Loading BPCR......couple of questions?

Pickles

Pickles

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So I've decided after owning my 45-70 Sharps for a couple of years I better get shooting it.:redface:

I have Goex FFg and FFFg on hand, powder compressing die, 24" drop tube, and 45 cal 0.030" and 0.060" poly wads along with some 500 grain 20:1 bullets.

So my questions are:

How does one "weigh" a powder charge? Looking through a few books I have on hand it appears to be a volumetric charge? I've read to fill up the case with powder and accounting for the wad and bullet to have no powder space?
Any correlation between volumetric and weight?:confused:

In hindsight not sure why I bought the poly wads? It appears vegetable fibre wads are used to aid in lubrication? Any harm in using the poly wads until I pick up some veg wads?

Thanks in advance......more questions to come:)
 
I'm not a competition BPCR shooter, but I do shoot a Sharps regularly for sport and occasionally SASS sidematches. You're correct that black powder is often measured by volume, not weight. I don't think it would be hard to find a weight correlation if you wanted to, simply find a volume that shoots well and weigh the charge. I use a pre-sized brass dipper to measure out my fffg loads, so as to keep things reasonably consistent and of course remove the possibility for static discharge. As for the amount of powder, it's important to make sure you compress the powder charge a bit so that there's for sure no air gap, you would be surprised how much it will squish in there. I'm shooting 510 grain Spire points over about 60 grains of fffg and it compresses nicely with no wad. The bullet I'm primarily using has three big lube grooves I fill with grease. Neither accuracy nor cleanup has yet to be an issue for me,so I've never worried about a wad. YMMV.
 
I measure my powder by volume. I use a Lyman 55 black powder measure and often double check the throws with a muzzleloader powder measure. I have found that powder measured on a scale is not always consistent volume wise. My chronograph confirms this as well. I get more accurate rounds by using the Lyman 55. I also use a drop tube to start the compression.
 
If you are shooting short range 200-300 or so, then loading by volume with a powder measure will show just as good accuracy as weighed charges. For competition I weigh my charges. It will matter by 500, and very definitely at 1000.

A few guys I know from down south keep track of the volume of their weighed charges. When they switch powder lots they find the weight that corresponds to the same charge volume they used to use. Then they weigh with that new weight.

The LDPE wads are very good.

Chris.
 
google Belding and Mull visible powder measures or search Montana Vintage Arms website to see what everyone in the black powder silhouette is using for a powder measure
 
Some guys will full length resize the cases. some will neck size. some will not resize at all. Without resizing, the loaded billet needs to touch the rifling to provide resistance and more efficient combustion of powder.

In my Pedersoli 1874 I use 70 gr weighed of Goex FF drop tubed, Win cases fire formed, .060 veggie wad, Postell 530 gr bullet of 30:1 mix, enough powder compression for bullet to just engrave on rifling.
 
cdnrokon said:
google Belding and Mull visible powder measures or search Montana Vintage Arms website to see what everyone in the black powder silhouette is using for a powder measure
Click to expand...

Good advice! I have been using a Harrel's precision black powder measure which is very good. I recently bought an MVA measure and like it even more. It is an excellent piece of equipment. If I had only one measure it'd be the MVA one.

Chris.
 
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