Black powder cartridge reloading

[mackillan]

What reloading equipment do you use to reload black powder cartridges?

[Hawg]

The same stuff I reload smokeless on. I use a dipper instead of a powder measure for bp. Do NOT use smokelsss lube on bullets used with bp.

[Jim Watson]

Yup, except I get powder out of a Redding measure retrofitted with metal hopper to avoid static cling. Usually measured and trickled to weight. Most of the BPCR silhouette and target shooters I know weigh their powder charges, the rest use measures with the same care a benchrest shooter does.

I load on an RCBS Rockchucker press with Lyman and RCBS dies.
Bullets come out of a Lyman mould and are pan lubed with SPG when I do my own.
Right now I am buying from Dave Jennings at Montana Bullet Works because the friend I shared a lead pot with has recently moved and not set back up to cast. He uses DGL black powder bullet lube. There are others but what counts is keeping the fouling soft, which the hard blue wax on a smokeless bullet will not do.

[mackillan]

Thanks guys. So, I should just stick with a Lyman powder thrower from the expert deluxe kit?

[Fingers McGee]

Black powder cartridge reloading
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What reloading equipment do you use to reload black powder cartridges?

Hornady L-N-L progressive press with the standard powder measure and RCBS, Hornady and Lee dies depending on caliber.

[Smokin_Gun]

I should just stick with a Lyman powder thrower

No definately not, you need an antistatic BP powder thrower ... a regular thrower could explode/flame on.
I use a Lee Dipper set with 15 differant dippers for $9.95...comes with a slide chart with BP and subs fg, ffg, fffg, ffffg. along with smokeless data.

SG

[Fingers McGee]

No definately not, you need an antistatic BP powder thrower ... a regular thrower could explode/flame on.
I use a Lee Dipper set with 15 differant dippers for $9.95...comes with a slide chart with BP and subs fg, ffg, fffg, ffffg. along with smokeless data.

No flame. I just respectfully disagree. There are two camps re: BP and static electricity. I'm in the con camp.

FM

[longranger]

If you want to make accurate loads you will need to put your powder into the case by using a"Drop Tube" of at least 18".Also you will need a compression die for compressing the powder to the desired depth(depth of how far the bullet will be seated).If you are shooting long heavy bullets you will need a custom expander,the provided expanders in all but a few reloading die sets are for jacketed bullets and will excessively "bell" the case mouth and not expand the length of the bullet,thus distorting the base.No airspace between the powder charge and bullet,ever!
Forget everything you know about smokeless powder and get a copy of the "SPG Lubricants BP Cartridge Reloading Primer" written by Mike Venturino and Steve Garbe. it will be the best $20.00 you can spend if you want to load accurate and safe B/P loads.
I would encourage you to visit the Shilo Sharps forum,you will get all of your ?'s answered by the folks who know how to load B/P and they are very kind to new B/P shooters.B/P cartridge is very rewarding and there is a learning curve.

[noelf2]

If you want to make accurate loads you will need to put your powder into the case by using a"Drop Tube" of at least 18".

I can understand using a drop tube for rifle cartridges, but I doubt there's much gain in a gun you'll only shoot up to 50 yards, and mostly 25 yards or less. Hell, i just dump in 35gr (volume) of fffg and slam down a 250gr LRN bullet and I get great groups at 25 yards.

[Jim Watson]

I don't shoot the short guns, but Mike Venturino did an article describing how he drop tubes pistol and carbine loads. He says the main advantage is a better burn and no need to squirt gunk on your basepin halfway through a cowboy shoot.

[Fingers McGee]

I can understand using a drop tube for rifle cartridges, but I doubt there's much gain in a gun you'll only shoot up to 50 yards, and mostly 25 yards or less. Hell, i just dump in 35gr (volume) of fffg and slam down a 250gr LRN bullet and I get great groups at 25 yards.

+1. I think it's a little OCD and/or anal retentive to go through the trouble to use a drop tube for any cartridge that won't be fired at ranges over 100 yards from a big bore rifle. When I'm shooting 44-40s through a 66 or '73 carbine at a 16" square piece of steel at 15 to 30 yds four times a month at CAS matches, precision reloading for a bench rest or BP Silhouette competition is major overkill.

