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45/70 BP substitute
Blckhrn
Member Posts: 5,136
Any recommendations? Anybody here load BP cartridge?
Comments
I try to encourage folks to use the real stuff. It is easy to clean and generally gives superior accuracy when compared to replacement powders. It is also less expensive. Graf and Sons sells their "house brand" that is very high quality powder and reasonably priced. They have a low minimum order and free shipping. Of course you have to pay the $20 HazMat fee on whatever quantity you order, but when you order four pounds or more, it comes in cheaper than any of the faux powders. The main difference you'll notice when shooting real BP is the need for non-petroleum lubes, both in the action and on the bullets.
If you cast your own slugs, it's easy enough to pan-lube your bullets in either SPG, Lyman Black Powder Gold, or a home brewed lube. (I use a combination of beeswax and Crisco.) If you use 777, APP, or Pinnacle, you can use commercial "crayon"-lubed bullets. Several companies offer BP lubed bullets, so it's no problem to find pre-cast bullets if you don't cast.
Hope some of this helps...don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions about BP cartridge loading. I do quite a bit of it and know a few of the top Quigley Match shooters, so I can ask some real experts if I don't know the answer.
[:D]
For a BP sub, I'd recommend the new Pinnacle by Goex. It is very similar to American Pioneer Powder, which is one of the best subs...the only thing is that APP is on the wimpy side. Hodgdon 777 is also good, but is substantially warmer than real BP. The one product I recommend you avoid is Pyrodex. It is the worst corroder of guns I've ever seen. All of the substitues will give larger extreme spreads than Goex, Grafs, or Swiss black powder. But out of those subs I listed, Pinnacle seems to be the best compromise between cleanliness, uniformity, and similarity in velocity to the real deal.
I try to encourage folks to use the real stuff. It is easy to clean and generally gives superior accuracy when compared to replacement powders. It is also less expensive. Graf and Sons sells their "house brand" that is very high quality powder and reasonably priced. They have a low minimum order and free shipping. Of course you have to pay the $20 HazMat fee on whatever quantity you order, but when you order four pounds or more, it comes in cheaper than any of the faux powders. The main difference you'll notice when shooting real BP is the need for non-petroleum lubes, both in the action and on the bullets.
If you cast your own slugs, it's easy enough to pan-lube your bullets in either SPG, Lyman Black Powder Gold, or a home brewed lube. (I use a combination of beeswax and Crisco.) If you use 777, APP, or Pinnacle, you can use commercial "crayon"-lubed bullets. Several companies offer BP lubed bullets, so it's no problem to find pre-cast bullets if you don't cast.
Hope some of this helps...don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions about BP cartridge loading. I do quite a bit of it and know a few of the top Quigley Match shooters, so I can ask some real experts if I don't know the answer.
[:D]
I'm hip to the above. I'm not looking for real accuracy right now and have always advocated for real BP although I've never tried the Swiss. My FFL wants to shoot a couple rifles I have and for some reason doesn't like BP. I've always shot Goex.
Do the substitutes need fillers like BP?
Hope that helps, pard.
[:D]
One more question:
Are there different consistencies of the subs that correspond with Fg, FFg, Cart, etc?
As to granulations, Pyrodex RS is comparable to 2F, and Pyrodex P is equivalent to 3F. Hodgdon 777, APP, and Goex Pinnacle all use the "F" granulation designation, same as real BP. (And FWIW, Goex now has a "Cowboy" granulation of real BP that falls between 2F and 3F and has extra glazing. It was designed specifically for pistol calibers and shotshell loads in Cowboy Action Shooting and burns a little cleaner than the regular Goex.)
[:D]