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Posted: 8/3/2012 10:44:48 AM EDT
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Can anyone give me some insight into loading black powder cartridges? I have an original Smith Carbine that I plan to shoot in the next week or two, as soon as I get some cartridges loaded.
I've bought cast bullets and hard rubber cartridges and caps and FFg powder and a Smith bullet seating tool. I also bought one of those small blackpowder measures with the swivel-top funnel. Now, everything I've found online says to load with 25, 30, or 35 grains (depending on source) of FFg. I figured 30 grains would be reliable. When I adjust my black powder measure to "30" and fill it up, it only weighs 17 grains when dumped into my RCBS scale. Which do use –– the powder measure by "30" volume, or the scale by "30" weight? Just as an experiment, I measured out 30 grains by weight into my scale pan, then poured it into an empty cartridge. It filled up enough that seating a bullet would compress the charge quite considerably (to about 60% of its initial case volume). This carbine was used by a Union Cavalry ancestor of my wife (my ancestors fought on the other side). I don't want to blow it up. |
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Quoted: BP is volume always. never by weight. Can anyone give me some insight into loading black powder cartridges? I have an original Smith Carbine that I plan to shoot in the next week or two, as soon as I get some cartridges loaded. I've bought cast bullets and hard rubber cartridges and caps and FFg powder and a Smith bullet seating tool. I also bought one of those small blackpowder measures with the swivel-top funnel. Now, everything I've found online says to load with 25, 30, or 35 grains (depending on source) of FFg. I figured 30 grains would be reliable. When I adjust my black powder measure to "30" and fill it up, it only weighs 17 grains when dumped into my RCBS scale. Which do use –– the powder measure by "30" volume, or the scale by "30" weight? Just as an experiment, I measured out 30 grains by weight into my scale pan, then poured it into an empty cartridge. It filled up enough that seating a bullet would compress the charge quite considerably (to about 60% of its initial case volume). This carbine was used by a Union Cavalry ancestor of my wife (my ancestors fought on the other side). I don't want to blow it up. Compressing by seating the bullet is also not good, If you cannot fit it all in, try a long brass drop tube.  Air space is also not good |
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Fill the "case" with black powder so that just enough space is left to seat the bullet. Now measure the power by volume. As long as that amount of black powder is within the limits recommended, the load will be fine. If it exceeds the recommended amount, reduce the volume of powder to the highest recommended amount. If the bullet will seat on the powder with a little compression, you're good to go. If the bullet will not seat against the powder, use a filler like oatmeal or cornmeal to take up enough space for the bullet to seat with slight compression of the filler. The bullet in black powder cartridges should always slightly compress the powder. Just enough compression that powder will not form a empty space between itself and the bullet. That will produce high pressures. And don't compress the powder more than just enough to rid the cartridge of any empty space.
I shoot cap & ball revolvers in competition and load 45 Long Colt, 38 Special and 12 gauge shot-shells with blackpowder. |
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OK... so I loaded 10 plastic cases with 30gr. of 777 FFG, and 10 more with 25gr., and seated the bullets by hand, just enough to slightly compress the powder. The cases with 30gr. had more of the bullet exposed, but the grease grooves were below the case mouth, and they chambered fine without any bullet setback. So far, so good.
Last weekend I took the carbine to the range, loaded a round into the breech, put a cap on the nipple, puckered my sphincter, and pulled the trigger. Worked great! The first two shots (fouling shots, I suppose) went into the 12-inch target at 100 yards. After that, they all shot fairly accurately but about 12 inches low. And not much difference between 25gr. and 30gr., so I'll just go with 25gr. from now on. I'm going to load more cartridges for it and try fiddling with the rear sight. Folded, it's too low. With the ladder up, it's too high. Maybe some kind of wedge under the folded ladder to incrementally raise the rear notch. Thanks Bob243 and RemGuy! |
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a 1/4" lock washer fits over the screw at the front of the sight base. That is what I use to change from 50 to 100 yards for competition.
If you can get real black powder by all means get it. It will clean better and ignite better than any of the substitutes. Most of us use 3f in our long guns, 25 to 35 grains by weight in carbines, whatever gets you good groups. The original Smith carbines had a very wide range of chamber sizes and barrel groove to groove diameters. I have one that is .512 inches, my brothers is .520 inches. Enjoy the history experience. For more information go to www.N-SSA.org. |
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