The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Reloader 7/IMR 3031 as volumetric "substitutes" in black powder cartridges?

mehavey · August 2, 2011, 07:03 PM

NO !

There are no volume-for-volume smokeless powders (with the possible exception of TrailBoss) for black powder cartridges. If you are going to load smokeless in such cases/guns, get Lyman (#48 or #49) manual and follow the directions carefully -- particularly as to whether you are dealing with strong actions before choosing your starting loads.

post script: Were you to fill up a 45 Colt case w/ 3031, you'd dump 75% of it out of the muzzle unburned. Ditto to a slightly lesser degree w/ RL-7. And these are in fact FAST powders, not slow.

August 2, 2011, 07:03 PM	#3
mehavey Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 6,896	NO ! There are no volume-for-volume smokeless powders (with the possible exception of TrailBoss) for black powder cartridges. If you are going to load smokeless in such cases/guns, get Lyman (#48 or #49) manual and follow the directions carefully -- particularly as to whether you are dealing with strong actions before choosing your starting loads. post script: Were you to fill up a 45 Colt case w/ 3031, you'd dump 75% of it out of the muzzle unburned. Ditto to a slightly lesser degree w/ RL-7. And these are in fact FAST powders, not slow.