You should make this guide your go to guide. It covers it all. Been using it for a while.

In my case I load for my Trapdoor .45-70 and H&R 1871 .38-55. I started doing so for the Trapdoor because it is an original and I didn't want to destroy it. As to the H&R, I just fell in love with the idea of loading BP and enjoyed shooting it.

If I was loading a cartridge for hunting whitetail deer, I would load the powder to the top of the case and then use my case cleaner to vibrate the powder down inside the case, or use a drop tube and then load the bullet. The vibration actually moves the powder down into the case and anything that gives off any vibration will work for this.

This will compress the charge some and give you just a little more umph to the cartridge. Good luck.