Using Dacron in black powder cartridges

[Reloadin Dan]

I have been on a quest to create a BP 6.5 cartridge. I loaded some blanks with good results. 20 gains as a test with quite a bit of Dacron. Once fired the Dacron shot out of the barrel with a good amount of gas. I foolishly shot it in side the house with the muzzle pointing twords the toilet bowl. At first I thought I damaged the porcelain toilet. Lucky I did not.

Question I have is is it safe to have the charge under the Dacron with the bullet seated on top? If so how dense should I pack the Dacron from light and fluffy to compressed? Tia.

[River City John]

Are you sure melting polyethylene terephthalate doesn't create an unhealthy chemical pollutant with the added benefits of being a carcinogen?

Why not good old cream 'o' wheat?

[Reloadin Dan]

No it's pillow stuffing. Cream of wheat won't really work in a bottle neck cartridge.

[pony express]

I would think that the dacron fluff, over black powder, would be no different than air space over BP. Cream of wheat, corn meal, etc isn't compressible, I don't know if you can compress the dacron enough to get rid of the air space.

[Reloadin Dan]

If I use a powder charge with Dacron as a separator and then fill the rest of the case with cornmeal or cream of wheat that would work thanks guys for helping me think it through.

[Cap'n Redneck]

I would suggest sesame seeds as a filler, since they contain about 50% oil.  No Dacron needed.

[Coffinmaker]

  R Dan 

Well, after ROFLMAO at the mind picture of setting off a BP blank in the Bathroom, I have to share that your efforts with a Bottle Neck rifle case may not yield really great results.  Dacron as a filler will leave "air space" no matter what way you load it.  Hopefully, your not trying to load BP in a 6.5 gas fired semi-auto.

Play Safe Out There

[dusty texian]

If you discharge a Bp. blank into the toilet around here , you better holler      Fire In The Hole    !!!!!! ,,,,DT

[Professor Marvel]

As moderator I would be remiss if I did not point out to our dear readers the following ....  issues

1) Loading BP in bottleneck cartridges  genaerally generalllly often leads to a less than desirable outcome

2) Setting off BP indoors is a definite no-no ... not even a "blank" ....
    between the smoke, the stink and the fire hazard .....
    as our intrepid Original Poster learned firsthand...
    luckily the toilet survived

3) Any fluffy plastic fibers as spacers in BP cartridges is also undesirable as pointed out by our other esteemed Hivernaughts.

I would like to offer the opinion that almost any other smokeless powder would provide a more harmonious outcome.
The long established "light load" of 9-10 grains of unique under a standard lead bullet of 130-180 gr weight is a long time
favorite gallery load that will still take small game.



yhs
prof marvel

[Reloadin Dan]

Thank you so much for all the replies and yes the toilet and I did survive. I enjoy the smell of black powder and it was a very small charge however you are absolutely correct letting off a blank especially black powder inside is not a good idea.

I'm attempting to do the carcano cartridge in black powder. I would like to run these first through my Calvary moschetto it's got a shorter barrel. That way I'm less likely to get a squib load or bullet stuck in the barrel however the verbage goes.

And no definitely wouldn't run this through a semi-automatic action this is for a old bolt action. Unique or h4895 can be reduced safely up to 60% of minimum load data. That would be absolutely ideal however given the current powder shortage and the vast applications of h4895 it's nowhere to be found.

Which has led my mind to creative alternatives. I plan to shoot once and swab the barrel like a muzzleloader. I have h 335 however that stuff is definitely not safe to run at below minimum published loads. I also have a big tub of Winchester 760 also a ball powder not safe to run under minimum loads.

[Professor Marvel]

Ah, well, since you do have Win760 may I offer the following:

Hornady's 6th Edition lists Win760 for their 160gr .267" RN bullets.(#2676)
Starting Load: 35.0gr @ 2000fps
Max Load: 39.6gr @ 2200fps

hope this helps
prf mumbles

[cpt dan blodgett]

I have been shooting 10 grains A2 in 3040 krag under 210 grain pills and 11 grains from a 30-06  with same bullets for GAF musters