What's the "right" way to load BP cartridges?

[country gent]

Between strings I decap the cases and drop them in a jug with dawn dish soap a little lemon shine and water. Every couple strings I give the jug a shake. A laundry jug with the spout pulled out has a nice big opening to use for this. When I get home i [pur the jug out in the yard come in and rinse in the jug and cases 2-3 times with hot tap water. Spread them out on a screen to dry. When dry I polish in a vibrator with corn cobs nu finish Iosso brass polish and some alcohol. When polished nice. I clean primer pockets and use a nylon brush to clean inside of cases, this is more to remove con cob residue. Then anneal if needed or due for. I normally anneal very other loading.

I do the water jug to soften the residue and keep it soft. when you get home shake the jug a few minutes and pour out. the water will be black. ( a second cap can heve holes drilled in it to make a strainer) The first rinse and shake will be a gray color with subsequent lighter in color.

I use 20-1 alloy most but 20 lb wont make many of the big bullets ( youll get around 13 to the pound)

Which book did you order??

[am44mag]

Between strings I decap the cases and drop them in a jug with dawn dish soap a little lemon shine and water. Every couple strings I give the jug a shake. A laundry jug with the spout pulled out has a nice big opening to use for this. When I get home i [pur the jug out in the yard come in and rinse in the jug and cases 2-3 times with hot tap water. Spread them out on a screen to dry. When dry I polish in a vibrator with corn cobs nu finish Iosso brass polish and some alcohol. When polished nice. I clean primer pockets and use a nylon brush to clean inside of cases, this is more to remove con cob residue. Then anneal if needed or due for. I normally anneal very other loading.

I do the water jug to soften the residue and keep it soft. when you get home shake the jug a few minutes and pour out. the water will be black. ( a second cap can heve holes drilled in it to make a strainer) The first rinse and shake will be a gray color with subsequent lighter in color.

I use 20-1 alloy most but 20 lb wont make many of the big bullets ( youll get around 13 to the pound)

Which book did you order??

I think we just emptied out a detergent bottle that would be the prefect size for 50-70 cases. I'll go see if I can save it from the trash, lol. Thanks for the advise on cleaning brass.

If my math is right, and I manage to use all of it, I have enough to make about 325 or so boolits. It's not a lot, but it'll get me started. I plan on ordering a lot of lead and tin within the next month.

The book I ordered was "The SPG Black Powder Cartridge Reloading Primer" by Mike Venturino and Steve Garbe . I've also been reading over that guide Wills posted earlier in the thread.

[Bent Ramrod]

For cleaning cases, you can get by with a dishpan, dish detergent and a test tube brush for a while, but if you are planning to jump into this BPCR thing with both feet, a Thumler’s Tumbler and those ceramic chips and solution that Dave Maurer sells is a huge labor saver, and the cases come out like new.

Also, you might snag a copy of Mike Venturino’s Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the Old West. This is an overview of about every single-loading BPCR design you are likely to encounter, plus general loading directions for all the major cartridges, plus instructions by actual BPCR champions on all the various “correct” methods of cartridge loading that they have found to work. And, just as importantly, the stuff that doesn’t seem to matter much. Even if you don’t plan to get into it major league, the book is interesting reading in its own right.

[Lead pot]

I just de primed a coffee can full of .38 SPL cases and I do the same with my black powder cases. I put them in the Frankfort Arsenal tumbler with SST pins and Cascade dish washer soap. One of those that come in a jell covered mix. I have found nothing that gets them as clean as what this combination does. My Wife got me on this Cascade Dishwasher stuff when I asked her if she has more Dawn when I ran out and she said this has Dawn in it.
I have used commercial brass cleaners, Dawn and Lemishine and wore out two Tumbler Tumblers over the years but this combination I mentioned has served me well since the Frankfort Arsenal tumbler came on the market.
I just drop one of these in the tumbler and fill it with water about 3/4 full it gets the brass looking like new.

I leave the water in the bucket till it's about 1/2 full and let the mud settle till it's clean and reuse it with out adding anything but dirty brass to be cleaned again.
This brass was cleaned using the same recycled mix after it settled back down.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Cascade-Compl.../158938412
When the tumbler quits I dump it in a classifier with a I think 75 mesh screen sitting in a 5 gallon bucket and let it drain out.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FQPHUNO/ref...th=1&psc=1
This holds the pins and I use one of these black sand magnets to separate the pins from the cases. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Big-Orange-Ma...4d0f2c9835

Attachment 260672Attachment 260673

[John Boy]

All powders have different weight densities. And any volume measurement of black powder can be charged with a weight gram equivalent of the volume charge. Saying it can’t be done is an Urban Legend
https://www.chuckhawks.com/blackpowder_volumetric.htm

[indian joe]

All powders have different weight densities. And any volume measurement of black powder can be charged with a weight gram equivalent of the volume charge. Saying it can’t be done is an Urban Legend
https://www.chuckhawks.com/blackpowder_volumetric.htm

What an absolute load of common sense - I am amazed in the year 2020 the level of resistance to this .

