Goex FFFg

[Hondo 60]

Does reloading with black powder differ from reloading with smokeless?
I've been reloading smokeless for a couple of years, but never reloaded with bp
Obviously the charge weight is different, but is there any other difference?

Also where can I find recipes for 45 Colt & 38 spl?
And FFFg would be the right powder for those calibers, right?

thanks

 

[Sunray]

"...Does reloading with black powder differ..." Hi. Yep. BP is loaded by volume, not the weight. In grains though. Still trying to get my head around that after eons of loading smokeless like yourself. Had visions of a flintlock rifle until life got in the way. No useless permits needed for 'em, up here.
Some guys advocate filling the case to within 1/16" of the mouth and seating the bullet. Scares me just thinking about that. snicker.
Lyman's BP Handbook & Loading Manual will tell you everything you need to know and it has .38 Special and .45 Colt BP data. Not a lot for either, but it's there. Shows data for FFg, FFFg and Pyrodex. Cast bullets only, of course.
Goex is just a brand name for BP. This is their load data. http://www.goexpowder.com/load-chart.html

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I would highly suggest you use a Magnum primer to light off BP in cartridges.

 

[snuffy]

Do you realize the mess you're going to be cleaning up? Forget what you see in the movies, those cowboys had to clean those guns each and every time they fired them, even after one shot! If they didn't, they had a rusty mess in a couple of days.

Black powder residue gets everywhere in a revolver, it has to be gotten rid of. By that I mean it has to get wet with plenty of hot, soapy water. Unless you have a darn good reason for it, you'd better forget it.

 

[RugerBob]

Find a good book, really. I used some pyrodex and 2 and 3 F inanything from 12ga to45 and 38 rifles and single actions. Make sure you measure by Volumn. Just pick up a bp measurer that has the differnt weights as they set up to give correct volumn.

The ol 45-70 had a 45cal bullet over 70 grains bp. If you put 70 grs by volumn in the 45/70 case, you'll wonder why the powder is so high that the bullet may not fit. But it will. I usually shake the loading block to settle the bp and it drops it down a fair amount. Just don't shake it and spill powder out of case. That is why most bp cartridge loader have about a 2-3 foot drop tube on there non sparking powder dump.

Could go alot farther into it, but type way to slow. My 2cents worth....Bob

 

[Hondo 60]

I've used Goex loaded ammo so I'm aware of the cleaning job
and I clean my guns after every range trip anyway.

Didn't realize Lyman published a BP book.

Thank you Sunray, ArchAngelCD, snuffy & Ruger Bob for posting, this is GREAT information!

Exactly what I wanted to know.

 

[rcmodel]

The other thing is, BP is much more hazardous to store & handle then smokeless powder.
Lyman still makes a non-sparking powder measure specifically for it.

Also where can I find recipes for 45 Colt & 38 spl?

Not a whole lot of data is necessary.
* Use soft bullet lube like Rooster BP-7, to keep fouling soft.
* Fill the case with BP until it is slightly compressed by the bullet when you seat it.

You don't want to leave an air space under the bullet.
And you can't put too much in a case and still get the bullet to fit.

Other then that, there is not much else to know.

rc

 

[Steve C]

A couple of safety items to remember when using Black.

Black powder and its substitutes are true explosives. Don't use any measuring equipment with steel parts that could generate a spark from static electricity or your powder hopper can become a bomb. Brass measures are made for use with Black powder, invest in one or more. They've blown up the Pyrodex plant a couple times over the years blamed on static electricity. They don't allow employees to wear any synthetic clothing because it generates static electricity.

Black powder loads need to be compressed with no air space left in the case otherwise a nasty explosion can occur. Bullet needs to be seated on top of the powder and crimped in place.

If you don't cast then order bullets with the proper lube. An SPG soft lube for black powder is offered by many casters that provide bullets specifically for black powder cartridges.