oldracer
11-01-2012, 01:47 PM
Everyone, I was asked earlier this week by a person who has two Sharps, both in 45-70. He tried a few smokeless loads and hated the shooting. After watching me and asking a bunch of questions he said that he would try the black powder method and did not know where to start? So I sent him my list that was made from an afternoon spent with Doug Knoell several years ago when I first started. I made lots of notes and so far the ideas he passed to me have served me well. The most important idea he stressed was to test all possibilities and decide what works best for you. He also noted to shy away from those who say there is only one way to do it and theirs is the only one.
Anyways, here is my list so please check it out, make comments that will help it along and it is in several sections, preps, items to check and record keeping, etc.
Here are some reference sites if you do not already use them:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/index.php
http://www.buffaloarms.com/
http://www.jbmballistics.com/ballistics/downloads/downloads.shtml
http://www.bpcr.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=4
http://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com/
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Index.aspx
http://www.arizonasharpshooters.com/1794.html made the aluminum shell seater you asked about.
http://blackpowderspg.imoutdoorshosting.com/store/index.html
Here is how Doug Knoell strongly suggested I do things. A lot of it is prep and setup work long before you even try to fire a shot. He also mentioned he had NEVER seen a gun that came lined up the way it really should be.
PREPS
1.Get a small note book to keep track of everything and write it all down.
2.Slug the barrel, this will show the bore size, no matter what the manufacturer sez or who they are the bore might be off some. It will also tell if there is any "choke" in the barrel.
3.Cast the chamber with that low temp casting stuff.
4.Take a case, fill it with some foam and insert the bullet so about 2 lube grooves are exposed. Insert and seat the bullet/shell and close the block. When done, drop the block carefully and easily push out the bullet from the muzzle with a wooden dowel. There should be some light rifling marks on the bullet nose. Measure the OAL and take .003 to .005 off and this should be the starting OAL.
5.Measure those things done above and record.
6.Figure the 45-70 is happy with a pointed or sort of pointed 500 gn bullet so he suggested I start there and it has worked well.
7.Pour some bullets and measure them and then lube (pan or lube-sizer) them with Doug’s lube or SPG. Test fit some of the bullets to see if they slide into the case by finger pressure. You might have to expand the case just slightly?
8.Get a wad punch that you can cut out 0.459 size (or what you'll need) wads with, I use one that mounts on my RCBS press.
9.Get several different wad materials, fiber material and milk carton seen to work well. Commercial Walters wads are pretty good too.
10.You can use any commercial BP cleaner or order some Ballistol cleaner.
11.You will also need a decapper and blow tube. A gallon jug with water and Dawn works well to clean the cases initially.
12.You will also need a tumbler such as the double model available from Harbor Freight and some small ceramic balls to polish the cases.
13.Get an expander die and a powder compression die and a de-capper tool. The expander is to just barely expand the case mouth. The powder compression die is to compress the powder.
14.Get the dimensions of the flash hole and ream/drill all the cases you’ll use so sizes are uniform.
15.Remove the burr inside the case and clean it good.
16.Get and use a case mouth tool to insure the edge of the case is true and flat.
17.Clean the primer pocket until shiny and slightly bevel the inner case mouth edge. I use an RCBS case prep center.
18.Add a 18 to 24 inch drop tube to the outlet of your powder measure. It helps settle the powder in the case evenly.
GUN PREPS
19.Check the tang sight to make sure it is aligned with the front globe sight. He showed me how: block the gun so the front of the barrel top flat is perfectly level. I use a level app on my iPhone. Then raise the tang in the rear and check to make sure that the sides of the adjustment tracks are perfectly vertical. I use my Phone level app for this. Then make sure the barrel top flat is perfectly level front to back and make sure the tang is perfectly vertical when in its notched position. On all my 45-70s a little shimming had to be done! Use some lock tight to make sure nothing comes loose.
20.Adjust the trigger so it will just hold if tapped on the floor/ground when set.
21.Use a good grade of synthetic grease on the trigger internals.
LOADING
22.When priming, use a hand primer tool and check each primer to insure they are flush.
23.Use some sort of shell/case holder and do 25 to 50 at a time.
24.Visually inspect each case with a small flashlight to make sure they have no junk inside.
25.Figure what powder load to start with, Doug suggested 60gn and work up to 70, doing 10 to 20 rounds each. Use a good grade of plastic box to hold the cases and label each load.
26.To start out you can go by weight but BP is normally done is volume. If you have a sliding measure for the muzzle loader you can get the volumes that way or use an accurate scale.
27.After dropping a powder charge, put in a carton wad and compress the powder so overall length is what the measurement in #4 above is met. Use a good quality caliper.
28.Insert a newspaper wad on top of the card wad and then insert the bullet, light finger pressure should be all that is needed.
29.Load 10 or so of each powder weight, measure OAL for each one and adjust the powder compressor die until the OAL is correct.
SHOOTING
30.Use a solid rest such as a Lead Sled to take me out of the accuracy equation.
31.Go and test fire, recording what happens with each load.
32. Make sure to blow tube and blow 4 or 5 breaths, make sure there is some water in the tube.
33. Clean the barrel between each load test, allow it to cool to ambient if possible.
34. If the weather is windy or bad, retry at a later date so 0 wind speed is best.
35. I suggest starting at 100 YDS if the gun has been laser sighted, otherwise start at 50 with a spotter and good scope. Record what each adjustment of the elevation and wind do to impact.
Anyways, here is my list so please check it out, make comments that will help it along and it is in several sections, preps, items to check and record keeping, etc.
Here are some reference sites if you do not already use them:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/index.php
http://www.buffaloarms.com/
http://www.jbmballistics.com/ballistics/downloads/downloads.shtml
http://www.bpcr.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=4
http://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com/
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Index.aspx
http://www.arizonasharpshooters.com/1794.html made the aluminum shell seater you asked about.
http://blackpowderspg.imoutdoorshosting.com/store/index.html
Here is how Doug Knoell strongly suggested I do things. A lot of it is prep and setup work long before you even try to fire a shot. He also mentioned he had NEVER seen a gun that came lined up the way it really should be.
PREPS
1.Get a small note book to keep track of everything and write it all down.
2.Slug the barrel, this will show the bore size, no matter what the manufacturer sez or who they are the bore might be off some. It will also tell if there is any "choke" in the barrel.
3.Cast the chamber with that low temp casting stuff.
4.Take a case, fill it with some foam and insert the bullet so about 2 lube grooves are exposed. Insert and seat the bullet/shell and close the block. When done, drop the block carefully and easily push out the bullet from the muzzle with a wooden dowel. There should be some light rifling marks on the bullet nose. Measure the OAL and take .003 to .005 off and this should be the starting OAL.
5.Measure those things done above and record.
6.Figure the 45-70 is happy with a pointed or sort of pointed 500 gn bullet so he suggested I start there and it has worked well.
7.Pour some bullets and measure them and then lube (pan or lube-sizer) them with Doug’s lube or SPG. Test fit some of the bullets to see if they slide into the case by finger pressure. You might have to expand the case just slightly?
8.Get a wad punch that you can cut out 0.459 size (or what you'll need) wads with, I use one that mounts on my RCBS press.
9.Get several different wad materials, fiber material and milk carton seen to work well. Commercial Walters wads are pretty good too.
10.You can use any commercial BP cleaner or order some Ballistol cleaner.
11.You will also need a decapper and blow tube. A gallon jug with water and Dawn works well to clean the cases initially.
12.You will also need a tumbler such as the double model available from Harbor Freight and some small ceramic balls to polish the cases.
13.Get an expander die and a powder compression die and a de-capper tool. The expander is to just barely expand the case mouth. The powder compression die is to compress the powder.
14.Get the dimensions of the flash hole and ream/drill all the cases you’ll use so sizes are uniform.
15.Remove the burr inside the case and clean it good.
16.Get and use a case mouth tool to insure the edge of the case is true and flat.
17.Clean the primer pocket until shiny and slightly bevel the inner case mouth edge. I use an RCBS case prep center.
18.Add a 18 to 24 inch drop tube to the outlet of your powder measure. It helps settle the powder in the case evenly.
GUN PREPS
19.Check the tang sight to make sure it is aligned with the front globe sight. He showed me how: block the gun so the front of the barrel top flat is perfectly level. I use a level app on my iPhone. Then raise the tang in the rear and check to make sure that the sides of the adjustment tracks are perfectly vertical. I use my Phone level app for this. Then make sure the barrel top flat is perfectly level front to back and make sure the tang is perfectly vertical when in its notched position. On all my 45-70s a little shimming had to be done! Use some lock tight to make sure nothing comes loose.
20.Adjust the trigger so it will just hold if tapped on the floor/ground when set.
21.Use a good grade of synthetic grease on the trigger internals.
LOADING
22.When priming, use a hand primer tool and check each primer to insure they are flush.
23.Use some sort of shell/case holder and do 25 to 50 at a time.
24.Visually inspect each case with a small flashlight to make sure they have no junk inside.
25.Figure what powder load to start with, Doug suggested 60gn and work up to 70, doing 10 to 20 rounds each. Use a good grade of plastic box to hold the cases and label each load.
26.To start out you can go by weight but BP is normally done is volume. If you have a sliding measure for the muzzle loader you can get the volumes that way or use an accurate scale.
27.After dropping a powder charge, put in a carton wad and compress the powder so overall length is what the measurement in #4 above is met. Use a good quality caliper.
28.Insert a newspaper wad on top of the card wad and then insert the bullet, light finger pressure should be all that is needed.
29.Load 10 or so of each powder weight, measure OAL for each one and adjust the powder compressor die until the OAL is correct.
SHOOTING
30.Use a solid rest such as a Lead Sled to take me out of the accuracy equation.
31.Go and test fire, recording what happens with each load.
32. Make sure to blow tube and blow 4 or 5 breaths, make sure there is some water in the tube.
33. Clean the barrel between each load test, allow it to cool to ambient if possible.
34. If the weather is windy or bad, retry at a later date so 0 wind speed is best.
35. I suggest starting at 100 YDS if the gun has been laser sighted, otherwise start at 50 with a spotter and good scope. Record what each adjustment of the elevation and wind do to impact.