Do you use a drop tube with Pyrodex?

[lathesmith]

Recently I have caught the "Black Powder Fever" again, which I am trying to cure with Pyrodex. So far so good, I tried some of my 45 Colt Pyro loads today and early testing seems very promising. I was wondering, I know that lots of guys use a 24" drop tube to load BP in rifle length cartridges. I was wondering, is using a drop tube beneficial with pistol loads too? How about with Pyrodex? I would really like to hear from some of you that have worked with this stuff. Beyond the few basic reloading hints, good info on the "nuts and bolts" of using either Pyrodex or the Holy Black is a little hard to come by, it seems.
Like I said before, my prototype load of stuffing 45 Colt brass with around 2.5CC of Pyrodex RS with a 255gr Lyman SWC is very promising. I'm getting light compression, fill the case with a 24" drop tube, and light it off with a Wolf Lg Pistol Mag primer. On a whim I even tried my Lee 230gr TC, even though I didn't think it would hold enough lube. I know that this slug isn't quite "authentic", but so far, to my surprise, it shows great promise. Man, I LOVE that big cloud of stinky smoke! I'm afraid I am hooked good now!
lathesmith

[Razor]

Must be something in the air...

I've recently had a relapse too..'bout 6 months ago... back into BP after 20 yrs...

I got me a *** IAB 1863 Sharps rifle..
Should I be using a drop tube with paper cartridges ??:kidding:
I run about 100gr ffg an' a 534 gr boolit...WHOA !!! big KA-BOOOOM an' a great cloud of lovely grey smoke..:bigsmyl2:

I use Pyrodex P in my 1860 Army.

I'm wanting to try BP in my Vaquero 45lc but ain't got a round tuit..

I did try BP in my .303 4 Mk1* SMLE..
wooHoo ... great fun...[smilie=w:
Kicks 'bout like a .22 mag..if'n you wanna call that 'recoil' !

Naturally,, this leads me to wonder ( UH oH:shock:) what else I got that I can stuff with BP ??
8mm ??..7.62x54R...6.5x55...??


Razor
:castmine:

[Boz330]

I doubt you could get into much trouble with the Pyro and 45 Colt. In a case that small I doubt the drop tube does much.
In a case smaller than 38-55 I think the problem is just fouling out rather quickly. I have one of the Swede Rollers in 8MM and I've been wanting to try BP in it, but it is one of those round tuit deals. Somehow that keeping the roof overhead and gas in the tank is in the way.

Bob

[lathesmith]

After more testing this weekend, I can say that Pyrodex RS and either a Lyman 452424 255gr SWC or a Lee 230 gr TC works GREAT in my Ruger Vaquero. The Lee actually seems slightly more accurate, although both show "minute of tin can" accuracy at about 20 yards, which is good enough for me. I am now going to try using my Lee Auto-disk powder measure, with a custom 6" riser to give a bit of "settling effect" to the powder. I am using Wolf Large Pistol mag primers, which fit tight in my R-P cases and seem to work fine. I am may experiment a bit with some under-bullet milk carton wads, although I really don't know if these are necessary, and they will just add another step to the loading process.
I wish that Lee bullet had a little deeper lube groove, I really like the effect of the SPG lube mixing with the powder residue and softening it. This was quite apparent when I went to clean the Vaquero, the fouling was not hard at all and washed right off with just hot soap and water. After 40 shots the pistol wasn't really all that dirty; I wiped the cylinder clean after every cylinder full, but this was mainly just to keep my hands clean in the field. There wasn't hardly a speck of lead in the bore, I was very pleased with this. I just cut the top off a 1 gallon milk jug, filled it with hot soapy water, popped the grips and ejector rod housing off the Ruger, and dunked 'er in. I just pumped a patch in the barrel and cylinder, and used a nylon brush to scrub around the frame with. This gun is stainless steel, and was very clean after only 10 or 15 minutes. I then took it out to the garage, blew it out with compressed air, and hosed it down with WD 40 inside and out. The compressed air was used to blow it out again, and after a quick wipe-down, the gun was very clean.
It sure is a mighty big thrill to fire this thing off and get that satifying cloud of smoke. And the cleaning is no big deal, it was just a great experience all around! BTW, I knocked the primers out of the brass, soaked them for 10 minutes in water/white vinegar, soaped them a bit, then rinsed them off and tossed them in the tumbler. This morning I took them out, and they looked very clean and shiney.
I remember as a kid Dad and I had a "colonial" 44 single-shot and a 36 Navy revolver; smelling that smoke brought back pleasant memories of those long-gone days of pleasant BP shooting. It almost made me feel like a kid again! But this cartridge stuff is even better! I am definitely hooked!
lathesmith