[northmn]

I think it was Paul Matthews that loaded the substitutes by weight. He would weigh 5 volume equivalent measures of Pyrodex or 777 and get an average and then use that for weight. 58 gr of Pyrodex might be equal to 70 grains of 2f GOEX for example. Weighing charges for him gave more consistent compression.

DEP

[am44mag]

I figured I'd post an update. I finally got my hands on the rifle last week and was able to shoot it some on Monday. I believe I am thoroughly hooked. There's just something about a black powder single shot rifle that seems right.

I slugged the barrel, and it came in at 0.514". The LEE mold I'm using casts a bit over sized, but the small amount of ammo I made up chambered and shot just fine. Oddly enough, it's shooting pretty close to point of aim. I figured it was going to shoot a couple of feet high, but at 75 yards, it's shooting about 4-5" high. I'll get some more trigger time with the rifle and load up some more rounds and see what kind of accuracy I can squeeze out of it.

Thanks again fellas, you guys have been a huge help.

[am44mag]

Oh, I was going to ask. What is the easiest way to clean a rifle like this? I poured a pitcher of hot soapy water down the bore and then went at it with dry and lubed (CLP) patches. I probably went through 50 of them before I was satisfied. Surely there's an easier/faster way to clean.

[Don McDowell]

Blow 3 or 4 breaths down the muzzle and up the breech, push the fouling out with a dry patch. Wet a patch with water, push it thru, do another, and follow with a dry. Couple of patches with a good bore solvent to clear out any carbon fouling , and if you don't see any sign of lead, your done.

[Lead pot]

Since your shooting a TD you are most likely doing it from the muzzle down.
Turn the rifle down, trap door down to keep the water from dropping down into the lower parts.
You can use a muzzle guide to keep the cleaning rod off the crown and push a damp patch through till it comes out almost clan, 4-5 is not unusual. A .308 case cut off mid section makes a good muzzle protector.
When the damp patches are just about clean push dry patches through. It's best to use 100% cotton flannel because it absorbs the moisture better.
If the white patch still has some gray streaks on it you have some lead that needs to be cleaned out.
To get the lead out soak a patch with Kroil or a good penetrating oil. When I run out of Kroil I use Liquid Wrench it also works very well.
Run the first patch through wet with the Kroil and let it soak for a few minutes then run a damp through through. it should be a snug fit. Fold a corner of the patch over so it's like a double patch if it's not snug. You will see the lead on the first patch. Keep it up till a dry patch comes out as white as it went in.
Then give the bore a good coat of oil and you're done.
Kurt

[sharps4590]

As you ordered the SPG manual, load like Mike and Steve recommend and you should have good results right out of the gate.

Cleaning, hot water is your friend.

Don't overthink or overcomplicate either shooting or cleaning....it's supposed to be fun.

[beltfed]

Here is my available setup for wiping TDs and Martinis from the breach:
Combination of my 5/16 Delrin rod threaded female std 8-32 both ends,
with rod guide, and my Flex Jag adaptor to facilitate turning the corner in the receiver and entering the bore
beltfed/arnie

[Dave T]

As you ordered the SPG manual, load like Mike and Steve recommend and you should have good results right out of the gate.

Cleaning, hot water is your friend.

Don't overthink or overcomplicate either shooting or cleaning....it's supposed to be fun.

Since this forum doesn't do "Likes" I re-posted Sharps4590's comment above. He has struck the nail upon the flat part. (smile)

PS: Ya don't even need boiling hot water. Just be sure to get all the moisture out when you're done.

Dave

[Carrier]

Beltfed that’s a slick setup. Where did you get what you are using? I’m going to get me one of those. As far as cleaning I just use Balistol for my blackpowder guns and has worked very well.

[am44mag]

I'd definitely like to keep it as simple as possible. Next time I shoot, I'll give some of your suggestions a try and see if I have better luck. Thanks again fellas.

[country gent]

I use windex with vinegar at the range. a couple sprays in the barrel let set while I deprime cases. first patch comes out black with mud ahead of it. second patch dampened comes out dirty, 1st dry patch is grey and streaks on the last. I do a rough or pre clean at the range before leaving then Balistol water 10 parts water to 1 part ballistol when I get home. Light oil in bore and wipe on outside

[beltfed]

Carrier,
I make and sell them myself.
PM me for info
beltfed/arnie