Black Powder Boys
 

I'm thinking of loading BP in my 45-70 cases for use in my 1874 Sharps. I know to use a drop tube and i made a nice one. I'm going to use 500 gr bullets and know the seating depth. However I measured out 70 gr of FFFg by volume and when trickled down the drop tube it fills the case to a point higher than how far my bullet goes in. And with a veggie wad under the bullet the powder may be compressed too much if that's possible. I might not even be able to seat the bullet far enough.

There has to be some black powder cartridge people around that give you the the real scoop.

I don't think you can compress black powder too much, however, I could change my mind if some experts tell me different.

I've been loading 45-70 cartridges with pryodex rs. The 10th edition of the Hornady reloading handbook has a recipe for an original Springfield Trapdoor and even the lowest amount nearly fills the case.

Would a gas check on your bullet instead wad give you a little more room to seat the bullet? Just a "hip-shot" idea.

my bullet is a flat base design. I can't put a gas check on it. The veggie wad is only .062" thick

The hardest part about doing anything with blackpowder is simply getting the powder. The GOEX factory owned by Hodgdon caught on fire last year and they are not going to reopen it. That means not one manufacturer of blackpowder is in America. It all has to be imported from Europe and it is very hard to find right now. I have been trying to get a pound of 4f to prime my flintlock and can't find it. I know I can use 3f but it isn't as good for priming.

Never thought I'd see a problem getting blackpowder but that is the way it is now.

I'm pretty much set with BP, Pyrodex and Alliant MZ to last the rest of my days. Too bad you're not close or I'd donate a half pound of FFFFg to you.

I think I'm gong to have to call this a wash. With my 500 gr bullets there is no way I can load them without damage to the bullet. Well not with 70 gr or even 60 gr of black powder. I might be able to do it with 50 gr but that would probably be a squib load.
When the powder is dropped down the tube it fills the case to within .3" of the case mouth. In order to achieve my max. allowable length to chamber in my Sharps I have to seat the bullet .5". Additionally I have a .060" veggie wad between the powder and bullet so I'm compressing the powder over 3/8". I didn't even check if I swelled the case by seeing if it will chamber. The ring in the ogive of the bullet is pretty sufficient and would probably affect accuracy.

My Sharps i just use loose powder. I dont need a shell casing. I could add paper patched rounds but its just too easy to drop in a lubed 475gr conical add 70 grs loose and close the breech. I found somewhat better ignition with a coarser powder.
But then im not shooting past 100 yds.
I haven't tried anything further.

Sure is fun to shoot.
Id like nothing more that smoke a bear with it.

JW

Without a case how do you ignite the powder

Yeah, but I appreciate the thought.

My dealer was all out of Goex which is what I always bought. But fortunately he got a shipment of Swiss in so I picked up 2 bottles of 1 1/2 size.I believe that granulation is similar to Goex FFg.