March
S M T W T F S
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Who's Online Now
3 members (R. Glenz, Ted Schefelbein, 1 invisible), 287 guests, and 1 robot.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums10
Topics38,373
Posts543,977
Members14,389
Most Online1,131
Jan 21st, 2024
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 2 of 2 1 2
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 30
Boxlock
Offline
Boxlock

Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 30
I apologize about hijacking this thread.

I started out reloading smokeless for my newer LC Smith a few years ago. I have an older (1903 mfg. date) Ithaca Lewis with stub twist barrels, with a clean bill of health, and I've just recently started loading black for it. I'm currently using a lee adjustable shot dipper set to 7/8 oz. and crimping with a drill press roll crimper, over a nitro card, followed by a lubed fiber wad. I started out with square loads, and decided to back off on the powder because it was giving me holes in my patterns in my gun.

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,743
Sidelock
***
Offline
Sidelock
***

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,743
There are 16 drams to an ounce so 1 dram = 27.34375 grans (for practical purposes your 27.3 is close aplenty). Industry standard for the volume of 1 dram of Black Powder is .115 CuIn. Black powder weight can, & Will, vary a bit according to garanulation (# of F'S) & by lot, depending primarily upon the charcoal use. This is really of no great concern, the volume measures are fine. Generally speaking a 1 oz shot measure will hold about 2˝ (68grs) drams of black. You can multiply the wt of your shot dipper by that 2˝ to get an approximate volume for the desired load of other weights. Note that this is a Volume to Volume or Equal Volume load. This has been a long standing practice for BP Shotguns & usually will give good results. This will in fact give loads very close to what was for years considered the "Field" loads for shotshells.
A "Square Load" for a shotgun is defined as one in which the column of shot in the Bore has a length equal to the bore diameter. This will in a 10 gauge give approximately a 1Ľoz load & approximately 1 1/16oz in a 12 gauge. A Square load in any other gauge is virtually non-existant (Take note you 28ga fans, they don't shoot a Sq load by any defination).


Miller/TN
I Didn't Say Everything I Said, Yogi Berra
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,245
Likes: 4
Sidelock
**
Offline
Sidelock
**

Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,245
Likes: 4
I've shot black powder in Federal papers for many years now, 2-3/4 drams and 1 ounce shot loaded over felt wads/folded crimp for targets. I load the Federals with smokeless for 3 loadings, then black powder and discard the hull afterwards. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is an insidious problem wherein black powder combustion fumes will find their way INSIDE the frame and will corrode the hammers, sears, springs etc. Anyone shooting black powder should chose a gun design that has limited openings into the frame (A H Fox is not one of them) and should also watch for pierced or leaky primers. In that case be sure to pull the stock shortly after shooting and douche things out. A S x S with a drawbolt stock makes that easy. Silvers


I AM SILVERS, NOT SLIVER = two different members. I'm in the northeast, the other member is in MT.
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,815
Likes: 4
Sidelock
**
Offline
Sidelock
**

Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,815
Likes: 4
Last question:
WHY do you want to shoot black powder in breech loading guns when you can load smokeless to the same or less pressure??


[img:left][/img]

Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,065
Sidelock
***
Offline
Sidelock
***

Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,065
Cause the black powder goes "BAWHOOOM" and makes a lot of smoke!



I am glad to be here.
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 518
Likes: 3
Sidelock
**
Offline
Sidelock
**

Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 518
Likes: 3
Yeah, as to why real blackpowder, lighting off a load of the stuff is an event unto itself. The noise, the cloud, the filth, the dogs howling in the background - it's a very engaged way of shooting.

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,743
Sidelock
***
Offline
Sidelock
***

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,743
Another reason is Black powder will give you very close to identical ballistics whether in the Arctic or on the Equator.
A "Low Pressure" load of 7625 at low temps may leave you with a wad in the bore. Guess How I Know, it happened to me in a Duck Swamp ""ONCE"". I swore off 7625 for low pressure Forever that Day. The Factor which allows a smokeless powder to generate low pressures are inhibitors to the burn rate of the powder. These inhibitors also make it harder to ignite & they do not burn well except at higher pressures. Black Powder has a natural burn rate which is very suitable to shotguns, is easy to ignite & burns reliably & at about the same rate at virtually any pressure level. Burn rate of smokeless is very pressure sensitive. Best low pressure loads with smokeless are light loads with faster powders, which are not so heavily coated with inhibitors.


Miller/TN
I Didn't Say Everything I Said, Yogi Berra
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,960
Likes: 89
Sidelock
**
Offline
Sidelock
**

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,960
Likes: 89
Other than the slight annoyance that black powder tends to be filthy, loud, hot, smoky, smelly, expensive, volatile, hard to ship, it has to be the greatest stuff for shotguns in the whole world.


When an old man dies a library burns to the ground. (Old African proverb)
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,850
Likes: 150
Sidelock
***
Offline
Sidelock
***

Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,850
Likes: 150
[quote=Stallones]Last question:
WHY do you want to shoot black powder in breech loading guns when you can load smokeless to the same or less pressure??


Because I want to and (so far) I still can.

Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,815
Likes: 4
Sidelock
**
Offline
Sidelock
**

Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,815
Likes: 4
Good reasons, I shoot a lot in muzzle loaders

and enjoy all that also

Last edited by Stallones; 11/22/13 09:44 PM.
Page 2 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard

doublegunshop.com home | Welcome | Sponsors & Advertisers | DoubleGun Rack | Doublegun Book Rack

Order or request info | Other Useful Information

Updated every minute of everyday!


Copyright (c) 1993 - 2024 doublegunshop.com. All rights reserved. doublegunshop.com - Bloomfield, NY 14469. USA These materials are provided by doublegunshop.com as a service to its customers and may be used for informational purposes only. doublegunshop.com assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in these materials. THESE MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANT-ABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. doublegunshop.com further does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these materials. doublegunshop.com shall not be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including without limitation, lost revenues or lost profits, which may result from the use of these materials. doublegunshop.com may make changes to these materials, or to the products described therein, at any time without notice. doublegunshop.com makes no commitment to update the information contained herein. This is a public un-moderated forum participate at your own risk.

Note: The posting of Copyrighted material on this forum is prohibited without prior written consent of the Copyright holder. For specifics on Copyright Law and restrictions refer to: http://www.copyright.gov/laws/ - doublegunshop.com will not monitor nor will they be held liable for copyright violations presented on the BBS which is an open and un-moderated public forum.

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.0.33-0+deb9u11+hw1 Page Time: 0.086s Queries: 35 (0.053s) Memory: 0.8476 MB (Peak: 1.8987 MB) Data Comp: Off Server Time: 2024-03-28 11:23:31 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS