I shoot cowboy action with smokeless powder and I'm interested in going black powder. I'm looking for some suggestions of resources for loading black powder. Suggestions?
I shoot cowboy action with smokeless powder and I'm interested in going black powder. I'm looking for some suggestions of resources for loading black powder. Suggestions?
http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?board=19.0
Would be a good resource.
Have fun!
w30wcf
aka w44wcf
aka Jack Christian SASS 11993 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
aka John Kort
NRA Life Member
.22 W.C.F., .30 W.C.F., .44 W.C.F. Cartridge Historian
For the rifle and pistol you can put as much Black as you can stuff in there. Shotgun is a different matter. I use 50 gr. 2F with Win wad WA112R with 1 oz. of 9's.
The only amendment the Democrats support is the 5th.
If you go to GOEX's website, they have a list of suggested loads with black power. That should give you a good starting point.
NRA-Life Member
Dabbler in Holy Black and Heathen Smokeless
"There are very few situations in life that cannot be solved by the proper application of high explosives."
Be sure to use a BP lube. Commercial ones like SPG work well. So do the various recipes. If you use substitutes like 777 you do not need to worry about lubes, you can even shoot coated bullets.
Loading black powder for what you're doing is a pretty straight forward process, in your cartridge guns, fill the case with enough 2f that it makes firm contact with the base of the bullet when the bullet is fully seated.
Shotguns, a bit more complicated, in getting the right charge in drams, the wad column and the shot load.
Long range rules, the rest drool.
I can get through a whole match using APP with no cleaning until the end of the day. Don't need BP lubed bullets either I just use the same bullets I use for smokeless.
It's bullet, not "boolit"
SASS Regulator
2016 SASS Eastern Division FCGF Champion
'15 '16 PA St SASS GF Champion
Taylor, let's start with the press you use for reloading smokeless: single stage - progressive or a Dillon
Regards
John
another good source is Mike Venturino's books
i find black powder is actually easier loading than smokeless. bp requires loading with no air space, which will be guaranteed with a bit of compression after a wad(s) are seated over the powder, then push in the bullet and if not a single shot some crimp for revolvers, levers and pumps will be needed. i run a bullet through a slightly smaller lee push up sizing die, then use that bullet on top of the powder column to check oal, removing or adding powder as need be. when it looks good, adding a wad prior to compression insures no air space and the oal will be proper and consistent. what's new to you now, and perhaps somewhat daunting, will be old hat as you progress and see what works best for your loading procedure, and the firearms. how much black powder to use can sometimes be too much black powder, such as for pistol cartridges like the .45LC which can be stuffed with more than needed for cowboy (40 grains) where 25 to 35 grains can suffice. have no clue about shotgun bp cartridges, just metallic cartridges, sorry.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |