Essentials for reloading and shooting BPCR

[Dragoon 45]

A Friend recently bought an Italian made 1874 Sharps in .45-70. He wants to shoot BP in it and eventually compete in BPCRS. As I need a shooting partner, I am more than happy to share equipment until he gets his own. I made a list of what I thought he needed to start out with. Some of my equipment such as spotting scope, shooting sticks, shooting mat, etc. I will let him use until he purchases his own. Until he determines what bullet he wants to shoot and gets the proper equipment, I offered to teach him to cast and prepare his own bullets as I own a variety of molds in his rifle's caliber. I am sure that this list is far from complete, so I thought I would put it here for recommended additions.

Blow tube
powder compression die with appropriate sized stem
wads
re/decapper or Lee Hand Press with decapping die and a priming tool
drop tube
BP measure
cartridge case cleaning system (i.e. tumbler, sonic cleaner, etc)
gal jug and soapy water
1/2 or 5/8" round nylon brushes to scrub out cases
ammo storage boxes
reloading and/or neck sizing die
decent mid range soule vernier tang sight
Lyman 17A front globe with spirit level
at least 120 cartridge cases preferably Winchester

For later purchase, I recommended that he purchase the following:

Single stage press such as an RCBS Rockchucker Supreme (he currently uses
a Lee Progressive)
Spotting Scope with stand
shooting mat
spotting/scoring board with silhouette outlines
Range box
shooting stool
sight insert caddy
shooting sticks (purchased or hand made)
36" cleaning rod with appropriate jags, brushes, mops, and slotted tips
Lube sizer with appropriate dies and top punches
Lead furnace, dipper, and molds
bullet lube of choice
electronic scale
Lyman 310 tool with dies or other equipment to reload with on the range
Windguage Front Globe with spirit level

Any additions or recommendations would be appreciated.

[boommer]

Bulls-eye shooter eyes

[Bent Ramrod]

Ballistol.

[oldracer]

Pretty good list and hopefully it won't scare him off?! I would add these items:
- For a sight insert box I use an Altoids mint metal box with an appropriate sized refrigerator magnet to hold the inserts.
- I decided to pan lube so the stuff to do that might be added.
- I use a Lee sizer die for 0.458 after pan lubing which I find easier.
- Some bullet caddies, I made mine from 12x12x1 inch pieces of oak and have room for about 120 bullets on each one. I am not sure if it is better than just dumping them in a box, but they sure look neater!
- A subscription to Black Powder Cartridge Magazine and when I started mine I also ordered all their back issues which made for some interesting reading.
- A wad punch if he wants to make his own.
- Lee case mouth trimmer which is handy for making sure the edge of the case mouth is flat and square with the bore of the case.
- RCBS electric case prep center which is very handy for beveling the case mouths.
- Small spiral notebooks to record the load/shooting data.
- Small folding magnifying glass so I can see those terribly small hash marks on the sight adjustments.

[GMW]

Ballistol.

+1 Ballistol

[6.5 mike]

I have a 36" rod I use on my sharps. Have to remove the staff on my MVA tang to use & it still hits on the ears of the sight base. It dings up the rod, 42" would be better.

[41wyom]

IF he has a bullet that the nose dia. is quite close to the ID of the lands, he might want to get a Steve Rhodes wiping rod and associated patches/oil-water mix to be set-up for that task. At my first BPCRS match last summer I was surprised to see how many shooters were doing wipe between each shot drill.

Drying rack for just cleaned cases.

Crimp and M-die.

[Dragoon 45]

Thanks everyone for your input.