RELOADING MANUAL For Black Powder Rifles!

[Skyrider]

Gentlemen who would you say, has the best "reloading manual" for black powder rifles? We have 2 Rolling Blocks and an 1874 Quigley model in 45/120. I am all ears to your suggestions............thank you!

[Ranch 13]

Reloading cartridges with blackpowder is a bit different than with the nitro powders, so I'm not sure any reloading manual can actually cover all the nuances a person can get into when loading for the ultra accuracy from a bpcr.
But the basic loads are quite simple, in your 3 1/4 case simply fill it with enough 1f blackpowder that when the powder with a .060 fiberwad is compressed into the case far enough that a 500+gr bullet of the proper diameter for your barrel is seated to the driving band. Large rifle primers will be fine.

[cat1870]

Gentlemen who would you say, has the best "reloading manual" for black powder rifles? We have 2 Rolling Blocks and an 1874 Quigley model in 45/120. I am all ears to your suggestions............thank you!

Try here.............

SPG, Inc • P. O . Box 1625, Cody, Wyoming, 82414 • Tel: 307 587 7621 • Fax: 307 587 7695

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

While not a manual, as such, this is a very useful precis on loading black powder cartridge ammunition;

http://www.wahsatchdesperadoes.com/Intro_to_BPCR_Loading.pdf

[PJ Hardtack]

Why re-invent the wheel?

Guys like Paul Matthews, Steve Garbe and Mike Venturino wrote the definitive books on reloading the 45-70 (and other BPCRs), smokeless or black.

All of their writings are based on 'been-there-done-that' experience and research, not conjecture or speculation.

[Ranch 13]

Why re-invent the wheel?

Guys like Paul Matthews, Steve Garbe and Mike Venturino wrote the definitive books on reloading the 45-70 (and other BPCRs), smokeless or black.

All of their writings are based on 'been-there-done-that' experience and research, not conjecture or speculation.

Alot of Matthews stuff is well off the mark, and some of it is quite an excellent way to wreck perfectly good 45-70 cases. Garbe and Venturino have both penned good articles, some of their stuff tho is pretty dated, and haven't really kept up with the learning curve many in bpcr have enguaged in, and now are fully functioning at about the same level as when there was no other but blackpowder.
Aside from that the OP's question is reguarding the 45-120 as in the 3 1/4 inch case, and there's not alot of "written" experience with that thing, and those of us that do have hands on real world use of it have had some pretty mixed results with the thing.

[sail32]

You might have a look at Mike Venturino's, " Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the Old West ". He includes the Sharps .45-110 ( 2  7/8" ).
It is the best black powder rifle reloading manual I have come across.
You might also have a look at ( http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/shooterstext.html )

[sharps4065]

Have a look at this one guide. Chuck was (don't know if he still is) very active in the BPCR silhouette game and knows (knew) what he is (was) talking about.

Go to www.ssbpcrc.co.uk and then look at the bottom of the "Gunds and Ammo" page for the downloading link.

You'll also find links to our magazine "Black Thunder" on the site. And based on the fact that all advice is worth what you pay for it there's a lot of cheap opinions and articles in them 

.....and PJ, Steve and Mike most definitely. Paul a bit doubtful.

Hold centre (and read the wind)
Clive

[PJ Hardtack]

My only problem with Paul Matthews' writings is that he's one of those that likes to load the 45-70 to sub-.458 Win Mag spec.
Some of his recommended loads are real punishers - at both ends!
I've never quite understood that. If you want a .458, buy it and load it to the hilt, or download as required.

I've dropped two moose with a 45-70 smokeless BP-equivalent load before I saw the light and switched to BP. Both dropped with well placed heart shots. More energy doesn't equate to deader than dead.

Other good books are the writings of Croft Barker. He loves the 50-70 and other large bore cartridges like the .58s.

[john boy]

Skyrider, there are 2 *.pdf files that you want to download to your computer:
Introduction to Black Powder Cartridge Loading ... http://www.ssbpcrc.co.uk/html/Resources/Introduction%20to%20BPCR%20Loading.pdf

Black Powder Load Charts ... No, these are not just for Goex powders.  They were created by Curtis's & Harvey in Great Britain and Hodgen put the charts on the Goex website ... http://www.goexpowder.com/load-chart.html

[Skyrider]

Thanks a Truckload JOHN BOY!

I did do that download and made my own file, appreciate the information.

[sulferburner]

I copied the info also, anything to help flatten the learning curv!

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Chuck Raithel's "Introduction ..." is very popular and widely available.  I see at least three sources of links to it!

I like it as it properly covers the ground without excess verbiage.

[joec]

I picked up the Lyman Black Powder Handbook & Loading Manual 2nd Edition recently. It covers cap and ball, and cartridge ammo both rifle and pistol. I picked it up for Amazon for about $17. I found it somewhat useful.