Patches, Lubes, Bullets and Loads--Shooting the BPCR

[Powderman]

Hey, all--for everyone who has succumbed to the urge to feel the thunder--and I do mean THUNDER--of a brass case stuffed with good old black powder, this thread is for you!

Let's share recipes, loads, techniques, or whatever you have. I am still a relative novice at the sport, but I love the boom of a Sharps rifle.

Specifically for two of our members--Roadkinglarry and mlrm1, who posted elsewhere, are answers for your questions. I use SPG lube for my grease grooved bullets, both for bullet lube and for grease cookies. For paper patching, I use Rooster Jacket; neat, not diluted in any way. Once I got the hang of it, paper patching is easy--plus, just having those big cartridges out on your bench draws some looks!

So, let's share some stuff about charcoal burning, eh?

[RoadkingLarry]

I've been relaoding for about 25 years, casting my own for about 10 years and playing with chracoal burning front stuffers for about 10 years. So my initial thought was loading BP cartridges was no big deal, till I got to researching it.
I ordered 2 molds to work with on this effort.
Lyman 457125 (500 gr) and 457643 (400 gr).
I've got plenty of BP on hand to start with so with the other needed bits and peices I got the next step is to cast up some bullets, hopefully I can start on that tomorrow.
I'll be starting out with Lyman BP gold bullet lube so I'll see how that works.

[mlr1m]

I'm a rookie too.
For paper patching I have a couple molds both at .442 when wrapped they are right at .450 and can be loaded well into the rifling. This allows you to fill the case with much more powder than you could if seating only into the lands.To do this you must wipe between shots to be able to get the next round in.
I have some rooster jacket but have not tried it yet. I just wrap the bullet with damp paper and set it aside to let it dry. I them put the wrapped bullets in an old Styrofoam 45 acp box i find at the range. I take the loaded cases and bullets in different boxes and load the bullet when im ready to shoot it. The bullet is a snug fit in the case with no sizing at all. That is for my Shiloh 45-90. It has a very tight chamber and needs no sizing dies at all.

My Pedersoli sharp in 40-65 is not so tight. It requires that I atleast resize the neck.

As I said earlier in other post I use DGL lube when using greasers.

Michael

[Powderman]

Roadkinglarry...

Tell me how that Lyman 457125 works for you. I have the same mold, but the bullets won't shoot worth beans in my rifle. I had to go to a Saeco round nose mold for best results.

[RoadkingLarry]

After I ordered it (of course) I started seeing complaints that Lyman's quality issues are turning out undesized molds. I'll let you know how it casts.
You'd think that if anyone would know that a tiny bit over sized is way better than a tiny bit under sized in a cast bullet it would be Lyman.

[Powderman]

I don't know about the quality control, but my problem was trying to make a .457 bullet shoot in a .458 bore. Now, I cast my Saeco bullets, dip-lube them, then run them through a die. I contacted Lee (great folks!) and they made one of their push through sizers for me in .460. I wanted something to clean the excess lube off without touching the bullet--and it works very well indeed.

Now, if I could get that same spitzer design in a .459 diameter, as cast, I would be in tall cotton. I'd love to see the performance of that bullet in the proper size.

[mlr1m]

My 45 cal greaser molds are all .459. I have a couple custom molds that are a dream to cast with. They are perfectly round which most mass produced ones are not. The makers will ask you what alloy you will be using and what diameter you wish the bullet to come out at. I specified .459 using 30-1 alloy for my greasers.

Look at Paul Jones and Brooks for molds made to your specifications. They cost a bit more but are well worth it. If paper patching you can find the paper you want to use and then have a mold made that will give you the finished combined size you want. Its actually easier to do that than it is to find quality paper to match the bullet you have.
Also look at BACO for molds. There are making some good ones. (Buffalo Arms)
If either one of you could invent a cheap way to stamp out the proper patches in bulk for me i'd appreciate it. Thats one job I hate is cutting my patches.

I bought my paper here.
http://www.thepapermillstore.com/
Very cheap bought 500 sheets. LOL should last me a lifetime.

