I Done, Done It Now!

Bryan Austin · August 29, 2008, 07:01:04 PM

I loaded up six 44-40 rounds with 200 grn bug lube bullets. I used my clear powder measure that I use for my Remington 1858. I poured in 36-38 grns of Pyrodex. I headed off to the woods and shot them off. They had a pretty good wallop..pretty stout kick. I liked it but noticed it seemed a bit more kick than when I shoot 8 grns of Unique. However, the kick althought lighter, did have more of a snap to it with the Unique.

I thought 8 grns of Unique is a bit high but I like to shoot as close to normal loads as the guys did back in the 1800's. Does this sound like norma results?

Cleaning was fun now that I( am getting use to it. Also, can you shoot smokeless after BP subs? Does one benifit from it? I am asking because I have several hundred rounds loaded and I would like to shoot them over time both CAS and at the range but also want to shoot BP rounds too. I know it wont hurt it, just curious about the cleaning process if ya do!

In a mnth or so I will be sending in my order for some GOEX when some Civil War guys down here order!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dick Dastardly · August 29, 2008, 08:18:25 PM

Ho Jack,

Snuggle up to the Dragon and load some of 'em 44WCF cartridges with the Original Powder, the one and only Holy Black. You will find cleanup even easier and you will really appreciate the bouquet of brimstone and the much preferred tongue of fire. Yer gettn' close, kinda like the moth and flame. Come all the way. You'll be in good company. Soon you will learn to forsake forever the heathen fad ways and live happily in the Darkside. . .

Love ya,

DD-DLoS

Wills Point Pete · August 31, 2008, 02:06:10 AM

You will feel a bit more recoil with Black, there is a lot more "stuff" coming out the muzzle. All those particles in the BP residue have mass. Weigh the powder charge of a BP (or sub) load. Everything over the eight grains of the Unique load is more recoil. That recoil DOES come slower, though. I know that the top load of Unique and a 250 grain bullet with those short grips and my Colt clones are uncomfortable in my hands if I'm not wearing gloves. With the max load of BP, as hard as I can compress it and a 250 gr bullet I get about the same velocity but it is not anywhere near as uncomfortable. YMMV on that, much depends on the grip and hand size. I can shoot the "Ruger only" loads in a full size Blackhawk with no discomfort.

I don't mess with subs much, I do sometimes shoot some smokeless after shooting black in the same gun. No harm except more leading than with black only.

Max Doolin · August 31, 2008, 02:28:21 AM

What I would do....sell the heathen smokeeless powder to a shooter that would want it after unloading those smokeeless rounds....then load em with that smokey stuff an shoot away. If you have guns like me (auto loaders) that can use the heathen powder keep it for those. Dunno why you'd shoot different loads after ya gots the gun "seasoned",..... thoughts from my saddle
ride easy !!

Bryan Austin · August 31, 2008, 07:37:52 AM

Ok, it sure does give a wolop of a kick. I like it....just didn't want to hurt the guns.

Come to think of it...I do use only 1 dram in my original Winchester 1887 and it gives a walop! I bet it really kick with a full load. With the shotgun I can really tell a difference between the kick of BP and Smokeless. More of a push than a kick.

Quote from: Wills Point Pete on August 31, 2008, 02:06:10 AM
You will feel a bit more recoil with Black, there is a lot more "stuff" coming out the muzzle. All those particles in the BP residue have mass. Weigh the powder charge of a BP (or sub) load. Everything over the eight grains of the Unique load is more recoil. That recoil DOES come slower, though. I know that the top load of Unique and a 250 grain bullet with those short grips and my Colt clones are uncomfortable in my hands if I'm not wearing gloves. With the max load of BP, as hard as I can compress it and a 250 gr bullet I get about the same velocity but it is not anywhere near as uncomfortable. YMMV on that, much depends on the grip and hand size. I can shoot the "Ruger only" loads in a full size Blackhawk with no discomfort.

I don't mess with subs much, I do sometimes shoot some smokeless after shooting black in the same gun. No harm except more leading than with black only.

Dick Dastardly · August 31, 2008, 07:40:49 AM

Good Avatar. Makes ya look young.

DD-DLoS

Ransom Gaer · August 31, 2008, 05:17:27 PM

Savvy Jack,

You can shoot smokeyless after shooting BP or subs, but in my experience I have found it more trouble than it is worth. All of my CAS guns are now seasoned for use with BP and it makes cleaning easy even using .45 Colt or Schofield in my rifles. About a year and a half ago I shot a Pistol Caliber Lever Action Silhouette match and didn't have any BP rounds loaded up for it. I wanted to use full case .45 Colt loads ( 35 grain charges) instead of what I had and no time to load any. I ended up buying some .45 Colt Cowboy loads at the store and shot those smokeyless loads. YUCK!!!

It took forever to clean that rifle and get it back to the proper condition for BP use. I will never use smokeyless in it or any of my other BP guns again. And anybody who I may let use them will also have to shoot on the Darkside.

Who knows maybe I'll turn them to the Darkside.

Ransom Gaer

Bryan Austin · August 31, 2008, 09:35:26 PM

Come to think of it. I did notice something funny when cleaning my revolver. I soaked it in hot water...well you know the routine...then I ran a wet swab throught it. Then another and it was clean. Then when I put a ballistal swab though it it turned black...then a few more it turned brown...then clean. Is this the diff between seasoned and screwing around with smokeless loads too?

Frenchie · September 01, 2008, 12:31:16 PM

Quote from: Savvy Jack on August 31, 2008, 09:35:26 PMIs this the diff between seasoned and screwing around with smokeless loads too?

I don't think so. I've cleaned my musket 'til it shines inside and out, and a couple days later I can run a clean, dry patch down the bore and it'll come out with grayish brown streaks on it. This from a bore that shines and has a thin coat of Ballistol! It's just the nature of the beast. I think a "seasoned" bore is one that has the pores and the edges of the rifling filled with carbon and that's what keeps it from rusting easily and makes clean patches show "skid marks". I haven't tried this myself, but I suspect that firing a couple of nitro loads through a cartridge gun would blow out a lot of BP fouling and make it that much easier to clean. I think I might try that sometime just to see if I might be on to something. OTOH, it might not make enough of a difference to matter.