Round ball, felt wad in .45 LC Reloads?

BlackPowderBen · August 31, 2019, 07:42 AM

Hi,
New to reloading here, and have a question about reloading for cap and ball conversions.
Anyone reload with a plain ole .454" round ball, lubricated felt wad over black powder for your conversions? Would make it easier for me as I have plenty of both for my other cap and ball revolvers. The felt wad would serve as filler as I would start off with 25 grains of 3F to keep the velocities down
Thanks,
Ben

Dufus · August 31, 2019, 08:16 AM

That has been my SOP for decades.

Pahoo · August 31, 2019, 10:24 AM

Quote:

New to reloading here, and have a question about reloading for cap and ball conversions.

You are talking about conversion application and although I have never tried what you are referring too, I really do not see a problem. However, Don't know what kind of performance this is going to give you. Kindly let us know how it works out. ..

Be Safe !!!

T. O'Heir · August 31, 2019, 01:16 PM

I think the Lyman BP Handbook and Reloading Guide has BP loads for .45 Colt. You just use the data for whatever weight your ball is. However, conversions are just about using a cartridge instead of powder and ball.
I believe 25 grains is too light though. Depends on the bullet weight. And BP is loaded by volume, not mass.

BlackPowderBen · August 31, 2019, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T. O'Heir

I think the Lyman BP Handbook and Reloading Guide has BP loads for .45 Colt. You just use the data for whatever weight your ball is. However, conversions are just about using a cartridge instead of powder and ball.
I believe 25 grains is too light though. Depends on the bullet weight. And BP is loaded by volume, not mass.

Quote:

I think the Lyman BP Handbook and Reloading Guide has BP loads for .45 Colt. You just use the data for whatever weight your ball is.

This the reloading book you're talking about?
https://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Powder-...39325674&psc=1

I have shot smokeless cowboy rounds through the conversion and they work well, just trying to keep the costs down.

Bishop Creek · September 1, 2019, 06:16 PM

I reload .45 Schofield cases with about 28 grains of 2fg Goex black powder under a 50/50 beeswax/olive oil cookie and .45 card with a .454 round ball on top and it is very accurate with my Kirst conversion cylinder.

bedbugbilly · September 1, 2019, 06:46 PM

What you are talking about is often referred to as a "gallery load" . . . RBs were often used not only in pistol cartridge loading but for rifles as well. Like any other BP straight wall cartridge, just make sure your load is compressed when you seat the ball. A felt wad, a cardboard wad, etc. can easily be used over the powder but remember that whether powder and ball or cartridge with powder and ball, you need some BP lube of some type to keep your fouling soft.

In my Uberti Cattleman - the chambers and throats are "generous" and it shoots well with either a .452 or a .454 projectile -BP or smokeless. If you shoot your cartridges in just one gun/conversion cylinder - you can get by with just end sizing the end of the casing instead of full length sizing. Once sized, a 454 RB should be a nice tight fit but you still may have issues with "ball jump" in the unfired cartridges if for some reason the "fit" isn't tight enough. you can always seat the center line of the ball below the case mouth just a tad and then either put a slight roll crimp or a slight taper crimp on it.

Those Schofields look great Bishop Creek! While I mainly load the LC, I have a couple hundred of the Schofield casings as well just to have fun with the historical cartridge.

I have sold my .357 Handi-Rifle but I used to load up RB BP cartridges for it and it shot well with them out to 50 yards. They weren't as accurate as a conical but still a lot of fun and able to keep them on the paper with not problem. I have even loaded 8 X 57 Mauser (smokeless loads) and shot them out of my 1907 GEW98 with RB Gallery loads and smaller charges of Red Dot, Unique or Bulls Eye and the same out of my 30-30s. Good rounds for pinking and killing cans.

Bishop Creek · September 1, 2019, 08:36 PM

I do put a roll crimp in my Schofield cartridges.

BlackPowderBen · September 2, 2019, 09:40 AM

Thanks for the info thus far, it has been very helpful.

Catman42 · September 21, 2019, 05:54 PM

in all my 45 long colts made by uberti saa or open tops this is what i shoot in them. blackhorn 209 powder, 60 thousands thick fiber or poly wad. round ball that has been rolled in lee alox and dried on the bullet. roll crimped over the round ball. very very accurate. easy on the guns and still not a wimp load. i love it and so does my guns. i do the same in my 38 special cowboy open tops.

DockRock · September 22, 2019, 10:48 PM

You want to use a waxed card between powder and a lubed wad so the lube doesn't migrate into the powder.

