BP 45 Colt

[dashootist]

I've been reloading smokeless 45 Colt for my Uberti SAA-clone, and I want to learn to reload this caliber with black powder. So I bought the Lyman black powder handbook from Amazon. I just read thru it, but it doesn't tell me jack about how-to reloading cartridge revolver rounds. I thought black powder requires different tools and method from smokeless. So I just wasted $30. Anyway, is there an authoritative source on how-to reload cartridge revolver black powder, like 45 Colt?

 

[BullRunBear]

I reload BP cartridges for a new model 45 Colt Vaquero using a single stage press. The basic process is the same as for smokeless with one extra step. Prime the case (I use standard LP primers) and bell the mouth. While the cases are in the loading tray, I charge them using the appropriate Lee dipper and the same red plastic funnel I normally use. Don't have the exact charge weight in front of me but it's about 25 to 30 grains of Goex FFFg. The extra step is putting a lubed felt wad (mine are homemade) in the case and tamping it down on the powder with a piece of dowel. Then I just seat the bullet and crimp as usual. I use the same lead bullets, 255 gr. RNFP, in smokeless and BP rounds. The bullet should compress the wad/charge slightly when seated. Since I olny reload 100 rounds at most, this single stage process works fine for me.

Some BP cartridge rifle shooters try to get every possible grain of powder in the case and use a long drop tube to do so. That shouldn't be needed in a revolver case.

The real difference is cleaning the cases. As soon as I return from the range, I decap the cases and dump them in hot, soapy water for a few minutes. Dish soap works fine. I scrub them out with a few passes of a nylon bristle brush then rinse them in hot water and let them air dry. I do keep the cases used for BP separate from the cases used for smokeless. If you care about shiny cases you can tumble them once dry but I don't bother.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

 

[Oyeboten]

I am almost ready now to be loading .45 Colt Black Powder Cartridges...having been loading .38 Special BP for some while now.

It is very straightforward.

Black Powder should have a good compression, no definitely 'air gap'.

Deciding in advance the OAL one wants, fill the Case so that the Powder is a little higher than where the Bullet Base shall be once the Bullet is seated, thus ensuring a good compression of Powder.

I use Lube Wafers which I make myself, between Powder and Bullet, and these have worked very well for seeing no problems with fouling, and, for no Leading, and for an easy clean up later.

These I make from running strips of Paper Towel through a molten Bee's Wax and Olive Oil mix, once cool and solid, I simply cut out the discs with a Gasket Hole Punch.

There is no absurd thick 'wad' this way to be hitting the target, and, they are thin, being about .040 thick, and no trace of them is to be seen when firing.


Lubes for Black Powder should not be petroleum based, but, rather, Insect/Animal or Vegetable based.

Bullets having Lube Grooves can be lubed by standing them in a shallow pan of molten Lube, letting it cool to solid, and, using an adapted-modified empty shell case with the base cut off ( one which has not been sized, so it can just slip over the whole Bullet) thus cleanly cutting the Bullet from the surrounding Lube, and, seeing it ready then for insertion into the charged Case.

Lube mix proportions should be so they make a fairly stiff result, and not soft or gooey, of course.

 

[dashootist]

Thanks for the info, y'all. It sounds like I don't need to buy any special BP reloading tool; that's good.

Could y'all answer these questions too:
(1) What is the consequence of accidentally leaving a small air gap?
(2) What's the purpose of the wad?
(3) Do you worry that some BP will fall into the primer pocket? And creating a air gap.
(4) How do I do reduced load? Use multiple wads?
(5) I use these "smokeless bullets" from bulletworks.com; it's has "smokeless lube". Should I remove this lube and replace it with what y'all recommend? The lube channel doesn't seem that deep or wide. Should I order some new BP bullets? If the latter, who sells BP bullet for target shooting and plinking purposes?
(6) What about the danger of working with an "explosive" as opposed to a "propellant"? Are there any special precautions?

 

[Oyeboten]

>> (1) What is the consequence of accidentally leaving a small air gap?


I don't know...but, I have heard it said that an Air Gap with BP can occasion an over-pressure scenario...but, regardless, one was always advised throughout History, to compress the Charge well...so, in my opinion, one should just see to it that their Black Powder Charge is compressed well...so as not to invite troubles.


>> (2) What's the purpose of the wad?


