Shot a little black powder
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Shot a little black powder
Joe suggested i try a couple loads of black in my cowboy so i loaded a couple up and had fun.
Because I Can, and Have
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Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
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USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
Re: Shot a little black powder
I used to shoot black in my 86 Winchester and Colt SAA 44 spl. Good fun. Haven't done it in a long while. I always found clean up to be much simpler than most made it out to be. Nothing special needed, some hot tap water, some patches and a brush, clean the fouling out, dry with a few dry patches, leave to dry a short while then oil. Check the next day if living in a damp climate, tho I never had the least trouble with mine. I'd toss the brass in a pot on the stove and simmer a few minutes, then drain and lay on a towel neck down to dry, load as usual. The cases looked dark, but never hurt anything. Shot them without any other care for a fair bit of time. Finally had a friend tumble them and I'm still using them for smokeless, 25 years later.
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt-
Isnt it amazing how many people post without reading the thread?
Isnt it amazing how many people post without reading the thread?
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Re: Shot a little black powder
I just love the smell, nothing quite like it..
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Re: Shot a little black powder
Didja hit what you was aiming at??
Looks like fun. I got some black powder ammo loaded up, next range trip I'll have to shoot some.
Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts .***
Re: Shot a little black powder
Heck no !!!! missed the gong plumb clean, gotta be someones faultJ Miller wrote:
Didja hit what you was aiming at??
Looks like fun. I got some black powder ammo loaded up, next range trip I'll have to shoot some.
Joe
I was using real black so much more dirty but as Malumute said no big deal and the smoke is cool.
See what ya started Joe
Because I Can, and Have
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USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
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USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
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Re: Shot a little black powder
Au Contraire mon ami. Compress that powder about 1/16" and put a slightly heavier crimp... They'll "crack" sharply, and you just might find less fouling.Pitchy wrote:Heck no !!!! missed the gong plumb clean, gotta be someones faultJ Miller wrote:
Didja hit what you was aiming at??
Looks like fun. I got some black powder ammo loaded up, next range trip I'll have to shoot some.
Joe
I was using real black so much more dirty but as Malumute said no big deal and the smoke is cool.
See what ya started Joe
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
Re: Shot a little black powder
That was a 60 grain load of FFF with a 405 grain cast. , plenty of soot.
Because I Can, and Have
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
Re: Shot a little black powder
Yes, some compression helps with cleaner burning some. Using a lube that's compatible with black helps also.
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt-
Isnt it amazing how many people post without reading the thread?
Isnt it amazing how many people post without reading the thread?
Re: Shot a little black powder
Looks like fun. And on a side note glad to see your snow is finaly gone
Jeremy
GySgt USMC Ret
To err is human, To forgive is devine, Neither of which is Marine Corps policy
Semper Fidelis
GySgt USMC Ret
To err is human, To forgive is devine, Neither of which is Marine Corps policy
Semper Fidelis
Re: Shot a little black powder
SNOW, Quit cussing.JReed wrote:Looks like fun. And on a side note glad to see your snow is finaly gone
Because I Can, and Have
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USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
Re: Shot a little black powder
I hear ya.Pitchy wrote:SNOW, Quit cussing.JReed wrote:Looks like fun. And on a side note glad to see your snow is finaly gone
Jeremy
GySgt USMC Ret
To err is human, To forgive is devine, Neither of which is Marine Corps policy
Semper Fidelis
GySgt USMC Ret
To err is human, To forgive is devine, Neither of which is Marine Corps policy
Semper Fidelis
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Re: Shot a little black powder
Pitchy,
It ain't so much cleaning the gun that bothers me, its cleaning the brass and the oh-so-long process in reloading it is what keeps me away from it. If I can't run it on a progressive, I don't load it.
Hey there you "long hair". Some of us never could resort to getting an "establishment haircut". (remember that?) Me neither, but it is getting a little smooth on top. --------Sixgun
It ain't so much cleaning the gun that bothers me, its cleaning the brass and the oh-so-long process in reloading it is what keeps me away from it. If I can't run it on a progressive, I don't load it.
