You can get your black powder barrel cleaner and faster than smokeless. Just make sure you dry and oil it afterwards
You can get your black powder barrel cleaner and faster than smokeless. Just make sure you dry and oil it afterwards
Thought I would give another update on results just getting into the BP game. Took my Pedersoli 1874 Sharps out and tried 2 different loads with 520gr boolits. 65gr and 62gr both with a fiber wad. 65gr grouping was not impressive. 62gr grouped at 9/10ths of an inch at 100 yds which suits me fine; however it did have a diagonal string pattern. Seems Swiss 1.5 is picky about how much it is compressed. I did chrony the loads and 65gr averaged 1193 and 62gr averaged 1157 but elevation setting was the same.
Looking good. My current load is 66 of Swiss 1.5 and a 525 grain bullet at 1206f/s
So took the TD out again to try further out than 150 yds. I was grouping 2 inches bullseye at 100 and 3+ at 150 in the last session. I was able to use the buffington sight at 200 and 250 and get some good hits; however, i had some crazy hits high and low and right sometimes. I would say more extreme vertical stringing than anything. I also seemed to notice that just using a blow tube, it resulted in lower hits and when I wiped the barrel then higher hits. Again, new to this BP game, so can anyone share what they think about this and what is goal/premise of foul control and how do you do it? Thanks.
When loading for a single shot I really don't need dies. I use a homemade compression die and set the Boolit on the powder in no case do I press the boolit with a seating die. As far as wads some experimentation may be needed. I do compress the wad with the powder. I find the Redding Profile Crimp die the best when loading for a repeater.
When PPB black powder loading for a single shot, it's much easier than with lubed bullets. No dies needed, but I'll use a home made compression die for uniformity and a customized taper crimp die to snug up the PPB a teeny tad, yet it can still be removed and replaced as need be.
Last edited by FrankJD; 01-07-2023 at 08:39 PM.
The .45-70 is the only government I trust.
I would load a fired case without resizing so long as there is not a danger of the boolit sliding off the powder and causing a gap. What is the bore diameter? If the boolit is soft and enters the bore square it will slug up and shoot with good accuracy. This makes several shots possible without cleaning. As mentioned Paper Patching may also work well.
Another update on my 1874 Pedersoli Sharps with BP. Lots of progress on grouping. Load was 68gr of Swiss 1.5 with .060 fiber wad and 520gr boolits at .460. OAL was about .015 from the lands. I read on here from some older posts that 68grs or more is going to be significant compression, so no need to put them down a drop tube, so I poured directly into the case. Testing was at 200 yds. Just using a blow tube the group measured 3 MOA. Wiping after each shot was 1.25 MOA. So my question to the experienced folks here - what do I try next to improve on this? I am still trying to learn/understand fouling control outside of wiping the bore. Do I try loads touching the lands? Try a grain or 2 of less or more powder? Try .461 boolits, bore is .459? I know it is important to only change one factor at a time, but are there factors to focus on first now that I have got to this point? Also, a big thanks to everyone here that has given their input and advice. Great to be part of this community to help with the learning curve.
Still working on my TD. My next venture is pre-lubed 512gr boolits at .459 (purchased from Chey-cast bullets, I am not in a position to cast at the moment) at 68 grains to see if it will obturate enough in my .464 bore for acceptable grouping. In central Oregon there is a BPCR group that has monthly competitions for mid-range and long range silhouette and military single shot. I hope to be able to have all my stuff together to be ready when the new season starts.
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 |