Plastic Vials for loading?

[spitdog]

Do many of you use these vials for loading your revolver? I was looking on the auction site and there pretty cheap. It seems that you would also need a small funnel.

How do you do it? Just load from the flask?

 

[Patocazador]

It depends on how consistent you want to be. I have yet to come across a powder measure, tube, etc. that doesn't throw charges less than the weight indicated.
I have more than one cylinder and preload them using a scale to weigh my black powder charges. That way I know that I'm shooting 30 grains not 28.5 grains. If you are using a substitute, this won't work because they are volume equivalent not weight equivalent.
The tubes just insure that you are using the amount of powder that you think you are. For plinking it doesn't matter.

 

Actually BP measures are by volume not weight, even though grains are weight.
When I use an adjustable, I always tap it a little to settle the powder and top off.
I have never weighed my BP.
Plastic under the right conditions can develop a static charge, so no plastic for me.
I do however roll paper cartridges at home.
Then just take a bunch with me.

 

[rafterob]

I load my revolver like I load my single shots. Flask to a measure to the cylinder. A bunch of plastic tubes would suck IMHO. Unless you you want to be so exact as to pre-weigh all of your charges. There are folks that swing that way.

 

[FishDFly]

"Plastic under the right conditions can develop a static charge, so no plastic for me"

Curious as to why Goex, Swiss and Schuetzen is shipped in plastics containers and most speed loaders are made of plastic. Seems those 3 companies would not use plastic if it was unsafe.

Use what you wish, trying to understand why plastic is unsafe. I do not see a hazard with plastic if those 3 companies do not.

After working in the chemical and refinery business, I prefer plastic to reduce static electricity over metal.

 

[crockett]

Rather than plastic vials I made some little paper tubes with caps. They are reusable. I have about 50. I use black powder and weigh the charges. On a black powder-substitute (like Pyrodex) you have to use a volume equivalent because the specific density varies from batch to batch and they add a filler to make each batch equal based on volume (the weight will vary). In any event I think it gives me a mental plus- I know all the charges are as equal as possible. I also scribed a line on the pistol's ram so that all balls are seated to the same depth. If I really wanted to kick it up a notch I could weigh the balls and maybe improve the degree of the forcing cone plus a few other things.
As said- whether any of this improves accuracy is questionable but I seem to shoot better.
About loading from a flask- do that ONLY with a cap and ball revolver. This loading cap and ball revolvers from a flask used to be the standard practice but today a lot of shooters are using a measure. A lot of ranges now require you load cap and ball pistols using a measure. NEVER load from a flask with a long barrel- single shot rifle or pistol because those long barrels hold a lot of powder residue that might have a live ember.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

As the NRA's first-ever Distinguished-Expert in Black Powder Pistol, I'll chime-in with my 2 cents' worth. To answer your question directly, I use the red plastic tubes with orange caps made by RMC (?) and distributed by Dixon Muzzleloading in Kempton, PA. They are now about $1.10 each. Between my son & I we have over 300 of them, organized in differently-labeled cigar boxes for each rifle, pistol or shotgun application.

Because I had to be dead-nuts accurate with a pistol at 50 yards in order to earn my DX, I selected to use the "little red tubes" and pre-measure each charge with my Cash powder measure, using the "tapping method" from above to make sure that I was getting as close to a weighed charge as possible. Poured charges would then be transported in the cigar box, and I'd use a second box for the empties so as to completely avoid any dry balls.

As I also suffer from a tinge of arthritis in the fingers, these little tubes make it easy for me to enjoy the hobby year-round. Once you get the "hang of it" and if you pour the tubes while also using a pistol loading stand, you can get to a point where you don't spill any powder at all, even with a good crosswind!

Each Club is a little different and some are more pickier than others about which aids old men can use to enjoy the sport. May you be as blessed as I and find two or more clubs that let you use the tubes :wink: .

Always at your service,

Dave
NRA Double Distinguished Expert (Pistol & Rifle)

 

[Claude Mathis]

Plastic under the right conditions can develop a static charge, so no plastic for me.

It may develop a static charge, but it will not ignite black powder. Old wive's tale still being promoted.
http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/sparks/sparks.html

 

[spitdog]

I would rather just use a flask with a measured spout for the grains I want to load.

My concern is that the range I'm going to shoot at may think this is a no no. Due to safety.

I never seen anyone shoot a bp revolver there so maybe I will be ok.

I assume I will turn heads when I start shooting and loading.

 

[jaxenro]

I load from a flask to a powder measure and usually use triple 7 so I go by volume not weight plus I shoot in the back yard so no one bothers me about what I use at the "range"

I don't know if weighing each charge is gaining you any accuracy but I would bet it is the consistency and precision you are bringing to each step of the process (demonstrated by weighing each charge) that does.