Hey there you "long hair". Some of us never could resort to getting an "establishment haircut". (remember that?) Me neither, but it is getting a little smooth on top. --------Sixgun
Re: Shot a little black powder
I know what ya mean, if i shoot much black i`ll get the ML out.Sixgun wrote:Pitchy,
It ain't so much cleaning the gun that bothers me, its cleaning the brass and the oh-so-long process in reloading it is what keeps me away from it. If I can't run it on a progressive, I don't load it.
Hey there you "long hair". Some of us never could resort to getting an "establishment haircut". (remember that?) Me neither, but it is getting a little smooth on top. --------Sixgun
Haircuts, now your swearing.
Because I Can, and Have
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
- J Miller
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Re: Shot a little black powder
Cheat like I do. I wash 'em (the guns-not the brass) with Windex Window cleaner with ammonia, then oil. Works pretty good. So far no rust.
Joe
Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts .***
Re: Shot a little black powder
Oh my God, i`ve heard everything now works huh?J Miller wrote:Cheat like I do. I wash 'em (the guns-not the brass) with Windex Window cleaner with ammonia, then oil. Works pretty good. So far no rust.
Joe
How do ya get down the barrel with the spray bottle.
Because I Can, and Have
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
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USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
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Re: Shot a little black powder
Pitchy,
You need to drop your powder into those 45-70 cases through a drop tube. You'll be amazed at the difference in accuracy and clean burn. You still want about 1/8" compression and I like to use a nitro card over the powder. Made my drop tube from an old aluminum arrow with a funnel duck taped to the top of it. (didn' have no frog tape) I find that real Goex burns cleaner than any of the substitutes and is much easier to clean up. I used to use AA hulls and plastic wads but it makes so much black snot I went to the brass hulls and Circle Fly wads. I put lots of compression on the shot shells.
An amazing thing with the drop tube is that the powder is so tight in the case after the drop, if you need to dump it out for some reason, you must take a little screw driver and break it loose. Now I don't do all this for my SASS loads, they are run on a Dillon progressive (550) and I use the Dillon powder measure. I know, plastic hopper but I've tried to ignite black powder with a spark plug and couldn't do it.
I shot a 2 day, 12 stage match last month and used ffg in both pistols, 73 rifle and my Baretta shotgun with brass shells too. I try to wipe the rifle after every other stage, usually 10 shots to a stage. The pistols (Colts) just get a squirt of Ballistol about midway through the day. Always clean up with Ballisto mixed 10:1 with water. Only 3 or 4 patches required and the 44-40 doesn't crud up the innards of the 73 like 45 Colt does. I use SPG or my own concoction for bullet lube it's just the bullets don't hold enough lube for the 24" rifle bbl. Don't have to wipe if I use a 20".
You need to drop your powder into those 45-70 cases through a drop tube. You'll be amazed at the difference in accuracy and clean burn. You still want about 1/8" compression and I like to use a nitro card over the powder. Made my drop tube from an old aluminum arrow with a funnel duck taped to the top of it. (didn' have no frog tape) I find that real Goex burns cleaner than any of the substitutes and is much easier to clean up. I used to use AA hulls and plastic wads but it makes so much black snot I went to the brass hulls and Circle Fly wads. I put lots of compression on the shot shells.
An amazing thing with the drop tube is that the powder is so tight in the case after the drop, if you need to dump it out for some reason, you must take a little screw driver and break it loose. Now I don't do all this for my SASS loads, they are run on a Dillon progressive (550) and I use the Dillon powder measure. I know, plastic hopper but I've tried to ignite black powder with a spark plug and couldn't do it.