Catman42 · September 23, 2019, 07:26 AM

as for me, lee alox dries firm and doesnt migrate. the reason i use a 60 thousands wad is two fold. cleans the barrel as it goes out and prevents gas leakage around it.

August 31, 2019, 07:42 AM	#1
BlackPowderBen Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2015 Posts: 380	Round ball, felt wad in .45 LC Reloads? Hi, New to reloading here, and have a question about reloading for cap and ball conversions. Anyone reload with a plain ole .454" round ball, lubricated felt wad over black powder for your conversions? Would make it easier for me as I have plenty of both for my other cap and ball revolvers. The felt wad would serve as filler as I would start off with 25 grains of 3F to keep the velocities down Thanks, Ben __________________ "If you have to shoot, shoot! Dont talk"

August 31, 2019, 01:16 PM	#4
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	I think the Lyman BP Handbook and Reloading Guide has BP loads for .45 Colt. You just use the data for whatever weight your ball is. However, conversions are just about using a cartridge instead of powder and ball. I believe 25 grains is too light though. Depends on the bullet weight. And BP is loaded by volume, not mass. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

September 1, 2019, 06:46 PM	#7
bedbugbilly Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2009 Posts: 3,287	What you are talking about is often referred to as a "gallery load" . . . RBs were often used not only in pistol cartridge loading but for rifles as well. Like any other BP straight wall cartridge, just make sure your load is compressed when you seat the ball. A felt wad, a cardboard wad, etc. can easily be used over the powder but remember that whether powder and ball or cartridge with powder and ball, you need some BP lube of some type to keep your fouling soft. In my Uberti Cattleman - the chambers and throats are "generous" and it shoots well with either a .452 or a .454 projectile -BP or smokeless. If you shoot your cartridges in just one gun/conversion cylinder - you can get by with just end sizing the end of the casing instead of full length sizing. Once sized, a 454 RB should be a nice tight fit but you still may have issues with "ball jump" in the unfired cartridges if for some reason the "fit" isn't tight enough. you can always seat the center line of the ball below the case mouth just a tad and then either put a slight roll crimp or a slight taper crimp on it. Those Schofields look great Bishop Creek! While I mainly load the LC, I have a couple hundred of the Schofield casings as well just to have fun with the historical cartridge. I have sold my .357 Handi-Rifle but I used to load up RB BP cartridges for it and it shot well with them out to 50 yards. They weren't as accurate as a conical but still a lot of fun and able to keep them on the paper with not problem. I have even loaded 8 X 57 Mauser (smokeless loads) and shot them out of my 1907 GEW98 with RB Gallery loads and smaller charges of Red Dot, Unique or Bulls Eye and the same out of my 30-30s. Good rounds for pinking and killing cans. __________________ If a pair of '51 Navies were good enough for Billy Hickok, then a single Navy on my right hip is good enough for me . . . besides . . . I'm probably only half as good as he was anyways. Hiram's Rangers Badge #63

September 2, 2019, 09:40 AM	#9
BlackPowderBen Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2015 Posts: 380	Thanks for the info thus far, it has been very helpful. __________________ "If you have to shoot, shoot! Dont talk"

August 31, 2019, 08:16 AM	#2
Dufus Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2014 Posts: 1,965	That has been my SOP for decades.

September 1, 2019, 06:16 PM	#6
Bishop Creek Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Posts: 566	I reload .45 Schofield cases with about 28 grains of 2fg Goex black powder under a 50/50 beeswax/olive oil cookie and .45 card with a .454 round ball on top and it is very accurate with my Kirst conversion cylinder.

September 1, 2019, 08:36 PM	#8
Bishop Creek Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Posts: 566	I do put a roll crimp in my Schofield cartridges.

September 21, 2019, 05:54 PM	#10
Catman42 Member Join Date: September 15, 2019 Posts: 78	in all my 45 long colts made by uberti saa or open tops this is what i shoot in them. blackhorn 209 powder, 60 thousands thick fiber or poly wad. round ball that has been rolled in lee alox and dried on the bullet. roll crimped over the round ball. very very accurate. easy on the guns and still not a wimp load. i love it and so does my guns. i do the same in my 38 special cowboy open tops.

September 22, 2019, 10:48 PM	#11
DockRock Member Join Date: August 19, 2019 Posts: 58	You want to use a waxed card between powder and a lubed wad so the lube doesn't migrate into the powder.

September 23, 2019, 07:26 AM	#12
Catman42 Member Join Date: September 15, 2019 Posts: 78	as for me, lee alox dries firm and doesnt migrate. the reason i use a 60 thousands wad is two fold. cleans the barrel as it goes out and prevents gas leakage around it.