[eagle24]

OK, I shot my Remmy, loved it, and can't wait till the next time out. But I have got to come up with a better loading system. Here's the way I did it and what I had problems with:

First I poured some BP into a bowl, then I used a dipper from a Lee die set to fill my powder measure. Here is where I had trouble (getting the powder from the measure into the cylinder). I tried pouring from the measure and spilled it everywhere or got some in the wrong cylinder. Next I tried using a funnel that would not fit in the cylinder (not much better result). Everything else went smooth other than getting the powder from the can into the cylinders. Tell me what tools (funnel, measure, whatever) you use to load the powder charge. I was thinking about making a 35gr measure from some type cartridge case that I could dip into the bowl to fill and then pour into the cylinder. If it is small enough to fit into the cylinder I could turn the cylinder over it and then flip it over to dump the powder. Then push a wad down over the charge to hold it for the next cylinder loading.

[BP Hunter]

i'm also a newbie in bp revolvers. i also usesd the lee dippers initially but it just spilled it everywhere. then i started using the flasks with a premeasured spout. and that helped significantly. but i wanted more time shooting than loading, so i made paper cartridges as outlined by the "paper cartridges" thread. that seems to be even better. i haven't gotten out yet, but i alredy have 24 paper cartridges. i'm hoping to try them out this coming weekend.

[BP Tess]

I bought a spout for my powder can (it fits right on the can itself) and an adjustable powder measure for revolvers w/funnel. I too wanted to shoot more at the range so I bought an extra cylinder and a loader which helped out a bunch. About $14.99 for loader at possibleshop.com. Well worth the money. I've tried the paper loads and they are great too, but I just enjoy loading on the range, and when I stop to swab out a bit of fouling I load another cylinder. When I go hunting I am stocking up with those paper loads for sure. ;) Teresa
PS. Ain't this fun!!!

[mec]

Flasks are good. I use them for the general messing around shooting. This one is adjustible and not particularly precise but the smaller ones generally come with either 28 or 22 grain spouts and are good for .44 and 36 respectively. When I want a different charge, I use the flask to fill up a graduated measure and then load into the chambers.
http://usera.imagecave.com/mec/dragoon1.JPG

Some books recommend not pouring directly from a flask because it turns into a grenade if there is still a spark lingering in the chamber. Could happen I guess but I don't worry about it unless I've used paper cartridges. good idea to make sure there is nothing smoldering, paper or otherwise in the chambers before reloading.

[Duncaninfrance]

PS. Ain't this fun!!! Hi Tess, thought you had left home or something, you have been very quiet!!

eagle - I have an 1858 and have looked at all ways to load and I have settled on this.
I load paper cartridges with powder and a card wad only. At the range I use a bench loader and load a paper cartridge, lube pill and ball into each chamber. I then turn the cylinder over, still using the bench loader and fit the caps to the nipples. Because it is all done out of the gun there is plenty of room to work and no mess. I don't need lube over the ball this way. After I have shot I remove the cylinder for the next loading and pull through the barrel with some auto screen wash on a rag to clear it. Works like a dream and is clean. You will find my 10c worth in the paper cartridge sticky.
Cheers
Duncan

[Beartracker]

Mec is right on about not loading directly from the flask. The measurer's I have are all good but my favorite is the one's with the funnel on top that you slide open to fill it and slide it back to level off the powder and you have the funnel spout to fill the chamber or barrel.
This one goes from 10 to 150gr. it's great for revolver , rifle , pistol or shotgun. Use the flask to fill your measurer and your all set. It gives an almost perfect load every time due to the fact that it levels the powder the same every time. Hope this helps, Mikehttp://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/vertical-item.jhtml?id=0003249210263a&navCount=0&cmCat=srchdx&cm_ven=srchdx&cm_ite=srchdx&CM_REF=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cabelas.com%2Fproducts%2FCpod0003249.jsp

[mec]

A lot of people do load direct from a flask in the traditional manner. I do it after I think there is plenty of time to assure the chambers are free of fire. Of course I don't advocate it. You pays your dime and you makes your choices.

[Weird Guy]

I am a cheap bastard. I couldn't find a small funnel that I liked. I just made one from some paper and scotch tape like a snow cone cup, and cut the tip off.

In my defense the paper was a business reply drop out note from a "Guns of the Old West" magazine!

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/424091/hitechfunnel.JPG

[Low Key]

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/Item/21/02/52/i210252vr02.jpg

Here's what I use for reloads at the shooting range. It's adjustable from 5-30gr, I have mine set on 30. Like mec I load straight from the flask, but I check my cylinders for sparks before I pour and I blow into the chambers before loading also to make sure all embers are out...do this at your own risk. You can also go check your target before reloads, this gives any embers time to burn out.