I shot a 2 day, 12 stage match last month and used ffg in both pistols, 73 rifle and my Baretta shotgun with brass shells too. I try to wipe the rifle after every other stage, usually 10 shots to a stage. The pistols (Colts) just get a squirt of Ballistol about midway through the day. Always clean up with Ballisto mixed 10:1 with water. Only 3 or 4 patches required and the 44-40 doesn't crud up the innards of the 73 like 45 Colt does. I use SPG or my own concoction for bullet lube it's just the bullets don't hold enough lube for the 24" rifle bbl. Don't have to wipe if I use a 20".
M. M. Wright, Sheriff, Green county Arkansas (1860)
Currently living my eternal life.
NRA Life
SASS
ITSASS
Currently living my eternal life.
NRA Life
SASS
ITSASS
Re: Shot a little black powder
Thanks for the great info but i`m not into BP cartridge shooting to much, just wanted to try a couple shots out of the cowboy.M. M. Wright wrote:Pitchy,
You need to drop your powder into those 45-70 cases through a drop tube. You'll be amazed at the difference in accuracy and clean burn. You still want about 1/8" compression and I like to use a nitro card over the powder. Made my drop tube from an old aluminum arrow with a funnel duck taped to the top of it. (didn' have no frog tape) I find that real Goex burns cleaner than any of the substitutes and is much easier to clean up. I used to use AA hulls and plastic wads but it makes so much black snot I went to the brass hulls and Circle Fly wads. I put lots of compression on the shot shells.
An amazing thing with the drop tube is that the powder is so tight in the case after the drop, if you need to dump it out for some reason, you must take a little screw driver and break it loose. Now I don't do all this for my SASS loads, they are run on a Dillon progressive (550) and I use the Dillon powder measure. I know, plastic hopper but I've tried to ignite black powder with a spark plug and couldn't do it.
I shot a 2 day, 12 stage match last month and used ffg in both pistols, 73 rifle and my Baretta shotgun with brass shells too. I try to wipe the rifle after every other stage, usually 10 shots to a stage. The pistols (Colts) just get a squirt of Ballistol about midway through the day. Always clean up with Ballisto mixed 10:1 with water. Only 3 or 4 patches required and the 44-40 doesn't crud up the innards of the 73 like 45 Colt does. I use SPG or my own concoction for bullet lube it's just the bullets don't hold enough lube for the 24" rifle bbl. Don't have to wipe if I use a 20".
Most my BP shooting is more primitive using a long rifle or one that i made, i use FFF most of the time in my percussion rifles and a patched RB.
Sounds like you are really into BP cartridge shooting.
Because I Can, and Have
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
- Cimarron Red
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Re: Shot a little black powder
Pitchy,
Shooting black in a cartridge gun is a hoot! I've been doing it for some time, primarily on BPCR silhouettes. I've been trying to get my buddy, Sixgun, to join the fun -- but even though he claims to be a traditionalist, he won't hear of shooting black.
Jack, the case clean-up is a snap using a rotary tumbler with ceramic media along with dish liquid and water. Also, I neck size, expand and bullet seat on a Dillon 550. I de-prime at the range and hand-prime while I watch TV. Yes, loading is more labor-intensive than with smokeless, but toppling 500 meter rams is worth the effort, not to mention the joy of launching the off-hand chicken off its perch at 200 meters!
Shooting black in a cartridge gun is a hoot! I've been doing it for some time, primarily on BPCR silhouettes. I've been trying to get my buddy, Sixgun, to join the fun -- but even though he claims to be a traditionalist, he won't hear of shooting black.
Jack, the case clean-up is a snap using a rotary tumbler with ceramic media along with dish liquid and water. Also, I neck size, expand and bullet seat on a Dillon 550. I de-prime at the range and hand-prime while I watch TV. Yes, loading is more labor-intensive than with smokeless, but toppling 500 meter rams is worth the effort, not to mention the joy of launching the off-hand chicken off its perch at 200 meters!