 

[Darto]

With a lathe, one could make these...
http://tinyurl.com/q6v42wj

After link expires these are wooden 'apostles' for black powder bandolier.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

for the few times I competed with my revolvers, I pre measured the powder charges into small tubes. (I picked up a gross of unused glass blood collection tubes for $5.00) I had to pry the rubber stoppers off to break the vacuum, but after that they worked just fine. They are only 9/32nd inch round so they work fine for loading-pouring into revolvers.

I once ran into a guy that used the barrels from Bic Pens as his charge tubes for pistols. he saved the plastic stoppers and cut the tubes down to about 3 inches. (they do have a vent hole in the middle) and used one stopper on each end. Back when the pens were 19 cents each, you could buy the pens and throw out the ink tubes for the price.

 

[crockett]

Although I mentioned that I weigh black powder charges it ought to be mentioned that even some modern-cartridge bench rest shooters prefer volume- arguing that pressures change more from volume variation that weight variation- in any event a good quality volume measure is equally good. About 2 years ago MuzzleBlasts started a series on how competitive shooters handled things and most just measured right at the range.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I agree that consistent range measuring is probably more than "good enough". In outdoor ranges, where lighting contrast, wind, etc has more effect than whether a charge varies by a grain, such weighing comes across as unnecessarily anal. It is however, a way to eliminate one of the variables that leads to loss of accuracy.

My home range is in a trough dug along side a steep hill and despite the wind at the top

 

[awc]

i RECENTLY MADE MY MEASURES FROM 30 -06 BRASS CUT DOWN TO SIZE WITH A PIPE CUTTER.IT TAKES A LITTLE TIME TO GET THEM PERFECT BUT WHEN THERE RIGHT THEY ARE'T GOING ANYWHERE.I USED A MEASURE TO ADJUST THE QUANTITY OF POWDER.I NOW HAVE THE FROM 15 GRAINS TO 100 GRAINS.NOW I CAN SHOOT MY RIFLE AS WELL AS MY PISTOLS AND IT MAKES IT EASIERTHAN MEASURING EACH CHARGE.

 

[bpd303]

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/275802/

 

Well to each his own on the plastic.
But I have seen powder ignite while being
dispensed from plastic so it can happen and it isn't pretty.
The plastic the powder companies use is a modified
non static charge plastic.
So be careful when using plain old plastic tubes.
I'm not real accurate with the volume or weight in my paper cartridges.
I measure one. Then depending on the charge, I use an ordinary measuring spoon. Usually 1/4 1/3 and 1/2. Dip, level and pour.
I too shoot out my backdoor so can do as I wish.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I would rather just use a flask with a measured spout for the grains I want to load.

My concern is that the range I'm going to shoot at may think this is a no no. Due to safety.

I never seen anyone shoot a bp revolver there so maybe I will be ok.

I assume I will turn heads when I start shooting and loading.

It is a no-no at most clubs, including the three I shoot black powder at! So that means you'll have to be prepared to use a measure for every charge. You can do it in a warm home while sitting or you can do it in the field with a cold wind blowing--the choice is yours!

Since I don't have the luxury of choice, I opted to make my routine as accurate as possible since my needs DEMANDED accuracy and repeat-ability. If you're just making smoke and pumpin' lead into the ground it doesn't matter if you spill some powder or vary the charge by using a spout and simply "throwing" it.

My concern in using a spout on a flask is that you might "infect" someone at that Range with black powder-itis, and this complete Noob will buy a single-shot and not read any directions and use a flask & spout to load directly into a hot, just-fired muzzle with his new hand grenade......

I realize "You can't fix stupid", but if you're going to a Club Range or a public one, and you're the ONLY guy there shooting black powder, that means you're automatically regarded as "The Expert" and so everything you do or say is regarded as "Gospel". As hard as it is now to have fun with our hobby, it would be even harder if enough Noobs blew pieces of themselves off while loading directly from a flask, so my advice is to never do it and set a good example!

Dave

 

[rafterob]

One can certainly use a flask with an attached measure spout. Just dump it into a different tube/measure before loading it into the cylinder or barrel. Makes everyone happy. I use a bottle necked shell that I cut the primer end off of (not sure what size, I picked it up at the range).I put my finger over the narrow end Pour my flask measured spout into the big open end and then direct the narrow end to the cylinder. I save the whole step of having to flip over a closed end measure :haha:

 

[robinsroost]

One can certainly use a flask with an attached measure spout. Just dump it into a different tube/measure before loading it into the cylinder or barrel. Makes everyone happy. I use a bottle necked shell that I cut the primer end off of [/quote]

I like your Idea, and will use it for my outfit. As for the plastic tubes, I have three plastic test tubes, with rubber stoppers, that I got from the vet. He uses them to collect blood samples from cattle. These are sent to the lab for a brucilosis test. I load them with 90 grains of FFF. I made a loading block, out of a scrap of mahogany, with three 1/2" holes. A prelubed patch and a .490 ball are started in the 1/2" holes. The loaded tubes are kept in my shirt pocket, and the loading block hangs around my neck, from a rawhide thong..........Robin