I may be crazy(just ask the wif) but I was thinking of loading some .38 special BP loads with Goex. I have a lot of FFg and FFFg and thought it might be fun to load up a few loads. I did read the old threads on the subject, but my question remains how much to load per shell? I have Speer 148 gr HPWC and my cast 158 gr. Lee SWC to use. Any by the way I've been building and shooting smokepoles for over 20 years.
loading Goex in .38 Special
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I did this a few years ago the smoke is fun.
Load with no free air space in the case and you can compress it.
I guess you could use a filler but even a compressed load of bp was soft shooting.
edit I only loaded cast bullets. I expect jacketed would have issues.
Load with no free air space in the case and you can compress it.
I guess you could use a filler but even a compressed load of bp was soft shooting.
edit I only loaded cast bullets. I expect jacketed would have issues.
brewer12345
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I would probably try the swc if you are game. And plan to do a thorough cleaning.
Jim Bowie
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You'll want to make sure your bullets are lubed with a black powder compatible bullet Lube. Smokeless powder bullet lubes leave residue that is hard to clean when used with black powder. Make sure there is no air space between the bullet and the powder. You can do this by marking a cartridge where the base of the bullet will sit, then cut down this cartridge about an eighth of an inch above that line and use it as a Dipper. About 1/16 of an inch to 1/8 of an inch compression of the powder is good.
Olon
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I've thought about doing the same but fouling up my guns doesn't sound like such fun. Plus, I'd have to melt the lube off my lead bullets and reapply bp lube. Still, part of me wants to do it...
Also, welcome to THR
DocRock
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Load as much Fffg as you can such that, with about 1/8" - 1/10' inch of compression, the bullet is seated in contact with the powder. I like a card wad over the powder under the bullet base, but that is not necessary. On lube, you have two options: 1) remove smokeless lube and use a BP lube cookie (a dollop of BP lube between two card wads under bullet base), or; 2) remove smokeless lube and apply BP lube. If you like it, some BP lubed softer lead bullets will improve the experience down the road.
Cleaning, contrary to popular myth, is simply a matter of hot water and dish soap.
Cleaning, contrary to popular myth, is simply a matter of hot water and dish soap.
Jim Watson
Member
Can't say about a revolver, but my single shots have never seen a drop of hot water or dish soap.
I did use Mike Venturino's recommendation of diluted Windex with Vinegar for a while but went over to diluted M-Pro 7 when all the Windex at Walmart contained ammonia.
I did wash my .38-55 brass until I got a rotary tumbler and ceramic media.
I did use Mike Venturino's recommendation of diluted Windex with Vinegar for a while but went over to diluted M-Pro 7 when all the Windex at Walmart contained ammonia.
I did wash my .38-55 brass until I got a rotary tumbler and ceramic media.
RevolvingGarbage
Member
Hopefully this question is useful to the OP as well, but has anyone tried as much black powder as can be fit under a 148gr HBWC seated the usual way? I can see it being a nice load but also that it would be problematic to load as there is the empty space in the wadcutter to worry about and not much powder space left after seating. I would be interested to hear other opinions and especially if anyone has tried anything like this.
DocRock
member
Lots of BP loads were with hollow base bullets. Look at the Minie ball, for example, at the extreme. That should not be a concern, even in a cartridge, as the base will "fill in" on loading. As to how much BP can be loaded with a wadcutter loaded in the traditional manner and whether the charge would be sufficient? I don't know. Seems a legitimate concern.
Crunchy Frog
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I’ve been shooting .38 Special in cowboy action since 2010, the last few years I’ve been shooting “Frontier Cartridge” which means all ammo is charged with black powder or a black powder sub. I have a friend who uses Goex and casts his own bullets. I do it the lazy way with commercial cast bullets that don’t have a soft lube, so I use APP which works fine with hard lube and coated bullets.
BullRunBear
Member
I haven't loaded BP in 38 specials but have in 45 Colt. It's a visual process for me. Load 3F Goex to about 3/4 of the case, insert a hard lubed felt wad (the same I use in cap and ball revolvers), then seat the bullet deep enough to compress the powder under the wad. A 38 special would use the .36 wads I make for Navy C&B revolvers. In 45 I use the same 255 grain cast SWC bullets as in the smokeless loads. With 38s I would plan to use either 148 WCs or the usual 158 grain SWCs.
Remember to clean the spent brass after decapping them. I do that with a Lee hand press and their universal decapping die. I dump the cases in a pail of water and use a nylon bristle brush inside and out. Only takes a few seconds per case. Rinse and let them air dry.
You know BP guns so the cleaning part won't be a problem.
Jeff
Remember to clean the spent brass after decapping them. I do that with a Lee hand press and their universal decapping die. I dump the cases in a pail of water and use a nylon bristle brush inside and out. Only takes a few seconds per case. Rinse and let them air dry.
You know BP guns so the cleaning part won't be a problem.
Jeff
whughett
Member
Like others here have said. as much 3F as the case will hold, then seat the bullet. As to lube, load the revolver then pack crisco or lard or any organic grease, heck you could use butter if you have a surplus, unsalted of course over the bullet nose in the chamber. Fire away. Messy but effective.
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