[eagle24]

PS. Ain't this fun!!!

Yep Tess, this is fun. I can't believe I've been a shooting enthusiast for 35 years and never tried BP revolvers. I'll get me a powder measure with a funnel spout and a flask. Part of the problem I had this past weekend was the wind. It was blowing about 35 mph. Thanks all for the tips and suggestions.

Greg

[BP Tess]

Hi Tess, thought you had left home or something, you have been very quiet!!
Hi Duncan, just reading all the great stuff here...I put my 2 cents worth once in a while. This greenhorn is still learnin' alot. I'm here everyday...well, when I'm not workin', shootin' or doin' Mom stuff!

I'm still too scared to load right from the flask to the chamber of a warm gun, which I know heat isn't the issue, flame is. The extra cylinder on the range has prevented me from doing that. Mike (beartracker) has got me sold on the adjustible measure, being new to this I wasn't sure of what load my 58 liked so it helped me to find out. Now, I can purchase more guns and use many loads.

[sundance44s]

If you stay with it ... something ya might want to put on yer wish list is a good cylinder loading stand ... me and the wife shoot alot together and i have lots of extra cylinders .. and i do all the loading sometimes she forgets the powder goes in first ..lmao ... :what: but i find loading the charge is much easyer on the cylinder stand .. loading goes faster more time for fun ! and it gives ya a chance to do a little wipe here and there when you are takeing the cylinders out to load anyway .

[BP Tess]

I totally agree with sundance44. I recently purchased a loading stand from [URL="http://wwwthe possibleshop.com"]it has served me well.

[sundance44s]

Good stand for the price Tess .. that was my first one , bought another more expencive one to be able to compress loads lighter than 25gr. latter .. and i`ve been looking at one they sell on the goex site fer 54 bucks looks even better , i paid 29 bucks fer my last one ... but i still have the one i bought from the possible shop too ..16 bucks if i remember right .

[finlander]

BTW, many people around here have been telling me that I should not load more than 30gr Swiss 3fg in my Rem. 1858. Do you know ANY case wherein too hot load in modern replica BP revolver has blown the gun up?

[Beartracker]

Finlander, 30 g. is a good target load or hunting load for small game. Several of us on here use 40g of Goex3f or Pyrodex"P" and have had no problems at all. It makes a great load for Deer but be warned it is a potent load and addicting to shoot:)

[sundance44s]

Lets just say anything that goes boom has a certain amount of danger built in ,, these gun manufactors don`t want to be libal for someone impropper handleing or loading or anything ... so they write keep it under x amount of powder ... and even a mistake uasually has no bad results with todays modern steel .. properly loaded with the ball seating on the powder , of course i`ve seen front stuffers shot with the ball just short started and ..no problem , back in the old days of weak steel it would have blown or buldged the barrel into a ballon effect ,, i`ve noticed on the colt walkers the papper work in the box says max load something like 35gr . most i know that shoot walkers shoot 50 gr . or more , and never have problems ........ but if they ever did have a problem the gun maker has his but.. covered , i shoot 37 gr out of my remmie with the drop in conversion cylinder , because thats all the powder i can cram in and still seat the bullets .. these new inline rifles shoot up too what 150 gr or something .. sounds like a lot of powder to me , but i`m not so sure the short barrels on those guns can even burn that much powder before the bullet breaks the light of day ... i`ve tested my round ball side locks with higher powder loads in the 100 gr .. and really didn`t show much difference after about 90 gr. and thats with a 39 inch barrel ..i read somewhere the ole timmers would shoot their rifles at a snow bank and look and see how much unburned powder covered the hole and back off on the powder from there untill the least amount of unburned powder was showing .not haveing the snow here for my load building i start at 50gr on my rifle and work up untill i hear a nice CRACK ! when fired .. the crack means the bullet has broken the sound barrer when leaveing the barrel 1,100 ft a sec. uasually around 55 or so gr . on a 50cal . front stuffer loaded with a round ball . i then add about 5 gr just incase my powder isn`t consenstant which it uasually isn`t unless i`m useing swiss powder. ( hard to find stuff )

[Low Key]

BTW, many people around here have been telling me that I should not load more than 30gr Swiss 3fg in my Rem. 1858. Do you know ANY case wherein too hot load in modern replica BP revolver has blown the gun up?

