Black Powder in Modern Cartridge

[karlrudin]

I don't really know if this belongs here but it is Holy Black in Brass. In light of the fact that most powders that have been suggested to me to use for cast boolits in my 7-08 are nowhere to be found(Unique or Trailboss) I was wanting to know what would be involved in working up a load for Lee 130 grain cast boolits in my 7-08. Don't know the highs, lows or anything else. My dad used to shoot a lot of 30-06 with cast boolits and black powder but wasn't old enough to get involved with that at the time. 30 years later, I wish I would have paid attention. Any and all suggestions welcomed. Thanks

[Dan Cash]

BP in your cartridge will be a challenge and likely not grant satisfaction. Can you broaden your scope for smokeless powder? Powders like 2400, RL7, H380, IMR3031, IMR or H4895 are a few that would probably work though not necessarily at reduced load or mouse phart levels. You would aat least be shooting.

[fryboy]

i oft reply to a thread about "the most universal powder?" or "if only one powder which one? " perhaps only half in jest i reply a slightly compacted case full of black , keep in mind that the other half is no joke - it will safely fire in avery cartridge i have tried it in ( when properly loaded ) some state lightly compacted and some state otherwise ..i tend to err on the side of caution and prefer a slightly compacted load , all i can say is if you really want the 30-30 to kick like the proverbial mule stoke it up with black , if you've never tried it you have no idea what you're missing , ditto many of ye olde timer cartridges (38-40 & 44-40 , 45-70 and 45 colt especially ) i'd recommend a black friendly lube but if only a round or few a modern lube will suffice , pay attention if more than a few is fired as it may not mix well with the lube , i wont say it with bottleneck cartridges but in the straight walled ones or ones where the boolit doesnt protrude past the neck a lighter load can be fashioned by using a wad or few to displace some of the powder space ( such as a ox-yoke wonder wad etc or a lube cookie ) it can be done but it does have a different regime than smokeless

[Don McDowell]

The biggest trick will be a 7mm bullet that carries enough good bp lube.
Other than that take some 2f fill the case about 1/4- 1/2 way up the neck seat the bullet and watch the big blue cloud of smoke.
Clean and oil your barrel when finished, wash and rinse your cases and you're all done till the next time.

[.22-10-45]

The .303 British started out with a compressed charge of black and a cupro-nickle jacketed bullet. That must have been something to see in the early Maxims!

[Whistler]

Glock loaded with BP. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfzQ4uKvE7c

[1989toddm]

Along the same lines(mine is the 45-70 but have never loaded black) I have some Shockleys Pyrodex, is the same principe of filling the case and compressing slightly appropriate here?

[armorer59]

I have never tried Pyrodex in cartridges but have heard advice against it. No first hand knowledge. I can say, when I tried it in muzzle loaders, I HATED it! Hang fires galore. Never had a hang fire or FTF with Black. Black powder is easy to clean, shoots really well when loaded properly and easier to come by.