Is there a Black powder shooter in the house

[beekeeper]

I finally got a copy of the lyman cast bullet reloading Manual.
Bought it hoping to find data on a couple of old BP cartridge rifles I have.
In the Manual Mike Venturino calls for 85 grains (by volume) of FFG Goex BP in a 43 Mauser case.
I don't have a BP thrower so I used my Lee dippers and it is impossible to get 85 grains in a 43 mauser case no matter how much compression you use and still seat a bullet.
So either I am doing it the wrong way or Venterino is wrong.
The conversion table I use is 85 grains of FFG Goex is 5.63 cc in a Lee dipper.

Does anyone have a better conversion table (say volume to weight) that I can use?


beekeeper

[kodiak1]

43 Mauser and 44-77 about the same size brass?
If so i don't think they would hold over about 75 grains I don't have a 43 but i do have a 44-77and I use my measure for my front stuffer.
The spoons may be giving you grains by weight not volume as they are designed for smokeless in my thinking.

Ken.

[beekeeper]

kodiak1,
75 is what I have been able to get in the case but to seat the bullet I have to compress the powder about 300 thousanths.
Is that too much?
Have never compressed black before so am unsure.
The darn thing shoots good with 65 grains and little or no compression and that is the reason I was questioning Venturinos table.

The lee dippers are in cc and the conversion table with them has black powder listed.
The 5.63 cc is a direct conversion but you have to use a couple of dippers to do it.
65 grains can be done with only one dipper.

This black powder sure is confusing for an old smokeless shooter as everyone has a diferent way of doing it.

beekeeper

[Tom W.]

mlventurino@imt.net
Here's his e-mail... ask him.

[fryboy]

black should be compressed period , many use long ( i mean loooong ) drop tubes to help do this , some use their vibratory tumbler to help settle the powder in , another aspect to consider is that in ye olde days brass was thinner and balloon headed - this left more space in the case for the charge and also possible is that some cases are thinner/thicker than others ( personally i've been using more triple 7 lately as it's easier for me to find around here )

[beekeeper]

Tom W,
I tried that once.
Seems he doesn't answer questions sent to him!
Him being the expert you know.


beekeeper

[kodiak1]

beekeeper if you are running it through a drop tube or not I personally don't think you are going to get that much compression.
You will start crushing the heck out of the powder or the cases will bulge on you.
If you want to seat the bullet in say 1/4 of an inch and you have drop tubed the powder take that desired room (of powder) out of the case give it a measure what you have in the cartridge now. Re drop it and give it a light compression and see where you are at.
To me .300 is quite a bit to compress, maybe I am just a scareddy cat but it sure seems like a lot.

Good Luck Ken

[firefly 1957]

In my 50 3 1/4 sharps I can get 150 grs of powder in case under bullet with use of 36" drop tube without drop tube it only takes 110 grs of powder that is FG. You need to use about 40 lbs. to compress powder if properly loaded it will not compress much.

[Tom W.]

Tom W,
I tried that once.
Seems he doesn't answer questions sent to him!
Him being the expert you know.


beekeeper

Sorry to hear that, It worked for me... and his response was very nice...