As I type this note, I have 30 grains of Goex FFFg in six Starline 45 LC brass. I’ll be seating an Elmer Keith cast bullet (Lyman #452424) 255 grain bullet in the brass, once I get the black powder load figured out. This is where I need your help. The Lyman Blackpowder book recommended 35.5 grains of FFFg. The footnote (page 319) says “All loads shown are volume equivalent, not actual weight. All black powder loads shown completely fill the case and are compressed by the bullet 1/16 inch.”
I started with 35.5 grains measured. This brought the powder up to within 1/16 inch of the top of the case. I used a Lee powder measure to see how much I could compress the powder. Well, not much compression was evident. The OAL of the case with the Keith bullet should be 1.575. I don’t see how I can seat the bullet and compress the powder that much.
So, I loaded 30 grains of Goex FFFg. Eyeballing the Keith bullet next to the case with the 30 grains of FFFg, it appears that the bullet would now compress the powder about 1/16 if I was to seat the bullet at 1.575.
The question is: If I load by volume, where should the powder be in the 45 LC case to seat the Keith bullet?
So, I need your help. If you haven’t figured it out by now, you should know this is my first load using blackpowder. I’ve loaded smokeless powder for 40 years. So I am accustomed to using grains of powder and to having some “open space” between the bullet and the powder. This is a new gig for me and so I want to be sure I am thinking and loading correctly. I’ll be shooting these loads from either a Colt SAA 45 LC or a Ruger Blackhawk 45 LC. Thanks, and sorry for such a long post. Ken