I've never heard of that, you're perfectly safe with 30gr in a properly functioning 1858. Like Beartracker, I load up to 40gr of pyrodex p and have not had any problems at all...except that I'm addicted to the 40gr load, ;)

I've been told that they proof these replicas with loads that would make you say " :what: WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!!!:what: " In the old days of inferior steel, ruptures of the cylinder or barrel may have been a possibility but I think those days are long past, and the biggest part of us baby our guns and keep them well maintained and rust free.
:)

[ewb45acp]

A flask with the funnel spout is the way to go. I got a set of interchangable funnels for mine. Works real well. You get a consistant throw each time. Also, a loading stand like Weird Guy shows, is very helpful to speed up the loading process.


http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e335/ebuntz/bpflask.jpg

[finlander]

Then next question: is it normal to see sparks flying when shooting BP revolver? My range jacket got few burns to the sleeves from those sparks, luckily it wasn't summer and me wearing t-shirt :eek: .

[Low Key]

I've noticed that with real bp (goex) I get more flame from the front of the cylinder than I do with pyrodex p. Sometimes the caps seem a little more energetic than others and I had one to pop so forcefully that it sent a fragment across my knuckle and left a small cut, (has only happened once and no other ill effects to me or the gun). I've gotten a few little stingers from sparks when shooting my 58's so I ignore it anymore.

[Old Dragoon]

ewb45acp,
From where did you purchase your Flask and the removeable spouts. These are something that I'd like to find, more especially the Walker type flask that carries round balls and is adjustable. One of my pards has one and I'd like to find one like it.

Thanks.

[sundance44s]

Dragoon i don`t know where ewb bought his ..but i have much the same set up .. the flasks i bought different places bass pro , cabelas , sportsmanswarehouse etc .. the spouts i bought at dixiegunworks .. few bucks a spout , some i trim down to drop 22gr 18 gr and such they come 20gr 25gr 30gr 35gr in five incerments ... anyway the shipping is more than the spouts ..

[ewb45acp]

The Flask and spouts were puchased from Cabela's. The flask was purchased about 20 years ago with a starter kit for an 1860. The spouts were purchased a few months ago. It's a set of 6 in sizes: 18gn, 21gn, 30gn, 48gn, 72gn, and 84gn. Price is 15.99

See link below.


http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20712&id=0006439213417a&navCount=2&podId=0006439&parentId=cat20819&navAction=push&catalogCode=XF&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20819

[Howdy Doody]

I like a 30 gr load myself. When I started out I used a flask and did a little trimming and got the spout to dump 30gr. But.... I had instances where powder would bridge and maybe the skin from my finger was in the spout too far, but I would come up short and could tell it when I shot the gun.
I tried the loading tool bit, but since I can only pack just so much stuff along in my guncart for cowboy action shooting, I found the loading method that is fastest for me.
That would be the vynal (sp) loading tubes you can buy by the hundred from Dixie Gun Works. The yellow ones. I load the tubes at home with a Lee scoop and simply dump the powder into an old coffee cup. Scoop out the powder and pour into the loading tube. Then I stick a ball on the opening and all done. At the shoot I hold my pistol with one hand and with my thumb I work the ball out onto the table ( I always load at the unloading table and cap at the loading table) and you can squeeze those tubes to a V and just pur into the chamber, add a wad that I carry in in a Skoal can and put the ball on and ram it down onto the powder. I like to leave the ram in the chamber which leaves the next one in the right place and do the rest. This works the fastest for me and since I have loaded at home on the bench, my loads have been very consistant. At worst I have spilled a tiny bit of powder while loading and I always give my cylinder a good spin once loaded to brush it off so to speak.
I then holster and when my time comes up, I go to the loading table and load my rifle and cap my pistols and then it takes me no longer at the loading table than anyone else.
Also I have a pair of 51 Navies in 36 cal. Dixie has loading tubes for that too, they are the white ones.
Seems if you do things long enough and often, then out of necessity you find things that go smooth. Not everyone needs to load up fast but CAS shooters need to keep things moving, since we shoot 60 rounds from pistols on and average 6 stage match.
Dang if it isn't fun though. Just writing about it all makes me want to do some shooting, but here it is 2:15 am and my neighbors might not be as enthusiastic about that as I am. :)

[Steve499]

Howdy, Howdy. I use the vinyl tubes also. I don't routinely use wads any longer but when I did, I just stuck one in the end of the tube over the ball. There is plenty of room in the .44 tubes for them with a 30 grain charge and I didn't have to juggle another item while I had an open chamber charged with powder.

My .36 is a pocket navy and is small. The space between the rammer and chamber mouth isn't enough to allow a tube to be up-ended during the loading process and I used to have trouble getting all the powder into the chamber I wanted it in. I cut the .36 tubes off at an angle with scissors so I have a spout on the end and that's solved the problem.

Steve