Blackpowder and all the fixin's

[Beartracker]

Low Key is right and here is a thread made a while back that will really help you in your loading data for the .44. I first posted this because there were several na sayers out there about being able to use .40 in the 58, .44. Some of us do it for hunting all the time and in fact with a 200g conical you will think your shooting a .44 mag. when it goes off.
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190241&highlight=40g+.44+remington

 

[Manyirons]

If the 58 revolver you're using is a steel framed version, then you are in no danger at all using up to 40gr loads of BP or Pyrodex P. If you happen to be using H777 then don't load above 30gr, the 777 is more energetic than pyrodex p and you want to err on the side of safety.

Yep! 40 is my standard load, my opinion, 24grains too light, 30/35grains makes a nice target load.

Poor finlander is the guy who pays 80.00 for a pound of Swiss, hence suggestion to 30grains or a little more, lowers his price per shot a little.

 

[Beartracker]

$80.00 a pound!!!! 20-24 g. is just right for the .44

 

[Steve499]

Finlander, Manyirons already mentioned this once but here's my 2 cents. I tried to shoot black powder from a 45/70 Sharps rifle without appropriate black powder lubricant. The hard fouling in the barrel accumulated enough after 4 or 5 shots to make accuracy non-existant. If you have hard fouling in the bore which you can feel when you run the first patch through as you clean, the lubricant you are using isn't doing it's job. The fouling should be a messy, black , soft sludge. I always have a lot of it but then I completely fill the chambers over the ball with lube so it's understandable there would be a bit of it. I suspect not nearly so much would be required to soften the fouling but soft it must be to achieve best accuracy.


Steve

 

[Manyirons]

Yep! 80.00! Told him feel badly about that and would send him some as i buy 50 pounds a whack from Maine powder, but DON'T wanna be star in international incident and share jail cell in finland with him!

So i AINT gonna ship no powder! Mebbe i'll send a few $$ as a birthday present or somethin'

80.00 pound is damned robbery!

 

[Manyirons]

Finlander, Manyirons already mentioned this once but here's my 2 cents. I tried to shoot black powder from a 45/70 Sharps rifle without appropriate black powder lubricant. The hard fouling in the barrel accumulated enough after 4 or 5 shots to make accuracy non-existant. If you have hard fouling in the bore which you can feel when you run the first patch through as you clean, the lubricant you are using isn't doing it's job. The fouling should be a messy, black , soft sludge. I always have a lot of it but then I completely fill the chambers over the ball with lube so it's understandable there would be a bit of it. I suspect not nearly so much would be required to soften the fouling but soft it must be to achieve best accuracy.


Steve

Yep Steve, you is ABSOLOOTILY right! Workin' on tha lube problem now, will be sendin a care package for our disadvantaged foreign brother.

 

[Low Key]

$80 a pound!??

"Holy S*** Batman!"

 

[Manyirons]

$80 a pound!??

"Holy S*** Batman!"

Yep, its what gooferments do for ya! Not so high here, but how many people have complained of not bein' able to find black anymore cause of regulations?

He's got access, just taxed to death!

 

[BP Tess]

Speaking of BP...Has anyone ordered any lately at a good price? Thought I would check out a quick feedback before I go looking on all the sites again! I like the real deal...tried the subs only a couple of times, smell just isn't the same. Thanks in advance! Probably order 5#

 

[Father Knows Best]

I get all of my BP mail order from Powder, Inc. I buy 25 pounds at a time and split the order with a buddy or two. Powder, Inc. does sell in smaller quantities, though. Goex is $11.00 per pound in 5 pound quantities, vs. $9.30 per pound when you buy 25 pounds. Shipping and HazMat fees are extra, but you can get a total cost quote on their website. They always ship promptly and have great customer service. Even buying just 5 pounds they are still a lot cheaper for me than local retail sources like Bass Pro (wants $14.95/pound plus 9.25% sales tax).

www.powderinc.com

 

[finlander]

It seems that crown of the barrel of my Remington has some damage in it, how can I re-crown it? Some rifles look like if they have been hit with something. Accuracy doesn't seem to be very good, last time I got 3 shots of five into 3" group, two another shots 5-6" lower. I shot from rest, but maybe I flinced or something. There is also rust inside the barrel. Gunsmith, from whom I bought this gun, tried to remove the rust with fine steel wool, but no success. Nah, I'm not taking it to the smith anymore. At least not this particular smith.

I guess I should have had someone who's experienced with BP revolvers with me when I bought this gun. Well, at least I got experience on buying used guns.

 

[Duncaninfrance]

It seems that crown of the barrel of my Remington has some damage in it, how can I re-crown it? Some rifles look like if they have been hit with something. Accuracy doesn't seem to be very good, last time I got 3 shots of five into 3" group, two another shots 5-6" lower. I shot from rest, but maybe I flinced or something. There is also rust inside the barrel. Gunsmith, from whom I bought this gun, tried to remove the rust with fine steel wool, but no success. Nah, I'm not taking it to the smith anymore. At least not this particular smith.

