A BP shooter question.

[Beekeeper]

I am in the process of trying to get ready for my first BP shooting session and have a couple of questions.
First a little background.
I have never shot BP in my life!
The rifle is a 71/84 Mauser(43 Mauser)
According to the data I have been able to garner I should use 70 grains of FFG BP
Will be using Goex as it is the only BP I have been able to find without ordering 5 or 10 lbs. Thought I was buying the store instead of 1 lb of powder.
Boolit is 436 grain lyman P/P to .449 which is groove size.
Will use COW to complete the filling of case and use .120 compression.

Any one have a better idea?
Do I need to wipe the barrel between shots or use a blow tube?
Since it is P/P what special precautions do I need to use?

I think I have it down to the point I am going to take the leap.
Do I need to get ready to sell all of my other guns?lol!

Would appreciate anyones comments or suggestions!


Jim

[Boz330]

Jim, is that a straight taper case? If so then the COW should be OK. I doubt that the blow tube will do a lot of good without some kind of lube. You might consider a grease cookie behind the boolit. That would help fill some of the case and soften the fouling. You will need a wad on both sides of the cookie. This is what I do with the Martini.

Bob

[littlejack]

Beekeeper, I do not shoot the PP boolits, but I do believe you need a lube wad behind the
boolit.
I'm sure some of the pros; Don, Rick, and lot more will be giving you some good advice
shortly. Have a good time at your bp shoot.
Jack

[martinibelgian]

The better idea? Fill the case complely, up to the level of the bullet base when seated. Then put in a card wad, a lube cookie, another card wad. Also, best to start out with GG bullets, much easier to get decent results...

[Don McDowell]

Maybe a bit better would be fill the case about halfway up the neck with Goex Cartridge or 1f, seat a fiber wad and then your bullet. Would also recommend going with grease groove bullet to start then getting a proper patched bullet mold and wrapping to bore diameter.

[Beekeeper]

Boz,
it is a bottleneck case.
Sorry I forgot to mention the grease cookie and the playing card wads on each side of it.
Plan on using emmerts lube for the cookie

Don,
The reason I am using FFG Goex is that it was the only one I could find in a 65 mile radious of where I live..
All ready have it so want to use it up before buying something else.
Where I live is a very anti gunner area and even for me having BP around makes me nervous.
If my neighbors knew how much powder and primers I have I would be in the hoosgow already.
They already have called the police a couple of time about me being a tereriost because they saw me put a gun in my car.

I have already shot the weapons (2 of them) with smokeless and used the P/P boolit.
It shoots quite well as I had the sizer ,mold, and P/P sizer made for me as that is what it originally shot.
Martin, That is what a BP shooter I know in passing told me.
I am not chicken but when you have been trained in one disapline (smokeless) all your life it is sometimes hard to wrap your mind around something different.
Am going to give it a go and see tho.

Thanks everyone for the advice and suggestions.
At least it lets me know I am on the right track and will not make a total ash out of myself.

Jim

[Don McDowell]

As long as your having a good time , that's what matters..
Have you ever went to bpcr.net and looked at the clubs page? There's a goodly number of bpcr clubs and ranges strung out thru your part of the world.

[montana_charlie]

Where I live is a very anti gunner area and even for me having BP around makes me nervous.
If my neighbors knew how much powder and primers I have I would be in the hoosgow already.
They already have called the police a couple of time about me being a tereriost because they saw me put a gun in my car.
I hope that doesn't mean that you feel it's necessary to 'sneak' your guns to and from your car. As long as you are acting lawfully, the police won't take any action against you.
And, they will eventually tell your neighbors to cool their jets...if they insist on calling every time you go to the range.

I would be tempted to be casually, but frequently seen dealing with (unloaded) firearms...in plain view of my neighbors. It would be a good vaccine for their firearm-a-phobia.

CM

[missionary5155]

Good morning
All I might add is before I chamber a load I would smear with my finger some BP lube on the nose of the boolit. Those Mausers are long barreled and that little extra lube on the nose will give you enough lube to reach the muzzle.
I use olive oil straight or with a little beeswax cooked in (25%) when I do this and it does nicely keeping fouling soft.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Friend, you should search here and read quite a few of the posts with proven data, unless re-inventing is more fun. Bvt

[StrawHat]

Here is a good article on getting the 43 Mauser up and shooting.

http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/article.cfm?tocid=750&magid=56