Wads are for use in Shot Guns, or in Shot Shells, as a means of permiting loose Shot to accelerate without some of it passing other-of-it by in the Barrel, or, being left behind in the Barrel for having got settled in with the Powder...and, when used on top of the loose Shot, to keep the loose Shot from rolling 'out'.

In Handgun Cartridges using Black Powder, a thin Lubrication Wafer, or other similar thing, is simply a way of Lubricating the Bullet, reducing fouling, preventing Leading if all else is well, and, allowing an easier clean up later.



>> (3) Do you worry that some BP will fall into the primer pocket? And creating a air gap.


No...one does not worry about that.

One compresses the Charge anyway...in seating the Bullet, so, there is no looseness to the Powder, and, no where for any of it to go to create any gap.



>> (4) How do I do reduced load? Use multiple wads?

Within reason, one could seat the Bullet deeper.

A Lube-Wafer is not a "Wad" of course, in function nor in appearance...it is a means of suppling Lubricant for the Bullet, for the Bore.

Wads for reducing or eliminating an Air space...I do not know...I have not heard of it being done.


If you do elect to use 'Wads' for anything, remember please, they are to be counted as being part of the projectile weight.

Some people use 'Cream of Wheat', or other similar materials for occupying the room between a reduced Charge of Black Powder, and, the Bullet base...using good compression of course, for the charge-filler combo.


I myself have not tried this, since I have only been interested in full Charge BP Loadings.


If you want reduced Charges, possibly, a Smokeless Propellent, like 'Unique' may be an easier recourse. For which, one would best appeal to Loading Manuals, or, the favored recipes of those familiar here on THR.


>> (5) I use these "smokeless bullets" from bulletworks.com; it's has "smokeless lube". Should I remove this lube and replace it with what y'all recommend?


I do not know what the composition of that Lubricant is.

If it is a Petroleum base, I would, remove the 'smokeless lube' if shooting them with Black Powder.

Solvents, or heat, either one, ought to do it...the Bullets then may be re-lubed in their Grooves, with a right type Lubricant...or, be used with a Lube Wafer...or even both.


> The lube channel doesn't seem that deep or wide. Should I order some new BP bullets? If the latter, who sells BP bullet for target shooting and plinking purposes?


Dunno...


Casting one's own would alleviate those issues.


Or, just try them and see, but, petroleum based Lubricants may make for weird fouling and tenacious goo streaks in the Barrel, where, Natural Plant-based and Insect based or Animal based Lubricants, will vaporize and disperse and be compatable with the BP with no weird chemical reactions.


>> (6) What about the danger of working with an "explosive" as opposed to a "propellant"? Are there any special precautions?


Avoid conditions which promote Static Electricity in association with one's Loading Bench and or Powder dispenser...is about all I can think of.

 

[dashootist]

Thanks for taking the time to write the response. I think bp is really awesome to shoot. And I don't find cleaning to be nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

 

[dashootist]

Do y'all use the same beeswax-olive oil mix for the bullet groove?

I see alot of black powder specific powder measure tools. Do I really need them? Or can I just use my $30 Lee powder measure (all plastic)?

 

[Oyeboten]

So far, for me, I have from the get-go been using Home-Made Lube Wafers...

Mostly Bee's Wax, and a little Olive Oil...

I have a Lube-Sizer Press, but I have not got it up and going yet.

By small changes to proportion, one can have a harder or softer Lube...and if for a Press, then one has to think about the temperatures at which one will be using it, or, find a way to warm the Press and it's Resevior of Lube, so one does not strain it if it is cold.

One can melt the Lube in a shallow Pan, with the Bullets standing up in it, so the Lube is covering them however high one needs it to...then cut them out from above, once all is cool and solid, using an empty and un-re-sized Cartridge case which one has cut the end off of.


I have been making my Lube rather casually, and have not weighed or measured the two ingredients for proportions...but, if you melt the Wax ( say, in a small Can, sitting in a Pan having an inch or so of Water in it, on a low flame...shutting the flame off or moving the Pan away if things begin to smoke for getting too hot...) then add a little Olive Oil...where, once cool, you can see how hard or soft it came out to be...and go from there.


It is easy to make one's own Scoop or Measure for Black Powder, by improvising a Handle for an empty Shell Casing of whatever sort...cutting down the Shell Case to arrive at the volume one wants it to hold. Labelling it even so if you end up making several, you would know who is who.