FM

[sundance44s]

One thing for sure you can make it as hard or as easy as ya like ....depends what you are wanting to hit ....

[mackillan]

The sharps are used at silly wet ranges with 3 ranges 100, 200 and 300. Once they are dialed in they are quite accurate.

[rjsixgun]

I use a Lee powder thrower, for black powder, works great!

[mackillan]

There is a Lyman special 55 black powder thrower which I will get. I have a drop tube that I bought from Shiloh. My bullets are made by
http://www.MTChambers.com so that they are already lubed. Ben is am amazing guy. He is a silly wet shooter himself and has been very helpful. Do you boys prefer 1.5 swiss black powder?

[Hawg]

There are two camps re: BP and static electricity. I'm in the con camp.

I think it's a little OCD and/or anal retentive to go through the trouble to use a drop tube for any cartridge that won't be fired at ranges over 100 yards from a big bore rifle.

Same here on both counts. My dipped loads with home cast bullets(44-40)perform very well at 100 yds. out of my 92 and at 25 yds. out of my SAA's

[Gewehr98]

I use both a tall drop tube and a powder compression die from Montana Precision Swaging for my 535gr Postell .45-70 loads. Whether I shoot my Sharps at 100 yards or 1000 yards, I know I have a full 70gr of Goex Cartridge in there, and I didn't deform the bullet nose on the way into the case.

[Smokin_Gun]

Where there is a possiblity or a shadow of a doubt...I'll stay on the safe side and preach that they make a Black Powder Throwing measurer for a reason.
May you keep all your fingers Mcgee...

SG

[Fingers McGee]

Thank you SG

FM

[darkgael]

+1 on the Venturino/Garbe book. Paul Matthews, also, has a very informative book on the subject "Shooting the Black Powder Cartridge Rifle".
Pete

[longranger]

"The sharps are used at silly wet ranges with 3 ranges 100, 200 and 300. Once they are dialed in they are quite accurate."

Silhouette ranges are 200m chickens,shot off hand,300m pigs shot prone off cross sticks,385m turkeys,shot prone off X sticks and 500m rams,shot prone off X sticks for BPCR. As for long distance shooting the first Creedmoor match was shot with 1874 Sharps(USA Team) rifles chambered for 45-70 at 1000yd.
Here in Wyoming we shoot them out to a mile for those who have tang sights suitable for the range.

[darkgael]

Here in Wyoming we shoot them out to a mile for those who have tang sights suitable for the range.

That makes me smile. Wish that I could give it a try. What's the Time Of Flight at that range? Gotta wait a bit on the bullet, I'll bet.
Pete

[Eduardo]

I load both 45lc and 44-40 rds. on a RCBS Turret press, with the RCBS Black
Powder alum. meas. I cast Big Lube Bullets and use a RCBS Lube/Sizer with SPG lube. Works good for the short SASS distance we shoot. I cast 200 gr. bullets, and load 32 gr. of Schutzen 3 F.

[longranger]

I believe time of flight is in the 3-4 second range for the mile shoot. You have time to shoot,look through your spotting scope and see the bullet impact,You need a very good spotting scope to see the impact.Even at 500m you can see the bullet coming into the ram.

[Smokin_Gun]

Man that sounds like fun... I did Black Powder Metalic Silhouttes for some years and enjoyed clangin' and makin' chickens, turkey, pigs, and rams fly...out to 100yd.
I reccently aquired a '63 Sharps .54 Papercutter, and an 1871 H&R Buffalo Classic in .45/70. Plannin' on droppin' a Buffalo in Oklahoma come April with a couple friends...right Sundance? :O)
But that Mile Quigley Sharps stuff blows my mind... I have engaged vehicle sized targets at that range but with a Browning Ma Duce and a T&E unit...(M2 .50cal Belt fed Machine Gun)

My hat is off to one who makes a mile shot.

SG