Black powder cartridge reloading

[gunman42782]

I have been toying with the idea of reloading some 45/70 with BP. I have reloaded for 40 years, but never tried BP. I seen where John Taffin used Lee plastic dippers to load BP cartridges. I have always heard to not use anything plastic to reload BP, as it could generate static electricity. Would a plastic powder funnel be OK? The only reason I have even considered it is I have a old New England single shot in 45/70, and it should be no problem to clean up after shooting, and I just love shooting my old cap and ball revolvers. Figured shooting a big boomer with BP would be a hoot. Anyone have any advice before I dive head first in to this? I have the Lyman BP manual, and I know I not only have to clean the gun, but the brass too.

 

[Lt Choate]

I have a friend that is a huge reloader for all kinds of rounds. He especially loves working with B/P and I help him some and we do a lot of 45-70 and personally, I prefer shooting B/P in that round as I think it is more consistent and I have better accuracy.
That said..... it is very volatile and unstable. Do not use the plastic funnel or anything that is even questionable.
It is not forgiving and is a world apart from smokeless.

 

[MIshooter]

I've been shooting BP 45-70 ammo used in BPCR competition for over 15 years. When I started, I too have heard the warning of static electricity with plastic or steel tools (measures etc) but nobody I know can cite a specific instance where someone loading BP rifle ammo has had an ignition. I'm not saying it has never happened, just neither I nor the 20+ folks I shoot with knows of it happening.

Use lead bullets with a proper BP lube. Most people use a fiber wad below the bullet. Try various primers, pistol and rifle. Federal LP or Rem 9 1/2 are common primers. Start with powder up to the base of the seated bullets and go up from there. Compression can be quite a bit on some loads. FFg or 1 1/2 Fg are common granulations.

Cleaning the rifle is much easier than smokeless. Use a soapy hot water mixture pushing the crud from breech to muzzle. When clean oil the bore.

Brass is almost as easy. Deprime and wash in soapy hot water, rinse in clear water and dry. If you do wet tumbling (highly recommended) cases come out like new.

Thats my $0.02 worth.

 

[Stopsign32v]

I have about a 1 foot copper drop tube that I got from Home Depot. I made a stand for it to hold the tube, I have it just slightly in the case, and I use the standard Lee plastic funnel to get the powder started in the tube. Works great.

The only downside to loading BP that I have found is the speed you must cleanup in the South East and actually getting the BP.

The fun factor of shooting BP loads is absolutely through the roof! I will tell you that if you set off a 250gr 45 Colt load single handed hold like was done in the 19th century, it will humble you quickly.

This is my 45 Colt load with 36g of ffg next to my 500gr 50/70 load with I couldn't tell you how much black powder. It's like a cannon going off with my McNelly Sharps.

 

[jmca]

Black Powder always needs a little bit of Compression

 

[gunman42782]

Thank you, gentlemen, for your replies.

 

[gunman42782]

Just to update anyone that might be interested, I loaded up some BP 45/70 rounds and shot them without blowing myself or the gun up. Was a hot and humid day and the BP smoke just would lay close to the ground after firing. It was a blast! Pun intended. Not super duper accurate, but I really enjoyed it. Cleaning the gun was no problem, but having to clean the brass too right after shooting is kind of a PITA. Next time, and I should have known this as much muzzleloading shooting as I do, I need to take my cleaning gear and clean the bore between every shot or two!

 

[Lt Choate]

Just to update anyone that might be interested, I loaded up some BP 45/70 rounds and shot them without blowing myself or the gun up. Was a hot and humid day and the BP smoke just would lay close to the ground after firing. It was a blast! Pun intended. Not super duper accurate, but I really enjoyed it. Cleaning the gun was no problem, but having to clean the brass too right after shooting is kind of a PITA. Next time, and I should have known this as much muzzleloading shooting as I do, I need to take my cleaning gear and clean the bore between every shot or two!

Yes, the cleaning, or at least swabbing, of bore between every few shots is important.

 

[jmca]

First shot out of a clean bore will hit different then the second shot and so on. Run a damp swab between every shot to minimize fowling. I assume you have a wad over powder with a grease cookie, then the bullet?

 

[gunman42782]

I have a vegtibule fiber wad, then the bullet, yes.

 

[bergmen]

I have a friend that is a huge reloader for all kinds of rounds. He especially loves working with B/P and I help him some and we do a lot of 45-70 and personally, I prefer shooting B/P in that round as I think it is more consistent and I have better accuracy.
That said..... it is very volatile and unstable. Do not use the plastic funnel or anything that is even questionable.
It is not forgiving and is a world apart from smokeless.

Volatility is a property of liquids (as to how easily they change from liquid to gas, whether flammable or not), not powders. Flammability is something that can be attributed to gun powders.

Dan

 

[Sacramento Johnson]

I used to shoot a lot of BP cartridge. I would bring a small bucket of soapy water with a lid and after shooting, I would drop the shells in the soapy water and let it agitate in the truck bed on the way home. Once home, I'd dump the soapy water and rinse the shells and let them air dry on some newspaper. When dry, I'd tumble them in a tumbler with media mixed with some Nu-car polish and a few anti-cling dryer sheets. They would come out bright and shiney.