Powder drop tube advise

[Pavia]

First, does it really make a difference for small bore bp rifles? 45, etc.

Second, I don't see them for sale a whole lot. Is it best to make one. What is the preferred method.

[bubba.50]

in my limited experience the barrel IS the drop tube when shootin' muzzleloaders. BPCR shooters use drop tubes because the say the powder settles better which 'sposedly aids in consistency of compression/shot to shot velocity/accuracy.

[DIRT Farmer]

Thee are pros and cons, it gets the powder to the bottom of a damp barrel, also if the bottom of the drop tube gets damp, it can collect powder and plug. I have one, and used it years ago. I dont use it now

[oldracer]

If you look at the pictures of the world championship 1000 YD muzzle loader matches, they all seem to use a combo drop tube/funnel. I made one that works with 45 caliber and up from a piece of rigid copper tube and some copper sheet cut to funnel shape and soldered. When I bought my Pedersoli Gibbs I got one of their drop tube - funnels as part of the deal. As far as I know they are the only folks making one.

Is it worth it......we I use one as it simulates what happens with a cartridge rifle as I used to wipe my Sharps between each shot.

[Boz330]

I use one with my Gibbs. Lee Shaver recommends not using a long drop tube. His thinking is that the outside of the tube collects dirt and grit that will eventually wear the muzzle ruining accuracy and one of the guys I shoot with had to re-barrel his gun. The answer is to wipe the tube after every powder drop or use a short tube. Personally I'm leaning towards going to a short tube. What I like about a long tube is it is an easy check if you have dropped powder.
At Oak Ridge I tried a new loading technique where you drop powder after the shot, run a wad down and then clean the barrel to the wad and then the bullet. This way you don't push fouling into the patent breach and it is quicker loading. It worked very well for me there. Another friend used it with his Ferris rifle but it doesn't work at all with his Original Ingram made rifle which he shoots in international competition.

Bob

[oldracer]

Now that sounds pretty darn snappy. Think I'll try it next range trip.

[Chill Wills]

in my limited experience the barrel IS the drop tube when shootin' muzzleloaders. BPCR shooters use drop tubes because the say the powder settles better which 'sposedly aids in consistency of compression/shot to shot velocity/accuracy.

Yes, I think this is correct. For most sporting and frontier type rifles and shooting, this holds true. The long funnel would just be an additional step.

In long range ML, shooting bullets, the long drop tube and funnel delivers a dry, compact charge to the breach.

Hey Bob, Like you I have loaded both ways. It is good to hear you are having accuracy with the "powder and then push the wad on and clean to the wad" system. I tried that some years ago and found I was getting some crud in the form of a ring built up at about the top of the charge/wad and I did not like it. But I am not sure it was a problem. I just had trouble with it between my ears. One advantage of that system is you don't have to walk up to the line and snap an extra cap after cleaning and before charging powder.

I am stuck in my habit of loading the way I do, but maybe I will have to revisit your "new way" again because it is faster by a few steps.
No funnel and no extra cap.

[oldracer]

Hope I don't drag this off in a tangent but any time something rubs on the crown of the muzzle possibly causes wear. I don't think it matters if there is one of those snappy little funnels that attach to a powder measure, short tubed funnel or a full length one. Another reason I like the full length is that it is longer than any of my 45 caliber slug gun barrels and before loading I always bounce the tube slightly to hear the "ding" of an empty chamber. So far luck and strict procedures have kept me from a double load although we did have one at our monthly match a few years ago and nothing was broken, it sure scared the shooter with the HUGE boom! I now have two slug guns with false muzzles which very much protect the opening of the muzzle end of the barrel.

I took a quick check of the world wide rules used in the 1000 YD matches and there was no mention saying no false muzzle allowed and they did say funnels are allowed and even recommended to prevent powder spillage.

[Chill Wills]

oldracer, Okay, taking this even more OT - is there a LR-ML match anywhere in CA?

[Fly]

Well I had one when I bought my Gibbs & ended losing it. I made another as old racer out of copper & copper tube. Copper is
soft & I can't see it wearing the muzzle. Bob thanks for the tip on loading I will try it. But I only use the drop tube with my Gibbs.

Fly

[oldracer]

There are black powder matches at the Pala range in North San Diego County and the even organizer told me a few years ago I could shoot them with my muzzle loader but there are time limits for each round. Our Schuetzen Meister also told me I could try the center fire any sight matches and they also have time limits but are slower, much slower. Finally the long range (1000 YD) shooters at Camp Pendleton said the organizer was looking into letting cartridge AND muzzle loaders into their matches but seems there are some insurance issues since black powder worries the Marines?! I check the LRML web site periodically and so far have not seen any official ones.

[Fly]

Black powder worries the Marines???????? Geeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz what a bunch of Jar Heads!

Fly

[bubba.50]

probably worries the marines for the same reason it worries gun shop owners. not enough business in it to justify the insurance from it bein' classed as an explosive.

[Chill Wills]

There are black powder matches at the Pala range in North San Diego County and the even organizer told me a few years ago I could shoot them with my muzzle loader but there are time limits for each round.

This is Harold ??

[Geezer in NH]

probably worries the marines for the same reason it worries gun shop owners. not enough business in it to justify the insurance from it bein' classed as an explosive.

Not the insurance just the newer BATFE regulations.

Insurance companies hate any powder.

Slug gun shooters use a drop tube and yes you will have to make it yourself unless the slug gun maker supplied it. Note all slug gun barrels are custom.

[Boz330]

Yes, I think this is correct. For most sporting and frontier type rifles and shooting, this holds true. The long funnel would just be an additional step.

In long range ML, shooting bullets, the long drop tube and funnel delivers a dry, compact charge to the breach.

Hey Bob, Like you I have loaded both ways. It is good to hear you are having accuracy with the "powder and then push the wad on and clean to the wad" system. I tried that some years ago and found I was getting some crud in the form of a ring built up at about the top of the charge/wad and I did not like it. But I am not sure it was a problem. I just had trouble with it between my ears. One advantage of that system is you don't have to walk up to the line and snap an extra cap after cleaning and before charging powder.

I am stuck in my habit of loading the way I do, but maybe I will have to revisit your "new way" again because it is faster by a few steps.
No funnel and no extra cap.

I did notice the crud ring as well but it didn't seem to bother anything since it was below the boolit. It did take a little more cleaning but mostly I could just feel it on clean up but other than that it wasn't that hard to get rid of.
My long drop tube is aluminum which is probably softer than the copper, but the problem according to Lee is the built up grit on the tube and of course the length rubs 36" instead of 3". We can argue all we want about whether it makes a difference or not but Lee has forgotten more about ML than I'll ever know and to me he is worth listening to. The guy with the worn barrel shoots a lot, I don't, so the damage he did in 3 or 4 years probably would cover the rest of my life and then some. You have to also remember that the Pedersoli barrels are choked so a little wear can go a long way at the muzzle.

Bob