Drop tube ??

[bigbuck]

Dear all

For 50 and 100 meter target shooting with my winchesters 45-70 and 44-40

Is this additional effort really good for tight groups?

[bigbuck]

Thank you for your help. Bigbuck

[Don McDowell]

Doesn't really matter if you're shooting 50 or 1000 meters, drop tube isn't necessary, but what is important is not compressing the powder during bullet seating, use a separate die for that. Drop tubes were used in the 1800's because portable compound presses and dies like we use today weren't really available to the average shooter, and weighed several hundred pounds. So in order to get even close to enough powder in the case and still seat the bullet they used a 36 inch drop tube and a slow pour. Now days you can slow pour thru your powder funnel, thumb the wad on top the powder and run some sort of compression die to compress the powder and wad to the desired depth.

[CanoeRoller]

The drop tube is not necessary as Don says, but if you do not have compressing dies, a vibrator to settle the powder, or some other method of compressing the Bp into the case, and do not want to purchase some sort of gadget, a drop tube will work.

If you just pour the BP into your cartridge and seat the boolit, you will probably be frustrated with the results on the range. But you never know, your rifles may be the exception to the rule.

I rather like using drop tubes, I even made a sliding tube holder, so that I could experiment with different length tubes and multistage drops.

[bigbuck]

Thank you for your kind hints

[JeffinNZ]

If you want a cheap drop tube buy an aluminium arrow shaft. Works great.

[cal50]

If you want a cheap drop tube buy an aluminium arrow shaft. Works great.



...and cheap.

http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/uu178/cal50/Droptube.jpg (http://s645.photobucket.com/user/cal50/media/Droptube.jpg.html)

[bigted]

that sir is a SUPER looking loading bench ... kinda looks like mine but I really like your shelf under the bench. I didn't put one under mine because I wanted to be able to have my knee's and legs under the bench when I load/fool around on it.

I also made my drop tube out of an old arrow and it works very well.

[bigbuck]

Thank you. You r hints are allways great!!

[cal50]

that sir is a SUPER looking loading bench ... kinda looks like mine but I really like your shelf under the bench. I didn't put one under mine because I wanted to be able to have my knee's and legs under the bench when I load/fool around on it.

I also made my drop tube out of an old arrow and it works very well.




I REALLY need to clean.........


http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/uu178/cal50/messyroom.jpg (http://s645.photobucket.com/user/cal50/media/messyroom.jpg.html)

[Gellot Wilde]

I'm still using a drop tube, I like it as it feels 'traditional' and the results are quite satisfying at the target end.

[bigted]

I can tell of 1 reason to use a drop tube for my needs. when using a general funnel to put the powder in the case ... I can only get 70 grains in my 45-70 cases. while dropping the powder thru my 25 inch arrow drop tube I get 80 grains of the same powder in the case without having to compress the charge twice.

HOWEVER ... why would a feller need 80 grains or even 90 grains of 2F powder in a 45-70 case? I thought I would and so I experimented with it and have gotten 90 grains in there AND had enough room after compressing to seat a 400 grain boolit. now for the payoff ... NONE! everything including any charge over the 70 grain charge was harder to clean ... less accuracy ... more recoil substantially and in general ... no increase in anything except velocity and that not enough im sure to make any kinda difference to anything over the 70 grain charges.

just mention the NEED for the drop tube in MY loading experience ... I don't use it at all any more. I get the best of any world ... in my experience ... in all my loading ... just by compressing without the need of any other charging device except the funnel needed to keep all the powder going into the case.

[golcher]

101206 i made mine with some simpel things from the plummer store :D

[cal50]

If I had a 2 story house I could have the ultimate drop tube.........

[Gellot Wilde]

A two story drop tube would be something to behold.

I would have to get a nubile young blonde of course to drop the charges for me.

Plus...once you start winning matches, eveyone would be selling up and buying a two story house.

It could even be good for the real estate market!

:-)

[bigted]

see ... there are many good things to say for shooting blackpowder.

Cal50 ... I would NOT clean that pretty room at all ... you will hunt for stuff for months if you do. I once did a radical cleaning of my loading room and still cant find some stuff.

[montana_charlie]

Can I post a bench picture?

Mine's a bit messy, but it is 'compact'.
The shelves are wall mounted while the bench sits on the floor.
The advantage of this is that the scale, on a shelf at eye level, is not subject to vibrations emanating from work on the bench.

That saves the agate bearings from unnecessary 'beating'.

The drop tube (to stay on topic) is mounted to the fronts of three shelves, and is a simple brass tube from the hobby shop.


http://i684.photobucket.com/albums/vv203/montana_charlie/Bench_zps5632c2d4.png

CM

[Gunlaker]

Sometimes heavy charges in the .45-70 work well. My paper patch rifle has a distinct liking for 82gr of Goex FFg. After drop tubing that leaves plenty of room for a 0.030" veg wad and a 0.060" LDPE wad and a bullet seated 0.125" into the case :-)

My greaser loads tend to be a little lighter at 68gr or 72gr depending on the rifle.

I use a Buffalo Arms drop tube which does the trick. Mostly I compress between 0.2 and 0.25 for greaser loads, and only minimally for paper patch loads.

Chris.

[StrawHat]

(Disclaimer... I am not a competitve target shooter nor a long range competitior...)

I used a drop tube, until I found the slow pour method worked as well for me. I also found that a long tube allowed me to squeeze in a bit more powder but I needed to jump up and down to position the brass, pour the powder, etc. I am lazy, with a short tube, or no tube, I can sit in one place to complete my loads.

[montana_charlie]

I needed to jump up and down to position the brass, pour the powder, etc.
I found a way to beat that stand-up-sit-down routine.

While sitting, charge all of the empty cases except one. These should be 'final charges' ... weighed, or whatever you do to determine the finished amount.
Leave the final charge in the scale pan ... place the single empty case under the drop tube, then stand up.

Use the powder in a charged case to fill the empty, making sure that every granule falls through the tube.
Put the filled case in the loading block, place the case you just emptied under the tube, and grab another with powder in it.

When finished, you will have one final empty case, and it's charge is waiting on the scale.

CM

[StrawHat]

I found a way to beat that stand-up-sit-down routine ... CM

Great Idea! I may have to try drop tubes again.

[CanoeRoller]

101602

Since we're sharing drop tubes and benches. Here is mine. I made the holder for the drop tubes so that I can swap out different tubes, and slide it between my powder measures. It saves me from the up and down routine while loading the rounds.