Black Powder Vials on Ebay

[alamogunr]

I just ran across an Ebay listing for plastic vials and a box for holding charges of black powder. I guess what caught my attention was the description that it was for the Ruger Old Army. I find it somewhat inconvenient to take a can of black powder to the range and measure it each time I load the cylinder. The listing is here:



Has anyone ever used this or anything similar? How did it work?

[MadHamster]

When shooting competition i use 10cc plastic vials with a lid, they work OK, no problems with them. I wonder how many cc's(or ml) these are, because the most common of this type are 2cc (which is around 2 grams/30 grains of 3F local powder)

[gmsharps]

I saw something like that many years ago around the middle 70's or so. It was a wooden box with glass viles with caps and would hold enough for most black powder guns at that time. It seemed like it had about 50 viles in the box if I remember correctly.

gmsharps

[alamogunr]

The Ebay listing doesn't give the size of the vials. I suspect 2 or 3 cc's. The box holds 72 of these vials which would be a good number for me to take to the range since I my short attention span requires taking more than one or two guns to the range each trip and the Old Army is my only BP handgun.

[Mohillbilly]

I gave up on black in my ROA when I put too much in and could not get the ball seated all the way in . ( I had to drill the ball out ) I went to pyro and found out that it does compress . For my uses I load the cylinder full of pyro , and strike it off with a business card , thumb a wonder wad , and drop and compress my ball .

[451 Pete]

Just for information here I have just bought the vials and made a block of wood drilled to accept them that all fit into a large cigar box ... inexpensive and easy to make. Vials in all sizes are available with a search for them on E-Bay.


Pete

[Theditchman]

you can get an ice tube tray at wallmart...cheap and holds most tubes x 27

[alamogunr]

Thanks for letting me know about the options. I did a short search for vials but not sure what I turned up. They are sized in cc. What is a good size?

[frkelly74]

I made some out of 16 ga shotgun hulls with a cork to plug up the open end. It held enough black to make the smoker go boom.

[Nobade]

Around here people put other recreational substances besides gunpowder in containers like that...

When he was still living, Joe Hepsworth used to sell glass vials with cork stoppers and a box to carry them in for muzzleloading match rifle shooting. It's more accurate if you weigh the charges at home on a scale. I never saw the need for them with a revolver, I just make spouts the right size for my various sidearms and screw them on the little metal CVA flask.

Oh, the Blackhorn209 web sire has pictures of graduated vials for holding that powder but doesn't mention where you can get them.

-Nobade

[True.grit]

"Oh, the Blackhorn209 web sire has pictures of graduated vials for holding that powder but doesn't mention where you can get them."


I got some from midway in a 6 pack. They work ok. They were cheap enough.

[LynC2]

I made some out of 16 ga shotgun hulls with a cork to plug up the open end. It held enough black to make the smoker go boom.

Good idea! Now I need to figure what gauge wine corks fit.

[dikman]

Look up microfuge (or centrifuge) tubes on ebay (which is what those thingys are). I bought 100 2ml tubes for under $6 delivered. I then bought another 100 for spares . Great for my revolver (range rules are that all loads must be pre-measured in individual containers, a safety thing with BP).

Forgot to add, you can also find holders, like that box, pretty cheap if you search ebay.

[Whiterabbit]

tried it at one shoot, I didn't like it and went back to measuring every charge. Kinda like cutting patches. Some like it premade, I like ot cut mine onsite.

I might go to loading blocks for rendezvous, but for range time, no need for the vials. not for me. Id be more inclined to take them hunting. Toss 5 in the bag and go, no need for the horn. But then agin, hunting with the horn would be part of the fun too.

[dondiego]

From my 32 years working in a laboratory setting, I have accumulated a large number of discarded centrifuge and other types of vials that are useful for premeasured charges. There are so many styles and volumes out there.

[Texantothecore]

Another way of storing charges is to make paper cartridges. It was very common in the old days.

An Altoids can will hold about 10 to 12 charges and it fits in your shirt pocket.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

I purchased a large group of glass vials with the appropriate corks after seeing an original Whitworth rifle kitted out with powder charge vials and a carrying box for long range shooting. I got the size that fits in a plastic cartridge box for 30-06 and have used them for BP pistol, BP test loads for smaller caliber muzzleloaders, and even for revolver loads.

Carolina Biological.com.

They also have plastic vials of various types, including some small ones with an attached flip open top small enough for pistols.

One can buy elsewhere small, soft plastic tubes that fit 36 or 45 C & B pistol balls that are really made for thread protectors for such as 3/8" bolt threads. These have one open end and you plug the tube with the ball and squeeze it out to load the powder from the tube. Most excellent for pistols.

BvT

[RPRNY]

I use paper cartridges. The whole thing is consumed on firing. 25 grs Old Eynsford, 5 hrs cornmeal, milk carton over powder card topped by a wee thin lube cookie.

[Eagle66]

I made some reusable paper tubes. I put in a measured charge, cork it with a minie ball, and drop them in a WWI leather ammo pouch. At the range I pull the boolit, dump the charge in followed by the crisco lubed boolit and make some smoke. Tube goes back in the pouch for reuse. It looks kind of authentic, too, if the onlooker is doesn't know the difference & is nearsighted

[bob208]

if you know any one who is diabetic have them save the plastic tubes their test strips come in.