Re: Shot a little black powder
I agree, the gun i should be doing it in is my Sharps rifle instead of the lever guns, easier to clean up.Cimarron Red wrote:Pitchy,
Shooting black in a cartridge gun is a hoot! I've been doing it for some time, primarily on BPCR silhouettes. I've been trying to get my buddy, Sixgun, to join the fun -- but even though he claims to be a traditionalist, he won't hear of shooting black.
Jack, the case clean-up is a snap using a rotary tumbler with ceramic media along with dish liquid and water. Also, I neck size, expand and bullet seat on a Dillon 550. I de-prime at the range and hand-prime while I watch TV. Yes, loading is more labor-intensive than with smokeless, but toppling 500 meter rams is worth the effort, not to mention the joy of launching the off-hand chicken off its perch at 200 meters!
Because I Can, and Have
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
- J Miller
- Member Emeritus
- Posts: 14885
- Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:46 pm
- Location: Not in IL no more ... :)
Re: Shot a little black powder
Just saturate a patch with the windex just like you'd do with Hoppe's.Pitchy wrote:Oh my God, i`ve heard everything now works huh?J Miller wrote:Cheat like I do. I wash 'em (the guns-not the brass) with Windex Window cleaner with ammonia, then oil. Works pretty good. So far no rust.
Joe
How do ya get down the barrel with the spray bottle.
I've been told it won't work, but then you read in the instructions for the imported mil surps to use it for cleaning out corrosive primed ammo, so I tried it. Worked for me.
Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts .***
- Griff
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Re: Shot a little black powder
OH, MY GHAWD! I CAN'T LOAD BP ON MY DILLON? Ya REALLY mean that after 22 years of doin' so, sumpin' changed and I HAVE to go back to my single stage?
WELL worth the teensy bit of effort to gain the "smell sulphur in the mornin'!"
The only "extry" steps are decapping, rinsing in hot water w/dish soap, laying out to dry, then it's tumble & load as normal.Sixgun wrote:Pitchy,'
It ain't so much cleaning the gun that bothers me, its cleaning the brass and the oh-so-long process in reloading it is what keeps me away from it. If I can't run it on a progressive, I don't load it.
Hey there you "long hair". Some of us never could resort to getting an "establishment haircut". (remember that?) Me neither, but it is getting a little smooth on top. --------Sixgun
WELL worth the teensy bit of effort to gain the "smell sulphur in the mornin'!"
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
Re: Shot a little black powder
My rifle is not a 45/70 but a 45Colt ,and when I loaded the mag tube up full to see just how many it would hold a few
of the factory loads had bullet setback. I used bacon grease with beewax lube and 40 grains Cart blackpowder.
and the bullet was really compresed. You can load the mag tube full of these and you won't get any bullet setback.
Another reason that blackpowder will overide the bullet setback problem that might occure with a weak crimp on smokless
powders.
Bob
of the factory loads had bullet setback. I used bacon grease with beewax lube and 40 grains Cart blackpowder.
and the bullet was really compresed. You can load the mag tube full of these and you won't get any bullet setback.
Another reason that blackpowder will overide the bullet setback problem that might occure with a weak crimp on smokless
powders.
Bob
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Re: Shot a little black powder
I just came up to search for this very topic and there it was. Thanks for the info folks!
Re: Shot a little black powder
Not sure why someone would tell you it doesn't work...heck, it's always been exactly what I've been told DOES work and it's what I often use myself. Or Ballistol mixed with water. The key is you gotta remove the salts with something that has water in it but will also cut through any lube or oils that are present. That's why Windex or a Ballistol mix work so well!J Miller wrote:Just saturate a patch with the windex just like you'd do with Hoppe's.
I've been told it won't work, but then you read in the instructions for the imported mil surps to use it for cleaning out corrosive primed ammo, so I tried it. Worked for me.
Joe
Cheers,
Oly
Cheers,
Oly
I hope and pray someday the world will learn
That fires we don't put out will bigger burn
Johnny Wright
Oly
I hope and pray someday the world will learn
That fires we don't put out will bigger burn
Johnny Wright