The Dumb Guy, with more questions, need help PLEASE

[Ace Lungger]

Doing so research but cannot find what most people shoot in thereC.&B. Revolvers, I have heard of Pyrodex, Goex, 777, B.P.
why do, people shoot subs. instead of B.P.?
Lots of diff. solvents to clean up with, Barosol, moose milk, Hopes, ect. What should I buy?
I want to buy a good nipple wrench, what do I buy?
If I am noy going to shoot alot, do I need to change the nipples to a better brand?

This is what I know, mould pure lead, I am going to use a wad, and a lube I make, I know after shooting take pistols apart, use hot soapy water, blow dry good, use what every cleaning solvent that is recomended, light lube all moving parts, readt to go?
What did I miss?

Last but not least, when casting soft lead balls, do you NOT water drop??

If no one want's to answer I understand, but could you please give me a site to go to, to learn all I can??

Thanks
ACE

[springfield]

Don't water drop, you want them to be soft. But if you are using pure lead it probably won't make anydifference anyway as it is the antimony mixed with the lead that causes it to harden.

[Dalton Masterson]

Sent ya a PM Ace!! DM

[Wills Point Pete]

 Ace, most Pards that use the subs do so because local regulations make it difficult to buy or store real black. I shoot my BP in cartridge guns, I'd lube most moving parts in something light like Ballistol and my base pin with bore butter or black powder bullet lube

You haven't asked a dumb question yet. The dumb question, when it comes to guns, is the one that does not get asked leading to personal or property damage. I think I speak for all of us when I say I'd rather slog through questions and answers than to see someone, even a total stranger (and many here are pretty durned strange) get hurt. Even if it's someone I don't like, injuries hurt a sport I love.

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

There are two reasons some shooters use Black Powder subs instead of real Black Powder. The Federal government defines real Black Powder as a true explosive. Black Powder subs are classified differently, they fall under the same classification as regular Smokeless Powder. This makes a difference in storage regulations. Storage requirements for real Black Powder are more stringent than for the subs and Smokeless Powder. Many local regulations impose much more stringent storage regulations on Black Powder than on Smokeless. Some municipalities will not allow real Black Powder to be sold at all. I have to drive over an hour to buy real Black Powder over the shelf, a guy just down the road will sell me Smokeless powder and BP subs. That's the first reason, convenience of obtaining the stuff.

The second reason is that some of the BP subs, APP and 777 in particular, do not require a special Black Powder compatible bullet lube. This means that those two powders can be used with easily available Smokeless bullets with regular Smokeless lube on them. Not all the subs are this way, Pyrodex does require BP compatible lube and cannot be used with conventional Smokeless bullets.

Almost any water based solvent is good for cleaning regular Black Powder or the subs. Hot water is probably the best Solvent ever invented for Black Powder and the subs, the difficulty with water is that you have to get it all out again, or rust will occur in the gun. This is particularly true with percussion revolvers because of the unique shape of the chambers. Percussion chambers have two different diameters, with a square shoulder between them, plus the constriction at the end where the nipples are threaded in. This geometry provides plenty of nooks and crannies for tiny drops of water to cling to. Cartridge cylinders, with their straight bored through chambers are less likely to harbor small drops of water.

One trick to overcome this is to use an oil dissolved in water. The idea is the water does the actual cleaning, and when the water evaporates the oil is left behind to form a coating on the metal to protect it from rusting. Moose Milk is just slang for Ballistol dissolved in water. Most guys mix it up at a ratio of around 1 part Ballistol to 7 parts water. Some thin it out as much as 1/10.

Ballistol is a gun lubricating and leather treatment that was developed by the Germans way back around World War I. It does a reasonable job of dissolving Black Powder residue on its own, but it is expensive to use it straight as a BP solvent, hence the idea of diluting it with water. The Ballistol never really dissolves in the water, it forms a suspension much like milk, hence the name.

Personally I use a concoction often referred to as Murphy's Mix with Black Powder. This is a mixture of Murphy's Oil Soap, Rubbing Alcohol, and drugstore Hydrogen Peroxide mixed together in equal parts. The Hyrogen Peroxide is actually mostly water, and the alcohol is about 20% water. It is the water in this mixture that does the actual cleaning. The tiny bit of peroxide in the mixture creates a little fizzing action to help lift off the fouling, the alcohol serves as a drying agent, and when the alcohol and water evaporate the oil is left behind to coat and protect the metal from rust. I buy all three components at the local supermarket, and it is cheap enough that I use it very liberally.

Lastly, it is not necessary to totally dismantle a Black Powder gun to clean it every time you shoot it. Black Powder fouling damages metal because the fouling is extremely dry. A dry caked on substance like BP fouling draws moisture in the form of water vapor out of the air. The moisture stays in the fouling, and pressed against the metal, causes rust. However, if you infuse BP fouling with an oil, the fouling looses its ability to draw water out of the air. The trick is to slop enough oil down inside the gun so that any fouling that has migrated down into the mechanism gets infused with oil. Once the fouling has been infused with oil, it becomes harmless and will not create rust. When I clean my BP guns, I use my Murphy's Mix very liberally, because it is cheap. I make sure to work some down inside the mechanism, so it will coat any fouling down inside. I follow up cleaning with Murphy's Mix with a light lubing with Ballistol. I also make sure to work some Ballistol down into the mechanism. I only completely dismantle my BP guns once a year, to clean out all the accumulated black, oily guck down inside. There is always plenty of black, oily fouling down inside. There is never any rust.

[Ace Lungger]

 :)Thanks to all for the advice!!
Driftwood Johnson, thank you so much for your explanation, that helps me a lot, I just like to do things the right way!!
You were very help full, and i have all those allready except the Ballistol and I will pick some of that up! So I take it apart light a would my 72's, turn the screw tap out the wedge take barrel off and nipples out clean cylinder barrel nipples, use some of the cleaner down around the bolt and then a little down the trigger area, all with the grips up in the air, then after dying is done, then apply a light coat of ballistol and then a little butter on the shaft the cylinders rides on! Is this right?

Thanks again for the advice
ACE

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Yer gettin' the hang of it, Ace!

One tiny caution:  Ballistol (IMO) is not a great long-term oil, used mostly for storage.  Given the right circumstances - like a de-humidified safe, Ballistol would probably serve well for YEARS, but a lot of folks don't have that option.  If you're shooting every month or so, OR are inclined to "talk to and perhaps fondle yer shootin' irons" regularly, you'll do OK, but if you have to put 'em away for a while or in the garage, basement, etc. buy some better quality oil/preservative.  BreakFree and many other products like RIG make much better oils for preserving your "toys."

Your mileage may vary.