40-82-260

45-90-300

50-110-300

Using lead--what would be a safe starting load?  Bill

Zebulon said
Steve,  I'm struggling with this editor for some reason. Thanks very much for your advice. I just got in Lyman's cast bullet handbook and am going to order the black powder book you suggest.
I do have one question - where do you get black powder right now? Nobody local seems to have any? 
I just inherited a boatload of various canisters of smokeless and bought 3 pounds of RL-7, so I'm probably going to use up some of all that before trying the black stuff. But, in time, I've got to experience it.  
  

I have been purchasing my powder from this company, as they seem to have the best selection in stock - Shop – All Powder Shop

I just ordered another 4-lb jug of IMR 4198 from them.

Bert

I do have one question - where do you get black powder right now? Nobody local seems to have any? 

I just inherited a boatload of various canisters of smokeless and bought 3 pounds of RL-7, so I'm probably going to use up some of all that before trying the black stuff. But, in time, I've got to experience it.  

I've been a handloader since about 1966, thanks to Lee Loaders, graduating to a Rockchucker and then some other stuff.

But I've never taken up bullet casting. A  good friend now suffering from Alzheimer's disease has recently gifted me his Star progressive loader with all sorts of accessories and enhancements.-- Jim was a talented mechanical engineer --and some bullet casting gear I'm going to explore. There is a small electric pot, some dies and handles, and a lubricator/sizer in pieces - a brand I'm not familiar with.  He was a Bullseye competitor, so his gear is oriented toward producing pistol ammo in quantity. 

A long way of saying I'm going to give casting a try as time permits.

However, my office/hobby room/library is overflowing with unorganized equipment, books and supplies -- and I need to finish fabricating and installing a Craftsman-style wainscot and some cabinets for storage there.  The five glass-fronted bookcases I ordered are still in boxes, unassembled. The teepee is full. 

At the moment, I'm working daily to finally re-organize my garage shop to the point I can see the top of my workbench and stop using my old Delta tablesaw for a work surface. 

Why all the disarray?  A couple of years ago I broke a kneecap and couldn't climb stairs for sixteen months. Followed by a serious illness in the family (not me) that stopped everything for 18 months. 

Life and age can get in the way of a serious handloader. But, as they say down in the swamps near my birthplace, "We's still grabblin' " 

if you want to reload old military type rounds then you gotta get the Wolf book ( these would be for Trapdoor Springfields of course ).

I shoot a sharps replica. I have to look up my load data, but I drop tube ~63 grains 2F goex or 1 1/2 Swiss. And use a .30 fiber wad. SPG lube or homemade equivalent. I cast a 520 gr round nose, slight crimp. The important part is to never leave a gap between your powder charge and your bullet. You can’t load too much black powder as long as there’s no air gap you’re good.

I shot the BPTR mid-range NRA matches. 

My gunsmithing tools are upstairs but I use Brownell Magnatips in the little red boxes that won't stay open. Someday.......

I'm slugging the 1886 45/90 barrel first. The 86 45-70 is going downstream so no need to bother. I'll do the Shiloh 45/70 after polishing my technique. 

Did you get that bore slugged?

Mike

I've been struggling to get my garage shop better organized and I should soon turn up a red Hornady box or a Speer yellow box. Under one of the remaining piles.

kevindpm61 said
I don't think Bill is talking about using those bullets to shoot.  I think he's talking about rolling them into a smaller size and using them to slug his barrel.
  

I agree. An easier method is to somewhat flatten a slightly smaller (.451 ball) lead ball for slugging, less drag as less lead is actually contacting the bore. Rolling a ball between two pieces of heavy iron works too. Let me know if your musket balls don't show up, Bill. I know where mine are. 

Mike

Zebulon said
Not yet but it's on my short list of things to do. Somewhere in my shop I have some 50 caliber round balls left over from a long-ago misadventure with a muzzle loader. I propose to.roll one to a smaller diameter, slightly cone-shaped cylinder. Finding the box is the first step.
  

I would get an appropriate mold and melt those down to create the proper bullet.