Michael

[mlr1m]

Custom Molds.
Paul Jones
http://www.pauljonesmoulds.com/

Brooks Molds
http://www.brooksmoulds.com/

Not custom but great quality molds
http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/2,306.html

Paper
The Paper Mill Store
http://www.thepapermillstore.com/

Michael

[Powderman]

Yup. BACO is where I buy all my supplies. I got my molds there as well--the Saeco molds are semi custom, in that they are cut to the .459 diameter. You've probably noted that BACO sells Saeco molds, cut in .001 increments.

[PawPaw]

Junior Doughty started playing with lubes and stumbled across an old recipe used by the Sharps guys in the late 1800s. He modified it for modern materials and turned it into a fine lube for BP cartridges.

LINKY

Be careful to put a grease cookie between the powder and bullet. I'm not sure why it works, but I found that my Sharps won't shoot groups at all without one.

[RoadkingLarry]

Managed to cast up a pile of the 457125 bullet yesterday.
Decided to sort by weight. That ain't gonna work with my scale. It only goes to 509.9 and the bullets were considerably heavier than that. The Lyman mold cast a nice bullet but out of my alloy it may end up being a tad undersized, my .459 sizer dye just mostly didn't touch it. I'll still load a few up and see how they do.
I suspect that if I had used something closer to Lyman's #2 alloy they would have been lighter and a bit fatter. I will try adding a little tin the next batch of alloy I work up. What I was using was pretty much dead soft lead that I use to cast round balls for my flintlock.

[Powderman]

Yep. That Lyman mold throws a .457 bullet, as cast. Same problem I was having!

[mlr1m]

There are a number of places that make nice bullets for these type rifles. You can order them in .001 increments for a few of them. That is a good way to try different bullet types before buying a mold.
They come pre-lubed with SPG or other black powder lubes.

Michael

Edit: after looking at some of the online suppliers it seems many have gone out of business in the last couple years. Others have cut back on their offerings. We might need to look for new suppliers.

[RaiderANV]

Yeppers,,,it's fun shootin' these toyz and if'n yer hooked ya need to check out the N-SSA North-South Skirmish Assoc. at www.n-ssa.org

BUT BE WARNED!!!! It's HIGHLY ADDICTIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RoadkingLarry]

Worked up 10 rounds to try in my new rifle.
Using the Lyman 457125 bullet lubed with Lyman Blackpowder Gold Lube and Goex 2F powder. 5 rounds with 60 gr (by volume) with bullets seated on the slightly compressed charge and 5 with 70 gr which I with a compressed charge set the bullet just to the rifling.

Fouling wasn't too bad and while I did have some detectable leading it wasn't as bad as I was afraid would happen with the bullet being a little undersized for the bore.

50 yd groups were "fist sized" and some of that is my fault and not using a particularly solid rest.

Over all I am encouraged. Recoil was less than I expected even with the 70 gr load and it is perfectly manageable.

The 457125 bullets weighed in at approx. 527 gr. I determined this by using a set of side cutters to cut the slug in half so I could weigh them on my scale.

[mlr1m]

I did have some detectable leading

What do you use to get the lead out?
I have been using Kroil penetrating oil or pure gum turpentine. Both work quite well. Kroil is a thinner penetrating type oil that most i've seen.
I wet the bore with a loose patch then go back with a very tight fitting patch.

Michael

[RoadkingLarry]

It was very minor and so far as I can tell it all came out on a tight patch with a little Kroil on it.

I have extensive experience with removing lead from barrels, my earliest efforts with cast bullets was very educational.
For severe leading I have found that a several strands from a copper Chore Boy scouring pad wrapped around a brush to make a tight fit will do the job faster than anything else I have tried.

[mlr1m]

For severe leading I have found that a several strands from a copper Chore Boy scouring pad wrapped around a brush to make a tight fit will do the job faster than anything else I have tried.

I have been looking for some of that Chore Boy brand pads. The the "copper" pads I found rusted. Seems they were steel based pads with a light copper coating.

Michael

[RoadkingLarry]

I use a magnet to test them. I'm pretty sure Wally World carries them. The ones at Dollar general are copper plated. If you've got a Harps in your area the one by me carries them as well.