Glass vials for individual BP charges

Whoa, nothing personal Tac. Rules and myself have never seen eye to eye as it were, that's all. We compete in line as well, and when competing even "I" have to follow the rules (no matter how moronic "I" think they are.)

Having said that, I don't believe I'm alone {here} in enjoying doing what I like, when I like, with whatever I like {within legal reasoning...more absurdity.}.

Hence the last line of my post.

tac
 
^ I believe so Deckhead, but it may depend on the Competition/game. For instance, in timed shoots someone using predetermined pellets would have a clear and undeniable advantage over the others who are metering their charge (that's what the vials are about in actuality), so I wouldn't be surprised to learn "no substitutes" rules for that type of game. Marksmanship with no clock or a long period allowed, I wouldn't see you having any advantage using pellets over BP. In my eyes you'd be fine there.
 
I use range brass as charge containers. You'll want something that is too big to lose down your bore.
You can get plastic caps to close them from your local hardware: end caps for wire storage shelves.
My personal fav are the various WSSM calibers. You might also want to solder wire loops into the primer pockets so as to attach a lanyard.
 
You can order Pyrex test tubes from any lab supply store or Ebay or Amazon. They come in all shapes and sizes and usually include a natural rubber stopper.

example: h ttp://www.amazon.ca/10-Pack-20x150mm-Rubber-Stoppers/dp/B004P4OB4S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1419788290&sr=8-2&keywords=pyrex+test+tubes

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You can order them with plastic stands as well if that helps.

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What about those paper penny tubes for rolling your change? If you glued a penny in the bottom or whatever, you could fill the tube up and twist it or seal it with a plug or what have you.
Perhaps the penny roller that come as just a strip of paper also. It could be rolled to a custom diameter.

Those clear, snap close plastic ones maybe.. If you glue them shut then snip one end to fill.. then plug it up with??

just a thought. I don't shoot BP regularly... but I love a puzzle :)
 
^ I believe so Deckhead, but it may depend on the Competition/game. For instance, in timed shoots someone using predetermined pellets would have a clear and undeniable advantage over the others who are metering their charge (that's what the vials are about in actuality), so I wouldn't be surprised to learn "no substitutes" rules for that type of game. Marksmanship with no clock or a long period allowed, I wouldn't see you having any advantage using pellets over BP. In my eyes you'd be fine there.
My thoughts exactly !!......if you watch the completion shooters insert those long tubed funnels (to insure powder gets to bottom ) then pour a vial and pull tube back out !! Drop 2 pellets and your done !??
 
In a club-managed competition where anything goes, I guess you could use pellets in a non-BP shoot, since they are not actually BP pellets. The only amount of BP they MIGHT have in them is a small amound in the middle, so that the IN-LINE flash of the #209 primer in your in-line rifle can set the thing off.

Pellets and flintlocks don'e usually mix well, if at all - even some percussion guns don't like them.

However, in the real world, in-line BP arms and flintlocks/side-locks don't have a place together on the firing line of any competition I've ever heard of. Perhaps somebody would enlighten me here, please.

tac
 
In a club-managed competition where anything goes, I guess you could use pellets in a non-BP shoot, since they are not actually BP pellets. The only amount of BP they MIGHT have in them is a small amound in the middle, so that the IN-LINE flash of the #209 primer in your in-line rifle can set the thing off.

Pellets and flintlocks don'e usually mix well, if at all - even some percussion guns don't like them.

However, in the real world, in-line BP arms and flintlocks/side-locks don't have a place together on the firing line of any competition I've ever heard of. Perhaps somebody would enlighten me here, please.

tac
I somewhat agree......I'm not an inline shooter and my beautiful Investarms Italian made Hawkens percussion cap rifle is really picky about black powder ! as well as my repro Kentucky flinter. BUT.....my Traditions Pennsylvania "Pellet" flinter.....LOVES pellets and shoots best with them as opposed to powder or 777.
 
My thoughts exactly !!......if you watch the completion shooters insert those long tubed funnels (to insure powder gets to bottom ) then pour a vial and pull tube back out !! Drop 2 pellets and your done !??

Some problems with using pellets in a Gibbs rifle;
1. The substitutes don't ignite easily enough for a Gibbs, or similar LRML rifle. Because of the increased pressure caused by the 90-100 grain charges, combined with the 500+ grain bullets, we have to use platinum lined nipples, with a very small aperture. Otherwise, the backpressure will blow the hammer back to half, or even full #### (imagine all of the hot gas blowing back in your face). Regular nipples burn out quickly. Now, finally, to the point...the small aperture of the nipple, combined with the long flash channel, make it challenging to get reliable ignition, even with black powder. Any departure from proven loading procedures result in lots of misfires, or hang fires. I have not used pellets, but I since they were developed for the inline industry, I assume that ignition was not a big concern in their development. I could be wrong about that...
2. The Gibbs rifle has a chamber at the breech, which is smaller in diameter than the bore. I am unfamiliar with pellets and their dimensions, but it would be a happy coincidence if they actually fit the chamber.
3. You can't fine tune your charge with pellets.
4. Some competitions do not allow substitutes. The US NMLRA, for example, specifically disallows substitute powder. I have no knowledge that the Maple Leaf, or Dominion of Canada organisations do or don't, but I have not seen any mention in their rules posted on line.

I use a long brass funnel, as you mention, and pre-measured charges, and I don't see the problem. Part of what I enjoy about LRML shooting is the attention to detail. It is quite remarkable the difference that small things make, and because we load each shot on the line, we get instant gratification for our efforts, unlike cartridge rifle shooters, who labour away for hours in the dark basement, then go to the range, sometimes waiting hours or days to discover the difference a 5 grain increase in powder charge makes. Understand that the odd things that precision ML shooters do are a product of long experience. Many of the procedures were developed a century and a half ago, and remain in use today, because they work. The Brits, Irish, and Yanks were shooting ML rifles at ranges out to 1200 yards and beyond in the 1850's, and some of us "eccentrics" are still trying today. I totally understand, though, that LRML is not for everyone, but for some, it is an addiction. I know that some of you understand.
 
Hi Glen , I bought mine from Joe Hepsworth from J.Cunard Co. but since he has passed the family might have closed out the shop. I bought platinum lined nipples,for my PH Whitworth and Volunteer and he was a great source of info for long range muzzle loaders.
Lee Shaver also is a great guy to talk with and had family here in Manitoba he shoots the gibbs at long range matches across the world including Conaught Canadian source might be http://hemkund.com they sell glass vials with cork stoppers .
 
Some problems with using pellets in a Gibbs rifle; and etc....4. Some competitions do not allow substitutes. The US NMLRA, for example, specifically disallows substitute powder. I have no knowledge that the Maple Leaf, or Dominion of Canada organisations do or don't, but I have not seen any mention in their rules posted on line.

Good post Mr Easyrider - and one that adds emphasis to my points.

And for everybody else, the numerous national muzzle-loading associations - US, UK, Canada, ALL of Europe call their bullet fuel black powder. They specifically do NOT permit any form of method of sending the bullet/ball out of the barrel that uses any form of substitute, as a look at the RULES of the MLAIC show. The UK 'chapter' of the international club, the Muzzle Loading Association of Great Britain, expressly prohibits the use of anything except black powder, in the spirit in which the association was set up to replicate those early days of organised shooting in the UK and former empire.

And BTW, the Gibbs rifle, like many of its ilk, has what is called a reduced volume or 'Patent Breech', often called a 'high pressure breech', so a .44cal pellet or two or three will therefore NOT fill this space and WILL leave an air gap about 1.5 - 2" long behind them in the empty part of the chamber.

Sooooooooooooooo, always supposing that somehow you MIGHT just manage to ignite the charge, it will not be going off in a rifle, but in a pipe bomb.

Just sayin'.

tac
 
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I use small plastic vials, eBay is a good place to find them. In MLAIC competitions the use of black powder is mandatory. However in practice thats up to you. Vials for powder and filler (eg cream of wheat) makes loading a lot faster.


Brian
 
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Tacfoley, would you like a picture of the ones that Buffalo Arms sells? I mostly use them for the .32-40 and .38-55. 45 grains of Swiss 1.5 fills them up about 1/3 of the way so there is plenty of room for larger charges. If you want I can fill them with Goex Fg and FFg to see how much they actually hold.

Is there much LRML going on in Canada? It looks like a fun game.

Chris.
 
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Is there much LRML going on in Canada? It looks like a fun game. Chris.[/QUOTE said:
Hi, Chris. The only LRML competition I can find in Canada is the Dominion of Canada Rifle Assoc. competition at the Connaught range in Nepean, Ontario. Oh, and off my back deck near Clanwilliam, Manitoba, of course. It seems that LRML is not a widely popular sport, perhaps partly due to the lack of 1000 yard ranges. I don't know if you have any in BC, but there is a 600 yard one, in Nanaimo. In my experience, 600 yards will be far enough for the first year or two. Lol. One f my goals is to shoot at Connaught, but I have some practicing to do. Don't want to go and embarrass myself.

Glen
 
Try the dollar store - I bought 4 packs of 12 plastic vials for $4.97 that hold a 77 gr charge perfectly. They also had small corked glass vials but they looked a little small to my eye.
 
Tacfoley, would you like a picture of the ones that Buffalo Arms sells? I mostly use them for the .32-40 and .38-55. 45 grains of Swiss 1.5 fills them up about 1/3 of the way so there is plenty of room for larger charges. If you want I can fill them with Goex Fg and FFg to see how much they actually hold.

Is there much LRML going on in Canada? It looks like a fun game.

Chris.


Mornin', Chris, from a frozen-over East Anglia [-4C here, and for UK that's considered 'cold' [s######]]. Thanks for the offer of pics, but I'm not the one who needs any,, having around fifty or so of three different sizes of vial/phials from a pharmaceutical company based in nearby Cambridge. I only have three BP firearms, and the three different sizes make up the charges for each.

Best to you and all CGN-ers for 2015!

tac, off shooting at 10am.
 
Sorry Tacfoley, I confused you with Easyrider. It was a balmy -1 at the range this morning here on the wet coast of British Columbia so it's not too cold here either.

Easyrider, I would like to shoot at Ottawa too. Just to shoot with guys like Dave Gullo and Frank Monikowski. I think there is a lot to be learned.

How do you find the Pedersoli Gibbs rifle for accuracy? I was reading a little about it recently in a back issue of the Black Powder Cartridge News.

I think if I ever get into muzzleloading I'd want to buy one of the old slug guns like they used to shoot in the old National Rifle Club matches. I was looking at a very heavy Billinghurst match rifle a while ago, but it was set up for picket bullets and I'd rather go with a cross patched setup.

I would recommend going the match even if you think you are not quite ready. I put off shooting at the Heffley Creek silhouette and long range gong matches for years because I felt like waiting until I was just a little bit better. I'm glad I started to go. I'm going to a schuetzen match this spring in Tacoma and I'm definitely not ready yet :).

Chris.
 
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