45 ACP Runs Great on BP

[Blackpowder Burn]

I know it's not historically correct, but I just had to try it.  I've gotten so addicted to black powder that I have to try to stuff it into almost everything I own in the way of firearms.  Having just purchased my first 1911 a couple of months ago, it was the next logical victim.  Somewhat to my surprise (even after reading some other experienced folks comments here) I found that it seemed to be quite happy shooting Holy Black.  I loaded 42 rounds, cause thats all the bullets I had cast up at the time and I didn't really expect it to run that long without fouling out.  In reality, it digested all 42 with no malfunctions and appeared ready to eat quite a few more.  I disassembled the gun and found the barrel and all internals "well lubed" and with very little residue in the barrel and chamber.  After one dry patch, it was almost spotless. 

I used DD's DD/PUK/ROA bullet with Pearl Lube II over 16.5 grains Goex FFFg.  Now I can't wait for our clubs Wild Bunch match next month!

[Dick Dastardly]

WOW!  Thanks for the report Aggie.

I'm learnin' that black powder can indeed run in 1911s.  Probably the only reason 45ACP ammo wasn't loaded with bp originally is that heathen fad smokeyless was all the rage by then.  You've proven, once again, that the Original Powder is truly the universal gun powder.

Good on you.

DD-DLoS

P.S. I'm also learnin' that the DD/PUK/ROA-II bullet has a very wide variety of guns that it works well in.  Since it drops big enough in diameter, I'm goin' to be trying it in 45-70 for plainsman events. . .

[Cemetery]

Black Powder in 45acp is awesome!!   

One place I shoot at in PA, when they do Wild Bunch, they have a Frontier Cartridge class.   

The boolits I recently feed through mine were loaded with FFg.  Lot's of smoke.  Lot's of flame.

Real dirty afterwards, but nothing HOT water and Ballistol couldn't fix in five minutes.

Only hassle was prepping the 1911, and cleaning all the smokeless residue out of every nook and cranny on the slide and ejector area's.

[Blackpowder Burn]

Yeah, I'm hoping that I can at last shoot fast enough that the counters won't be able to spot my misses through the fog bank! 

[Paladin UK]

Yessireee

I KNOW we got a reeeel winner here!!

My Rossi #92 just does not look like its been `out to play` even after 70 odd rds it just needs a wipe over with a moosemilked cloth `n a run through with  the ole bore snake `n shes good ta go agin!!

The Rossi really is remarkabley clean. Yep ..makes shootin a joy!!

Paladin (Whats glad ta be part of History in the making  ) UK

[Blackpowder Burn]

We now have the technology to eliminate heathen powder!  Once more we'll have the pure aroma of sulfur and charcoal in the morning and around the campfire. 

Now we need to go to SASS and insist they be truly period correct - we have to wear period clothes and shoot period guns.  Now by golly there is absolutely no reason to allow non-period propellants!! 

[Nueces]

Desperado,
Youre not really surprised are you? I believe a mutual friend was one of the ones who told you. Ive seen him do it several times. Hes been trying to get me and others to totally convert for some time now. I dont think he means our auto pistols but he makes a big deal about the ease of cleaning.

[Blackpowder Burn]

I have to admit to being somewhat surprised.  Granting best intentions, many folks do tend to exaggerate their results a tad.  I really expected the 45 ACP case to give a poor gas seal and for the chamber to foul pretty rapidly to the point that the gun would start jamming.  I'm extremely happy to find out that isn't the case.  I do think the BL bullet is a big factor.  I found a lot of lube all over the inside of the guns action.

John Browning was, indeed, a genius.

[Dick Dastardly]

All that lube really helps the gasses from getting back into the action, and when they do they are accompanied by copious quantities of hot wet lube.  Examine your brass when you pick it up and you will fine that if there's any blowback stains they are wet.  Also, your brass will corrode quicker on the inside than the outside.  That's because all the lube gets blown out with the case.  The inside of the case will be very dry while the outside may be wet where there is a blowback stain.

Now, wipe that stained outside of the brass with your thumb.  You will find that the stain wipes right off.  That's cuz the soot is encapsulated in lube.  That's the reason that I find my black powder brass easier to clean up than I do smokeyless brass.  The stains are softer and clean up easier.

Big Lube®LLC bullets aren't my invention.  I just knew a good thing when I saw it.  All that lube really helps to give a good gas seal, keeps the fouling WET all the way to the muzzle and makes cleanup a snap.

DD-DLoS

[Shotgun Franklin]

No surprise. The 1911 was designed to take the roughest, dirtiest, wettest, driest, least up keep that a weapon could stand. You can also easily learn to take everything part but the plunger tube using nothing but parts from the gun.

[Springfield Slim]

Works in my 1916 Colt Government OK.

[Blackpowder Burn]

Shot our club match with it this weekend.  5 stages, 50 rounds, zero malfunctions.  The gun was in excellent shape and ready to go another round.

It was a hoot to watch the people who "knew" it wouldn't work!  I created a category I jokingly call "Frontier Cartridge Wild Bunch".  All BP - 1911, '73 in 44-40 and '97.  Lots of smoke in a short time!

[fourfingersofdeath]

It looks like you have invented the 45 Rimless Cowboy!

[Cemetery]

Shot our club match with it this weekend.  5 stages, 50 rounds, zero malfunctions.  The gun was in excellent shape and ready to go another round.

It was a hoot to watch the people who "knew" it wouldn't work!  I created a category I jokingly call "Frontier Cartridge Wild Bunch".  All BP - 1911, '73 in 44-40 and '97.  Lots of smoke in a short time!

A few place I shot at recently had an Official FCWB class, and some folks got awards.......

[Blackpowder Burn]

Cemetary,

Now that would be cool.  Wish I could shoot with those folks.  I don't think our club is quite ready for that, however.  There are some having a difficult time just accepting Wild Bunch - they think it "ain't cowboy" and shouldn't be part of our game.  I did this mainly to mess with the mind of those folks - it was too good an opportunity to miss.  After if is shoots black powder, it must be "cowboy" - right?

[Modoc]

Aggie,

What flavor of 1911 are you using?  Has it had any modifications done to it?  I am thinking about doing this for one of our steel matches or an acutal USPSA match.  Yes, I also wear cleats, shorts and a Polo Shirt on days that I am not a Cowboy

Could you see the expression on the face of an RO who is used to the newfangled guns and smoke-LESS powder when I touched a mag's worth off?

[Blackpowder Burn]

Modoc,

I use a Springfield GI model with no modifications.  I think the key is that I use Dick Dastardly's Big Lube bullet, which carries lots of lube.  I use his DD/PUK/ROAII bullet, which is a 210 grain projectile with a huge lube groove.  I load it over 16.5 grains of Goex FFFg powder and let 'er rip.

[Springfield Slim]

I use a 1916 Colt. I use the Lyman 260 grain 454190, the original 45 Colt bullet,  lubed with my BP lube, and sized to .452.  I have tried ffg and fffg and found no difference. My gun has a relatively soft spring in it.