Its personal preference, like reloading anything else, different guns like different stuff. This is definately a reloaders pass time, you will be trying all sorts of ideas. You will forever be experimenting with new combinations, its getting to such an extent that Im thinking of getting a pedersoli gibbs, just so I can eliminate using a reloading press before I take a shot with a new combination!
The ASSRA and shiloh forums are probably your best source for loads and ideas. Guys there are doing some neat fiddling with different loads rather then just staying with how people loaded shells 20 years ago and theres alot of experienced people there doing alot of experimenting, rather then the usual rehashing from people who just repeat what they read on the web. Its were I got the idea to try the more heavily compressed FFFg and the underprimer wad. Cast boolits was another good source. The only book I can recommend is Paul Mathews "40 years with the 45-70" his other books are basically all reitterations of what he what he wrote in that book.
Dont be afraid to experiment, thats how guys are coming up with some very neat ideas on wad materials, primer types, bullet shapes, lubes, seating depths and other stiff. Alot of guys are using large pistol primers in their loads, its something Im going to try out next. Some are also using vaseline as a component of their bullet lube with good results, which flies in the face of the usual mantra of "dont use petroleum products for black powder lube".
Your BP lube is easily home made, theres no reason to buy it, heres some recipes.
http://www.bpcr.net/index-a.htm
A drop tube is a funnel attached to a long skinny pipe again you can probably find the stuff to make one around your house, when I do use a drop tube (not very often), mines made from that skinny copper tubing at home hardware and a little machined funnel I turned up. My wad punch is made from an old drilled out arc punch I found in the junk drawer.
You really will need wad material thats worth reading up on.
The underprimer wad idea was actually a "lifesaver" for me, because I was experiencing failure to fire from about half the shells I loaded, sure enough powder was trickling through the flash hole and causing me grief, the wad eliminated the failure to fire with the FFFg. Again it was very hard for me to accept a peice of paper between the primer and the powder was a good idea, but it works excellent. If it wasn't for those other guys new ideas, I probably would have given this up a long time ago.
Who makes a soule sight for the buffalo classic?
