Drop Tube Funnels

[J W East]

Good day all,
I am new to this forum, and this is my first post so be nice. Starting firing BP fire arms as a teenager .In the process of getting married and raising kids, they have set in my closet for 20 years. My youngest son (17), wanted me to show him what those weird looking rifles in the closet are and how to fire them. I have forget more about BP shooting than I care to admit. In the process of brushing up on what I forget, I have read several articles on using a drop tube funnel to load powder into the barrel. The article stated that the powder stacks better at the bottom verses just pouring it down the barrel and tapping the rifle near the lock area before tapping it down with the rod.
What is the general thoughts on the subject?

 

[Khufu]

I use a droptube, but only for BPCR loading, I have never used one on a muzzleloader. the drop tube is to get more powder in a given space, front stuffers and not plagued by limited room.

 

[Gene L]

I've got one I made out of a 5/16" copper tube, flared at one end with a pipe flaring tool.

I have no idea if it improves accuracy, but I think it would eliminate powder sticking to the inside of the barrel. Whether this is important, I don't know, but some target shooters do it. And it's not expensive if you do it yourself. I'm not a target shooter, but I'm less a hunter. It's just something else to carry in my truck.

So as a tinkerer, I made one. Strictly a bench thing.

 

[Spikebuck]

You won't need one. Like Khufu says, they are used in BCPR cartridge loading to get the powder to compact and get more in and/or "crush" it less if compacting the powder with a die to bullet seating depth.

I suppose in some supreme target shooting challenge (which I don't do...I'm a hunter)there may be some advantage in the ultimate powder compacting consistency, but for the average guy, I think it would just be something extra to have laying around.

 

[pwbsmokey]

Wouldn't the barrel in essence be the drop tube? The powder would fall and fill the powder chamber in a patient breach, and loading the ball would push down any powder stuck to the barrel.

 

[Patocazador]

I know they are used by some in "duplex" loads with smokeless powder. They place one fast-burning powder in first and then the slower-burning powder. It stacks it without mixing it much.

No need in muzzleloading unless you're playing with smokeless muzzleloaders.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The drop tube isn't contaminated by fouling or have moisture laden lube along the sides to catch powder. Therefore the powder drops directly to the breech. At least that's the theory.

For the most part, if you wipe with a slightly damp patch between shots, you won't need a drop tube. Its really just an extra piece of equipment to complicate the shooting experience.

 

[nkbj]

Wouldn't the barrel in essence be the drop tube? The powder would fall and fill the powder chamber in a patient breach, and loading the ball would push down any powder stuck to the barrel.

Yep, it do.
With patched round ball any clinging grains typically get pushed on down.
On my fast twist Sheba gun (.40 cal GPR) I've thought about making a brass tube (3/8"x1/16" wall) ram rod that would do double duty as a drop tube just to keep granules from sticking to the rifling. But (big BUT) when I cleaned with it between shots the liquid moistening the patch would want to aerosol up the length of the tube. To fix that problem it would need a solid screw on jag that I removed to pour the powder. And sooner or later it would get dropped in the grass or something. Or could use a separate pouring tube that would be target range only. But (little but) I want to do the same thing all the time whether at the range or across the pasture.
So the solution was to settle the powder, seat the over powder card/ lube wad stack which dislodges any clinging powder grains, seat the bullet.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Back in the sixties drop tubes were popular on the bench shooting lines. But I haven't seen them in use recently but I haven't been to serious bench shoots for a long time. :idunno:

 

[Nemovir]

I use one as an aid. A.32 caliber bore is a tiny hole to pour powder into. :haha:

 

[Cpl. Ashencheeks]

Drop tubes can take a volume measured amount of powder and make it occupy less volume in black powder tube or cartridge.

A 24 inch drop tube is all that would be needed for loading on the bench. Longer than that is not really needed.

People who use a portable type of drop tube at a range without a stand in a regular muzzleloader usually do it just to keep powder off the sides of the barrel. It seems kind of pointless to carry an extra long object if loading in the field or while hunting.

Some people state that if you are loading for .45 Long Colt pistol it is not necessary.

There are those who claim that a drop tubed powder charge in a black powder cartridge will make a crack sound as compared to a boom.

There must be no air space in a black powder cartridge so it may be necessary to take up that space with a filler and or wads. Then the charge is compressed with a compression die.

I could see loading a Remington 1858 cylinder with a drop tube and just treat it as though the cylinder was like a black powder cartridge as long as fillers and wads are used and one does not go beyond the recommended maximum volume measured charge first. This could be accomplished with a cylinder loader off the pistol. I am not sure of any benefit if any by doing this because it would take up more time. Maybe for target shooting.

Other people have also claimed that the powder burns more efficiently after drop tubing or vibrating the powder into a smaller volume.

It is not really needed at all for most black powder applications involving any kind of front loaders. It just takes up extra time.

 

[M. De Land]

I made and use regularly a 36 inch drop tube made of half inch anodized aluminum with a detachable funnel I lathe turned from aluminum round stock.
I have used it for a dozen years to load 45-70 cases with straight black or duplex loads using a ten percent kicker charge of Reloader 7.
I can shoot a whole 40 shot match without cleaning the barrel using the duplex cartridge loads.
Works really well in cold weather not having to blow tube or wipe between shots.
Warning: duplex loading is not for use in any kind of muzzle loader, this is strictly a black powder cartridge technique.

 

[Jim C]

The drop tube isn't contaminated by fouling or have moisture laden lube along the sides to catch powder. Therefore the powder drops directly to the breech. At least that's the theory.

For the most part, if you wipe with a slightly damp patch between shots, you won't need a drop tube. Its really just an extra piece of equipment to complicate the shooting experience.

:thumbsup:

 

[J W East]

Thanks for the feed back on this this topic.

 

[Jim C]

I was merely agreeing with Grenadier, that no, you do not need to use a drop tube with front stuffers. It's a cartridge rifle thing..........Hopefully this explanation is more to your liking.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Drop tubes can take a volume measured amount of powder and make it occupy less volume in black powder tube or cartridge.

So! In other words you are just using the uniformity of gravity to pack the powder consistently.

 

[Cpl. Ashencheeks]

Yes, but some people also vibrate the powder down to achieve the same effect.

 

[Rifleman1776]

be nice

You want "nice" here? :shocked2: :rotf:

Actually, we mostly are nice.
Welcome to the forum.
Drop tubes are sometimes used by serious 'X' hunters in competition. Especially the bench rest and slug gun guys. Whatever their theory, don't try to change their minds. Ain't gonna happen.
I doubt it helps at all. But, it is a do yer own thang game. If you want to do it, go ahead. And don't let the laughing of others stop you. :wink: