[dolidog2000]

I received a Traditions Deerhunter .50 as a gift & I know very little about BP shooting. If I use round balls what would be the cost per shot to shoot this gun? Also, is real FFF powder cheaper than the new BP substitutes?
Thanks.
Bob from Oklahoma

[ATAShooter]

1 lb of power..... 25.00
Bullets ............. 16.00
Primers ............ 2.50

Watching the smoke clear to reveal a dead 12 point buck ....... PRICELESS

OK, all kidding aside,

777 power, granulated is about 25.00, 20 powerbelts are about 16.00, Primmers, 3.00 per 100. Not expensive, just the initial layout is heavy, but as you replace it... It ain't bad. Round balls, I don't know about that well ( the cost).

[kwhi43@kc.rr.com]

Well if I figgered right about 30 cents a shot. Thats 12.00 for Black Power,
4.00 for 100 caps, 10.00 for 100 cast balls bought. 2.00 patching.
This is about 30.00 for 100 shots. Thats for a load of about 70 grs.

[SE-Okla.shooter]

You may need to check my math. 1 gr.=.002286 Oz. 70 (load) X .002286=.16
16(Oz in Lb.) /.16=100 Powder cost $.25 RB $7.00 per 100. Rb .07 Caps $4.00 per $100 $.04 caps total .25+.07+.04=.36 Black powder when I can find it cost about $17 Lb. which would lower cost to about $.26 per shot.

[dolidog2000]

Thanks. That is about what it costs to shoot my Mosin_Nagant, my 9mm & the wifes .38 if I use factory ammo.
Bob from Oklahoma,
home of Sam Bradford Heisman trophy winner 2008

[elmerfudd]

It will actually cost much less. With a modern rifle you can just blast away and I've fired as many as 100 shots at a time with a Mosin Nagant or a Mauser. With a muzzleloader it takes a few minutes between each shot. So if you spent an hour at the range it would be very unlikely that you fired more than 20 shots.

[PRM]

Something you can't explain, if you have too - your wasting your time!!!

Cost of Flints - About $1.50 each - around 75 shots per flint with a a good lock.

Lead - I have bought it for a $2.00 per pound (cast your own).

Goex FFFG Powder - $13.99 per pound (from Midway)

Your getting a lot of bang for the buck!!!

[bobby n.]

bob, i pour my own bullets at 0.003 cents per 100, i get my lead from wheelweights from the auto place in wally werld for free, and i use pyrodex at 27 cents a load and caps which run about 4 bucks for a hundred and i use old shirts, beeswax and sheepsweat as lube so i spend as little as possible. notthat im cheap , im cost effective

[Wolfebyte]

Scouring the net, reading different posts from people in the know.. literature that looks like it was written by litigation lawyers sweating to overhead lights and I can't find a good answer about my Traditions 209.

Can I use 777 3F powder in it? ... and if so, at what recommended grain?

surely you don't have to buy 2F for your rifle and 3F for your revolver... ?

[1858rem]

reduce charge about 15% just cause its 777, and another 10% cause its 3f... NOT 15% off a 150g load either, i mean off a 100g load.... so instead of a hundredg bp 2f, use 75g 3f 777. i personally dont agree with that, but work a load for your own gun with safety in mind.

[jmaubin]

It's not about the cost, if it were everyone would only shoot "22's". What it is about is ones passions, black powder or factory rounds, it really doesn't matter as long as you enjoy.

[SwearNoAllegiance]

I found this thread very helpful. BP is cost-effective for me.

[Wolfebyte]

reduce charge about 15% just cause its 777, and another 10% cause its 3f... NOT 15% off a 150g load either, i mean off a 100g load.... so instead of a hundredg bp 2f, use 75g 3f 777. i personally dont agree with that, but work a load for your own gun with safety in mind.

thank you.!

[SE-Okla.shooter]

I agree with 1858Rem sort of. I don't know why so many shooter want to shoot bp guns at max load. I shoot everything from .36 flint .75 brown bess. Because of ease of cleaning and how hard it is to find black powder I shoot a lot 777 in percussion guns. FFF works well in everything except shotguns for me. But instead of starting at max load and working down I start with base load of the caliber with rifles and half with pistols. For 50 cal rifle I start with 50 grains. With a 44 cal pistol I start with 22 grains. With a .36 pistol I start a little less than half 12 or 13 grains. I increase the load till I find the most accurate load then stop. For hunting I may go a little higher depending on what kind of energy the load is pro ducting.

[1858rem]

actually 22 lr are neary 20 bucks rem bulk pack (after tax) of 550.... at wallyworld! i have started a bit of reloading 45 colt.... mostly trailboss though, i am able to load up 550 rounds of 45 colt for only 40-45 bucks.... so ill stick with that over 22 lr.... unless im squirrel/wabbit huntin' then get out the marlin 60.... load of 777 i have noticed i get about 9000 grains per lb by VOLUME.... putting my cost at 74.25 for 550 rds of 777.... and 59.95 for 550 rds of pyrodex.... 33g powder for either load is fine with me in 45 colt case... cast 255g from lee mold, and primers are TOO expensive ~3.2-3.8 cents each!!!

[kwhi43@kc.rr.com]

Guess I'm lucky. I use "O" buckshot in my .32's and I bought 20 5 lb. boxes
5 years ago for 8.00 a box. There is 720 balls in 5 lbs. Thats 720 balls for
8.00. About a penny a ball. Using powder I bought for 9.00 a pound . Caps
are 3.50 a hundred. I only use 17 grs a shot. I'm lucky.

[33rowdy]

-Barnes Spit-Fire TMZ copper expander bullet and sabot $1.00.
-Three Hodgdon Pyrodex pellets $.66.
-Winchester 209 primer $.04.
-One Bore Butter Patch. $.18.
-One T/C 17 patch $.05.
-One dry cotton patch. $.02.

Total of $1.95 per shot.

Put a deer in the cross hairs pull the trigger; smoke clears the deer goes down ...That is priceless!

Two deer goes down for the 2008 season........AWSOME!!!!!!!

[WadePatton]

For the best price on black powder (a necessary for flinters-and will work in those cap thingies) join a local shooting club of some sort or just find enough local buddies to split a shipment (spreading the hazmat fees). Best price happens at 25# and max shipment is 50#. Currently $13 per pound in that size lot from powderinc.

Flinters cost like this:

Main charge-depends on your purpose.
Priming powder-same price, but 2-3000 primes to the pound.
Flints 2-3 bucks each, 50-100 shots each
Balls-cast 'em. price varies by lead source
patches-use discarded clothing=free
lube-steal some Crisco from the kitchen.

Soap and water and oil--you had that already.

Have fun blowing smoke.