BP loads in a Open Top

[DCP]

I would like to try some BP loads in a Open Top.
I have a lot of smokeless bullets already lubed is the reason I am asking.

So can one take a smokeless pre lube boolit, or one with Lee Alox or a un lubed boolit? Loaded it in the case, then put Crisco or some other BP lube? Like a Cap and Ball and it will work ok?

 

[Pulp]

You shouldn't have any problem in your revolver. The longer barrel of a rifle is where you'll run into hard fouling.

You can melt the smokeless lube out of your current bullets by placing a couple of layers of paper towel on a cookie sheet and putting them in the oven at 250 or so until the lube melts out. Then you can pan lube them with a BP compatible lube.

I'm not sure about regular Alox lube, but I've heard that the Lee Tumble Lube is very intolerant of BP fouling.

 

[robhof]

robhof

I fired some tumble lubed 45's in my ROA and had to use carb cleaner to get the residue out, soap and water wasn't cutting it. If shooting black, it's best to stay with compatible lubes.

 

[BCRider]

The proper retention and seal when loading a C&B pistol relies on the grade of alloy. The commonly used balls or special bullets are made from a softer alloy which shears off any excess during the ramming process quite easily. On the other hand cast bullets intended for cartridges are made from a somewhat harder alloy.

There is also the issue that cast bullets for common ".45" size cartridges have much wider riding bands which makes them just about impossible to ram home into the cylinder without excessive pressure. If you can find pictures of bullets intended for the C&B guns you'll see that the riding bands are half or less as long.

Those same bullets intended for C&B also have a short alignment relief to aid in centering the bullet in preparation for ramming home. Using a typical flat backed or bevel based cartridge bullet is going to result in less than idea positioning for the ramming home step.

It would also require an external press as the extra ramming pressure related to the wide riding bands would put a severe strain on the gun's built in rammer.