Measure

[Brass Nazi]

What are you guys using to measure BP. I am having the urge to make up some 45/70 ammunition using real gunpowder. I know I have to use BP compatible lube and I cannot use a standard measure. I have a standard Dillon measure and a standard Lyman 55. I see Lyman makes a BP measure and I believe that Hornady and RCBS does as well.

[Blackdog]

I would load the powder by hand using a simple ML measure. They can be had for a few bucks. Or, a CRB might cut off a piece of brass, attach a wire handle and use it as a scoop. I know some use a drop tube to load the BP.

Sounds like fun, BN.

[Pitmaster]

I'm using a couple of Lee dippers to load .38 and .44 mag. 1.3 & 1.9 cc fills the cases perfectly.

For 45-70 I would consider a large coffee scoop.

[Brass Nazi]

You use standard primers correct?

Now that I think about it the 500 S&W would be a good BP burner wouldn't it?

[BigSlick]

Maybe.

Lotta room in the case, but the thought of shooting a full one makes me shiver like a whiny lil girl

I say do it

[Pitmaster]

Originally Posted by Brass Nazi

You use standard primers correct?

Now that I think about it the 500 S&W would be a good BP burner wouldn't it?

Yes to both.

Here's site that has some food information on BP. A lot of myths are dispelled. Look under the The Darksider's Den.

[Brass Nazi]

Originally Posted by BigSlick

Maybe.

Lotta room in the case, but the thought of shooting a full one makes me shiver like a whiny lil girl

I say do it

I always thought that if the case was full it would never really develop a lot of pressure by todays standards. The 500 was designed to withstand 60,000 PSI. I doubt if a case of charcoal would develop that much.

Besides, I could shoot it like a reloading newbie. (with a tree between your body and the gun wearing welding gloves with your weak hand covering your crotch)

[Brass Nazi]

Originally Posted by Pitmaster

Yes to both.

Here's site that has some food information on BP. A lot of myths are dispelled. Look under the The Darksider's Den.

Interesting, There are many people on that site that use traditional powder measures to measure BP, even all plastic leaky arse Lee measures.

Almost all companies state not to use the standard measures with BP.

[MONTEGOD7SS]

Pretty sure you just stuff it full. Heck some rounds you fill full, compress, fill again, then seat the bullet. I know with the flare gun 250gr of black is just getting fun. A buddy of mine loads .45ACP with black by scooping the case full, wiping it off level with his finger, then stuffing a bullet on top.

[CZ93X62]

The few times I've loaded BP into cartridges (45-70 and 44-40), I just used my M/L powder measure--one of those brass critters with expandable chamber/extendable staff.

In 45-70, I used Federal #215 LR Mag primers Goex 2F was used, and 55.0 grains required about 1/16" of compression to seat the Lee 405 grainers into R-P brass. Bullet alloy was 30/1 lead/tin, lube was dip-slathered SPG into all grooves, then sized @ .459" to clean off excess lube and meet throat dimensions. These loads produced the best accuracy I've ever gotten in the Ruger #1--with a 1x-4x Redfield in place, 5-shotters went 1" to 1.125" at 100 yards. I fired one fouler, then five record shots, then wiped the bore. Fouling stayed fairly soft, which surprised me, given the light lube capacity of the Lee design. These were fired over 3 range days, 140 total count, in warm and mildly humid conditions.

44-40 was not so spectacular. I used a Lee 200 grain flatnose, 30/1 again with hand-slathered SPG/sized .429 as above. 35 grains of Goex 3F was compressed 1/16" under these Lees, and CCI-350 LP Mag primers lit the fires. These were fired in cooler but drier conditions, out near Chiriaco Summit between Indio and Blythe. Your basic snake ranch.

At 50 yards, the fouler shot went right where smokeless loads placed this same bullet--1.5" high. Nice. 2nd shot went about 3" right, IIRC. Hmmm, this rifle does about 1.25"-1.50" at 50 yards with the smokeless loads (14.5 x 2400). 3rd shot was WAY low. #4 and #5 were in the same ZIP Code, but barely. #6 hit near the bottom of the B-27, and went in sideways. Very not good.

The barrel had HARD fouling built up, some combination of the drier air and/or the bullet's light lube capacity really sewer-piped the bore. Thankfully, I only had 30 of these loaded--so I fired them off in 3-shot/swab the bore fashion, to keep the system running--such as it was. Whatta PITA that was.

Since then, I've acquired another mould for the 44-40, SAECO #446. It has A LOT MORE lube capacity, and a full-caliber front drive band that could serve as a "dirt scraper" if I ever choose to try The Holy Black in the 113-year-old Win '73 once again. Don't hold yer breath waiting on that stunt to get re-visited any time soon.