black powder question

[cfreeman]

I'm new to black powder shooting and I was wondering what powder do you all use in your cartridges. Do you use any black powder substitute, what works best for you? Thanks for your replies.

[rudybolla]

For .40 cal. and above I use GOEX (real BP) FFG and below .40 I use FFFG. Never liked subs much.

[vulture]

When I'm loading any of my black powder rounds I also prefer using the real stuff. Some claim the subs are easier to clean up after but having shot black powder rifles and handguns for many years now I don't mind the cleanup, my wife doesn't care for the stink in her kitchen during the Winter when I can't get outside to do my cleaning, but hey a little stink won't kill her.

[Yellowhouse]

You didn't say what caliber but Fg often proves to be as accurate if not more so and is a heckuva lot easier on the shoulder.

[cfreeman]

Sorry it's a .40 cal

[stanforth]

I shoot Rolling Blocks in 2 calibres. 43 Egyptian and 12.7X44R Swedish.
I have used Nitro, Pyrodex and Black powder.
The rolling block has to be the easiest rifle in the world to 'boil out' so that leaves nitro out.
Black Powder is the real deal. Smells nice to./
Pyrodex rots brass cartridge cases and with the cost of them over here in the UK that is out.
So..... It was made for Black Powder and that is what I use. Usually FFG as it gives a satisfying kick without spoiling acquarcy.

Flash.... Bang... Now smell the smoke....

[oldreliable45120]

I usually stick with Goex Cartridge grade for BPCR rifles. Its very simmilar to 1F black. You only listed your rifle as a "40 cal" so FFG or FG will work fine for you. FG is a little slower and softer on the shoulder than FFG. Make sure you use a quality bullet lube. I use mag primers for any load that uses more than 70 grains, hope this helps.

[Dakota7]

I shoot rolling blocks in 45-70 and 38-55 and use Swiss 1 1/2. It is very uniform and burns relatively clean.

[stanforth]

I shoot Rolling Blocks in 2 calibres. 43 Egyptian and 12.7X44R Swedish.
I have used Nitro, Pyrodex and Black powder.
The rolling block has to be the easiest rifle in the world to 'boil out' so that leaves nitro out.
Black Powder is the real deal. Smells nice to./
Pyrodex rots brass cartridge cases and with the cost of them over here in the UK that is out.
So..... It was made for Black Powder and that is what I use. Usually FFG as it gives a satisfying kick without spoiling acquarcy.

Flash.... Bang... Now smell the smoke....

Last Saturday I failed to take my own advice. I was shooting at Bisley and using smokeless ammo. 13 grns Unique. A reasonable modest load as I was shooting from a bench rest and find that black powder recoil is uncomfortabe from a benchrest.
Well, I blew one of my Swedish Rolling Blocks to peices. I had made a mistake and underloaded one cartridge leaving the bullet in the barrel. The next round destroyed the barrel. This would not happen with black powder as there is no mistake about a BP round going off... Bags of smoke and a serious recoil.

[.22-5-40]

My God Man, Are you all right! This has always been a worry to me. I don,t know if you are in any kind of mood to hear a close call but this happened to me..I was shooting an Axtel long-range Sharps 77' in .40-70 Str.(2 1/2" .30-40 Krag stretched). I was trying out a new powder...H4227..using light start loads. I was using a small tuft of Kapok..rolled out long & gently stuffed into case..but in no way compressed..bullet seating forced it rest of way into case. .030" fibre veg. wad under 300gr. bullet. At the shot..recoil felt normal..saw hole low on backer..normal as this was light load. Blew thru brl...black..pushed rod into breech..obstruction right in front of chamber. I didn't want to push what I thought was a stuck bullet all the way out that 34" brl.. and thought, as I ran rod down muzzle...perhaps that hole in backer was there all along. You wouldn't believe what came out breech.. that Kapok had compressed into a .40 wad 3/8" thick that looked for all the world like an over powder felt shotgun wad! I wanted to make sure it wasn't a fluke..and on the third round..it did it again! I quit that load right then. My question is...How did that Kapok wad end up at the breech end of a 34" barrel AFTER the bullet had left bore? I also stopped using fillers after that...and I am thinking very seriously of going to black in this one..I have been using H4895 with very good results, and no surprises but...??? I sincerely hope you wern't hurt! Let us all be careful out there!

[stanforth]

Hi .22-5-40
Thanks for your concern.
I have no ill effects whatsoever in fact my only feeling at the time was 'that felt srange'. Then I noticed that the Barrel was missing. The burst was just in front of my fingers on the forend..no injury.
I had two Swedish sporters and this was the best one. I have now removed the barrel and forend from the other gun and rebarreled the best one.
I am now back to last weel except that the barrel is now 26 inch rather than 30 inch.

[John Boy]

I'm new to black powder shooting and I was wondering what powder do you all use in your cartridges.

http://www.goexpowder.com/load-chart.html

The charts are not specific to Goex granulations. Hodgdon got the data from Nobel Industries back in the '70's. It is the best comprehensive loading data there is on the Internet