I guess I should have had someone who's experienced with BP revolvers with me when I bought this gun. Well, at least I got experience on buying used guns.

Hi there Finlander. You can remove rust by using Brake Fluid as well as Electrolysis. Look at www.frfrogspad.com it's FULL of interesting info on all sorts of potions
Duncan

 

[finlander]

Hi there Finlander. You can remove rust by using Brake Fluid as well as Electrolysis. Look at www.frfrogspad.com it's FULL of interesting info on all sorts of potions

Yep, I'm gonna try brake fluid sometime.

Maybe I'm hasty but I'd like get some information about what to do with the barrel crown. Help me! Argh, I'm drowning to the seas of unaccurate percussion revolvers! Please help me! Look, I'm already turning blue! Have to get some air -gasp-.

Oh, heck. I guess I just take my MKII to range and zap! "all my troubles seem so far away"!

 

[mec]

This may be entirely wrong but decades ago i read about somebody who claimed you could chuck a round headed slotted screw- brass, I believe in a drill and use that to crown a barrel.

 

[finlander]

Well, I have to take a look if I find a big screw enough from local stores. Not much to lose, anyway, so maybe I'll try it.

 

[Manyirons]

This may be entirely wrong but decades ago i read about somebody who claimed you could chuck a round headed slotted screw- brass, I believe in a drill and use that to crown a barrel.

Yup! Brass, head of screw/bolt round and convex, chuck in hand drill, dip head of brass round head bolt in FINE, VERY-FINE valve frinding compound, place on muzzle with light pressure and grind away!

Produces clean, accurate, and mirror polish crown!!

 

[Old Dragoon]

I use a ball grinder as fine as i can find to recrown bbl with easy does it a little at a time then polish with 600 Grit. ball grinder that I have is as fine as a sharpening stone.

 

[gmatov]

If you can find a brass round head screw or bolt to fit a .450 hole, use Coarse, very coarse, valve grinding compound, to make any appreciable difference. You will spin a bunch of screws to a nub with fine. Change to medium or fine if you want to, but cut the metal, first.

Go with OD. I don't know if he's saying chuck the barrel in a mill, and use a ball mill, or just use a ball mill, fine cut, slow speed.

I chamfer chambers with a conical in a hand chuck.

Cheers,

George

 

[finlander]

Thanks for replies, I'll try that screw-thing.

 

[finlander]

Can I use steel/iron screws instead of brass ones?

 

[gmatov]

Finlander,

Yes. I don't think they will wear any faster than brass. Do keep it covered with the grinding compound.

If you don't have any grinding compound, fine emery cloth will work, also, or a wet and dry silicon carbide paper that you can put a little oil on without it tearing or loosening the grit. Silicon Carbide paper can be got at your auto paint store or parts house, if they sell body repair stuff and paint.

You dont have to go too far, .3, .4, .5 mm should be adequate to true the muzzle to the axis of the bore.

Cheers,

George

 

[finlander]

Thanks, I guess I'm going to try it out today or tomorrow.

 

[Beartracker]

Finlander, It works and it works well. Just don't be affraid to crank up the speed on the drill and to use plenty of lapping compond and keep adding to it as you go. It will be a slow process but it will do a nice even job.
I have used this method before as well as a stone and a tool from Midway just for this job.The end results are all the same. Mike

 

[finlander]

Crowning done, I'll test-shoot it tomorrow or day after tomorrow. It may need some more crowning, it'll be seen.

BTW, how much chamber can be "off-line" before it affects accuracy badly? Can I fix possible problem myself?

 

[Manyirons]

Crowning done, I'll test-shoot it tomorrow or day after tomorrow. It may need some more crowning, it'll be seen.

BTW, how much chamber can be "off-line" before it affects accuracy badly? Can I fix possible problem myself?

As a practical matter, alignment can be WAY-off and due to other factors (Shape of projectile, material, hardness, degree and type of throating ETC!) have almost no effect upon accuracy, conversely (And perversely) one of these elements can be but infintismally off and wheeeee! ALL over the paper!!

Best/quickest/easiest; 'Home Fix' i know of is the LONG or FREEBORE-Throat, gives your ball or bullet a nice long taper/funnel before it hits rifling and a last chance to straighten up square to the bore.

Otherwise, its a job in adjusting the cylinder stop, and this is bad cause HOW DO YA KNOW easch chamber is actually in line with anything? The local black powder gunsmith&barrelmaker showed me a cylinder with precision pins in each chamber, was obvious that each chamber was 'Off' IN MORE THAN TWO DIRECTIONS.

Briefly stated, freebore throating is the only remedy i know of applicable to us mere mortals without a shop load of precision machinery. Unless someone else knows of a good way of doing it?