When you shoot black powder

[perry owens]

in full-house loads, as I was doing today, you get to appreciate why, in old-time gunfights, a lot of ammo expenditure resulted in not much damage...

Couldn't see a darned thing most of the time.
Perry Owens

[spaceman spiff]

hard to hit what one can't see.... cool pic
I like the smoke trail from the spent cartridge




spaceman

[gamekeeper]

That's the reason I gave up with my double barrel, couldn't tell if I needed the second shot!..

[rbertalotto]

I shoot BP in Cowboy Action competition..........10 rounds Pistol, 10 rounds Rifle, 4 rounds ShotGun......After about 8 rounds, if the wind isn't blowing, you can't see the targets and you just point and pull the trigger.......Great fun!

[rjohns94]

Kewl picture

[bigbore442001]

Great image. Black powder can be fun but here in my area most shooters use the subsitute H777 for their muzzleloading applications. You still get a big cloud of smoke.

[Ysabel Kid]

Nothing like true black!

[Chuck 100 yd]

Great fun for sure!

[M. M. Wright]

YK, you're right, just nothing like the real thing. I shoot Goex ffg in SASS and it's a hoot. Perry, was that early in the morning? Early and no wind makes for a really slow stage.

[Don McDowell]

What powder are you shooting, that's an awful lot of smoke for most quality bp's. Looks more like the smoke from one of the fakes..

[Griff]

Yes. You definitely need superior tactics: Sun at your back, wind off the yardarn!


Don, after the 8th or 9th rapid fire shot from a repeater, and the "right" lighting, that could definitely be me. And, I only use Goex. The above pic is only after about 4 shots fron the sixgun.

[Don McDowell]

Grif I've seen smoke hang in front of the firing line on a really calm humid and cool day, but usually nothing that meets the description given by CAS shooters.
Remember I shoot among folks that are torching off anywhere from 60-120 grs of powder at one time. I've seen powder smoke.

[Griff]

I also think photography plays a oart in the effect. Range design also, a lot of CAS ranges have their stages shot in a 35-50 yard "box" with 10-15' high walls. It can be a factor. An open faced range doesn't have the same "containment" issue!

[perry owens]

The load was 80 grains of Swiss FG in a Magtech brass 12g shell. The range is the old gunnery zero range on an abandoned WW2 bomber base. A sunny day after a night of heavy rain - no wind.
Perry Owens

[Don McDowell]

Yup that heavy air will sure hold the smoke.

[Nath]

Cool picture Perry

N.

[Cliff]

It was useful in battle sometimes. One story I read was during the Spanish American War most of the units were still armed with the Trapdoor Springfields shooting black powder loads. They were also used to lay down smoke screens with good weather conditions to hide movements from the enemy units. I guess a hundred or more rifles loaded with Black can make a good cover. I have loaded Black Powder in paper hulls and used them in practice sessions at area trap shots, during the week and in the evenings. I usually asked the other shooters if they would mind me doing this and usually they agreed to it and did appreciate the special effects. Usually after a couple of rounds, the shooting really slowed down, as lighting after dark, reflected off the smoke and obsured the clay birds. Good times. ATB

[rusty gunns]

That's the reason I gave up with my double barrel, couldn't tell if I needed the second shot!..

That's the reason I went to a 10 gauge coach gun for Cowboy shooting.
Makes hitting the second and forth targets a bit easier. You only have to "Sorta aim".

[Alphawolf45]

I have a target bullet trap inside my 60 by 60 foot shop building...I occasionally shoot my .38-55 or Colt 45 rifles INSIDE the shop using Goex 2F black as propellant and in three shots the smoke detector goes off..And the Stink!! I am amused in considering the scenario of a couple cowboys blazing away with six guns in a tiny frontier saloon..Musta had everybody running for the door for a breath of fresh air.

[Malamute]

I think it was Elmer Keith that wrote that after the first few rounds fired in an indoor gunfight, the smoke would be thick enough it was hard to see. If one got down low, you could see under most of it.

I believe he also said that the first shot would often put the kerosene lamps out from concussion, putting the place in darkness if nightime.

Edit: Funny, we were writing at the same time.

[rjohns94]

The opening barrage of the battle at Gettysburg had the same affect. The south opened fire and soon the field was covered in smoke, obscuring the vision of the gunners. Little did they know their shots were going over the guns of the north instead of knocking them out. That left the south very out in the open when Picketts charge started and well, the rest is history