-- Wash your hands before you drive home. feh, to the lead and powder residue -- health item. Wash the hands with soap and water.

Just my .02

David

ps -- I agree with your point.
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Old March 19, 2013, 08:43 PM   #9
David13
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I got out into Burro Canyon with about 30 others on Sunday, with my .44 Colt & Remington repro pistols.
And let a number of people try out the black powder guns.
I think that's one of the nice aspects of it. To get to shoot a number of different types of guns.
dc
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Old March 20, 2013, 05:31 AM   #10
Doc Hoy
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BN12....

....Too late for me.


The lead has already caused all of the dementia that it could possible cause.

.


;o)
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Old March 22, 2013, 10:33 AM   #11
noelf2
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Just had to ask: Do you really think the smell of burning sulfur is sweet?
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Old March 22, 2013, 12:38 PM   #12
Mr_Raw
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Yes noelf2 I do, it brings back memories of my grandfather.
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Old March 22, 2013, 02:21 PM   #13
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robhof

As a teen, I built a kit gun and my brother and I got into model cannons after getting a 22cal brass cannon from Mexico, we eventually saved up and bought a .75 cal barrel from DGW in 1967 and made a carriage for a scout project. We actually took it on camp outs and fired it, would the PC police go nuts today. Now just the smell of burnt B/p sets off a lot of fond memories
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Old March 22, 2013, 05:36 PM   #14
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I love the smell too. Brings back memories of my first cap and ball 1851 Navy back in 1969 and the little brass cannon that a friend made in shop class at school (imagine that today). Don't remember the caliber, maybe .75, but it flipped around upside down every time we fired it.
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Old March 23, 2013, 01:09 PM   #15
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Yes noelf2 I do, it brings back memories of my grandfather.
Why? Did he drink lots of beer and eat lots of beans and onions?
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Old March 23, 2013, 01:38 PM   #16
Col. Mosby
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Hornaday .490 Ball Weight

Mr. Raw,
I saw you were curious about the .490 Hornaday round ball weight so I got my powder scale out and weighted a few. The balls weigh 176 grains +/- .01.
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Old March 24, 2013, 01:55 PM   #17
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You can calculate the weight of a lead round ball by cubing its diameter in inches and than multiplying the answer by 1503 to get the weight in grains.

.490 X .490 X .490 X 1503 = 176.8
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Old March 24, 2013, 09:50 PM   #18
Mr_Raw
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well noelf2, beer not so much but lots of beans and onions
and a big cigar in his face while he poured a charge down the muzzle of his .45.

Col. Mosby thanks for taking your time to weigh some balls.

B.L.E. thank you for taking the time to explain the math.

Bishop Creek, and robhof now I'm envious I want a cannon too
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Old March 25, 2013, 10:50 PM   #19
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My father is a gun smith with a South Bend lathe. We have many a cannon. You just get a fishing weight mold, wield up the eye hole and bore the cannon to match. So far the big ones a 5 lb'er. I mostly load OO buck and fire for effect because 5 lbs a shot gets spendy. I went to a cannon meet when I was a kid and they were firing bowling balls with streamers epoxied in the holes. You could see them in flight on their one mile trip to the targets. Targets were two sheets of ply wood panted white with a big red spot. What fun! I want one, no I want two

I also love the smell. I takes me back. Being a pyro helps a little too.

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