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Military Firearm Restoration Corner

Loading Black Powder Cartridges


FC

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Hello FC.

As to gaps..when I got my cap and ball rifle, I read up on BP.

The theory is that there is a wave build up in the gap and that can split the barrel.

So I was told that you must always seat the bullet tight to the charge.

 

Another thing.

 

I use Lee dippers and there IS a different pyodex p and bpfffg measure 1.00 in pp is12.1 in fffg it is 15.9.

Bit of a difference.

 

karl

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Over the years I've loaded some ammo with black powder, Pyrodex and Triple 7. In all honesty I never paid attention to a gap and the only cartridge I knew for certain had a gap between the black powder and bullet was 30/30. I never had any problems but don't take my very limited experience as being expert advice. The 30/30 I did simply to prove to a shooting bud it could be done safely. My friend is no longer around was a big time survivalist. He was considering making his own black powder for the doomsday scenario he feared. The others I did, simply for kicks, no special reason were 32 S&W (short) 38 Special and 44 Special. If my friend was still alive after I acquired a 45/70. I would have loaded some BP loads. I'm sure he would have really enjoyed shooting it.

 

Something to keep in mind. You will need to give your brass a good ol'fashion soap and water cleaning. My cop X-wife thought I had popped a gasket and gone completely nuts when she saw me washing brass with an old toothbrush in suds filled kitchen sink.

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I would think any primer of the right size would work.

As to age, I recall reading that they found the one of R. E. Lee revolvers had been loaded for over ten years and it still fired.

 

karl

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I would think any primer of the right size would work.

As to age, I recall reading that they found the one of R. E. Lee revolvers had been loaded for over ten years and it still fired.

 

karl

There was something on the news last year about a collector of Civil War memorabilia having a cannon ball explode in his house. Naturally according to the report ATF confiscated his entire collection and local police attempted to detonate all his cannon balls and another item police suspected was a Confederate sea mine.

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