Expensive filler for Black Powder

[Four Fingers of Death]

Just went to the supermarket to get some filler for my BP loads in the 44/40. Ended up with a hundred bucks worth of groceries, then dropped into the gunshop on the way home. Walked out with a rifle bore snake that I had ordered, a box of 200 Remington Corelokts for the new 270 and a Ciener 22 Conversion for the Colt. Got a good deal on the ammo and the Ciener set up, boy! I'm going broke saving money lately. I probably would have been better off just filling up the case with Black Powder.

[stubshaft]

:groner:I just bought me an old Lyman mould. Now I'll have to order another barrel for my Encore to shoot it!

[NickSS]

I have had days like that, what I want to know is did you get you filler? I was out the other day banging away with two of my guns that has been sitting in my safe for several years. They worked themselves to the bottom of the pile and I lost track of them. I was going through all of them to clean and oil them and found them. So off to the range for my 7.5 inch Ruger Voquero in 45 colt and my Ruger Security 6 in 357 mag to blow the cob webs out of the barrel. I put 50 rounds through each and had a good couple hours doing so. I had used the 45 for cowboy shooting but did not care for the 7.5 inch barrel so I got a 5.5 inch and put this one away. The longer barrel is fine for carrying afield with warm loads and it shoots good too. My old security six was my favorite until I got a six inch one so now it mostly sits. Still shoots good though.

[jhrosier]

The two fastest ways I've found to spend too much money is to put the govt in charge of anything or buy a chamber reamer.

Jack

[Newtire]

I got such a good deal on a .22 mould and now will be looking for a .22 Hornet class rifle since I don't own a .22 centerfire yet.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Yep! I got some Polenta, you guys call it cornmeal I think. When I got home, I got stuck into the shotshell reloading and started to fill the primer tube. Next thing whammo! The suckers blew up! Cut a big deep inch or so long cut in the palm of my right hand on the pad part of the palm, whacked the middle finger on my left hand and tore a bit of bark off and whacked my in the goolies and I lost a bit of bark, which I think was abrasion from the jeans, which soaked up the worst of it. Strangely enough, the whack to the goolies didn't hurt much at all. Missed the two essentials and just tore up a bit of the luggage. felt a bit strange dropping my drawers to a little female Chinese Doctor who was about 4' tall and looked about 14.

Well the reloading is now not so urgent as I won't be shooting in the championships on the weekend, so I can relax and work it all out in a week or so.

[Hip's Ax]

The two fastest ways I've found to spend too much money is to put the govt in charge of anything or buy a chamber reamer.

Jack

Awesome Quote!! :)

[Wayne Smith]

Mick, sorry to hear that. Any idea what set them off? I'm sure you are reconstructing the accident over and over in your mind.

[Dale53]

MIck;
Here's to a speedy recovery.

You'll probably "flinch" every time you throw the lever on that shotshell reloader for a time.

Kind of a bummer, but it sure could have been worse...

Dale53

[leftiye]

Is that back powder a type of body talc?

[AJ Peacock]

Sorry to hear about your 'excitement'. I'd be interested to hear the details (what press etc.). I blew up the primer assembly on my Dillon 650 (my own fault), several years ago. Nothing was hurt except the eardrums thank goodness.

Hope you recover quickly,
AJ

[cajun shooter]

Hey Four Fingers, Glad to hear that the family jewels made it alright. I know your new Chinese Bride is also. I shoot the 44-40 in CAS and the filler that I use is called 2F, it also works in the 45 Colt the same way. Just put a order in with Long Hunter for another set of USFA revolvers in 44-40. It's hard to have just one set of them guns once you handle them.

[Newtire]

I went out with my daughter to find a present for the little missus and since the jewelry store was so close to the gunstore and the gunstore had a Wickliffe .30-06 that just fit perfect in my gun safe, I ended up spending a chunk.

When I went to pick up the rifle 10 days later, there was a C & R category H & R .22 revolver for only $150 so had to get that too. Some Spensive earrings!

[littlejack]

Hey Mick. Glad to hear that you're alright. You better be glad that you had that short little lady around. She probably didn't see anything she hadn't already seen. What caused the primers to blow?
Jack

[Four Fingers of Death]

The press is an old Texan, 50s vintage as far as I can tell. It looks like it saw plenty use before I got it. I remember always reading about Texan presses in the yankee gunzines as a boy. I walked into a shop in Sydney, must have been nearly 20 years ago now and there it was sitting on the counter. I paid wayyyyyyyyyyy too much for it, I think I could have got a MEC or similar new for the price, but I was happy with it. Sort of like buying a pre64 Winny, or a Redfield peep sight or an old Pachmyr scope mount, no better than the new stuff, but it connects somehow with my youth.

I haven't used it much, because shotshells were so cheap after that, I was only saving 30cents a box of 25. I have dusted it off since I became interested in Black Powder cowboy loads. Which you can't buy out here (unless you get a mate to load them).

On this occasion, I had the primer tube off the machine and was feeding primers into it by hand. They are contained at the bottom by a small gauge 'R' clip and I obviously put too many in and the weight must have got too much for the one on the bottom resting on the R clip. Bingo, we have lift off!!!! D'Oh!!!

It is all my greenie sister's fault, she sent me an email telling me not to blow myself up reloading ammo earlier in the day.

They were Winchester primers and I think I saw somewhere (probably in th eLee book, but I can't find it now) that it was resommended that a maximum of 20 be loaded into the flipper tray. Naturally, I found this after the event.

I was going to use this as an excuse to buy a new shotshell press, but I think I will just kick on and place the primers on the flight deck one at a time. Or maybe even pick them up from my Dillon primer flipper by lightly pressing the de primed shotshell over the primer, just enough to pick it up.

I was considering a Lee Load All press, or maybe even something fancier. The Texan works well enough though, maybe a short tube that only holds 10 or so primers. Maybe I'll just sleeve it (sleeve it alone!).

Funny thing is my wife's maiden name is Chen and she is a retired Doctor. I checked out the 14yr old (well she looked about that anyway)Doctor's name tag and she was a Dr Chen as well.

Well on the mend anyway, thinks for the interest.

[cajun shooter]

You might want to look at the Mec Sizemaster when you mend. The primer tray only lets one at a time be in the lift off zone. Very fast and easy press and it sizes your cases so that you can use pick up or bought cases without fear. Later David

[Four Fingers of Death]

I'm interested in reloading brass shotshells. I believe one of the presses has a conversion kit available. I don't know if I need a press for them, half the guys I have spoken to that use them don't use a press or tool at all (apart from a glue gun :D ).

I think I will just stick with the ol' Texan and put one primer on the press with every shell.

Well on the mend thanks.

PS, that FFg sounds like the best filler, fiddly enough loading black without complicating the mix.

Took my IAC Chinee Colt copy hammergun with three of the loads HeathyDee worked out for me, 80+Gns FFg, overshot card, cushion wad and 1 1/8oz of shot bought it up to 2 3/4" nicely for the 6 star crimp. Worked a treat, nice pattern at 15 yards, sheetloads of flame, smoke and noise! Excellent.

[Newtire]

Boy Mick, glad to hear you're OK. Had a primer go off once upon a time loading M1 carbine and had my finger over the top of the case. Gave me the kind of smarts that makes you afraid to look at the damage but just a bruise.

So glad to hear you're alright and the boys are fine as well.