Reload BP revolver from flask or measure?

[phoenix511]

Is it generally safe to reload a BP revolver from a flask, or should one pour an indiviual charge from the flask into a measure, then into the chamber? The NMLRA Rules states:

1220”“POWDER MEASURE”“A separate powder measure or holder will be used to carry the powder charge from container to the muzzle of the gun.
Charging directly from horn or flask is unsafe and is not permitted.

This rule seems to apply to long arms loaded from the muzzle, but a BP revolver is loaded at the chamber.

Any thoughts?

 

[rafterob]

It applies to revolvers also when on an NMLRA chartered range. Just a good habit to add another sfety link in the chain.

 

[bkovire]

i know it is a pain having to pour powder from this to that to this, but i do like having my hands and eyes, even in the filed i will pour from flask to measure to chamber, cylinder, or brl. it is better to be safe than sorry. :thumbsup:

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I always use pre-measured and therefore pre-poured charges from the little red tubes from RMC Corp. They run about .90 each retail, and to date I guess that I have well over 200 of them pre-loaded right now! That covers every size load that I currently keep in inventory, each stored in it's own cigar box, and well labeled as to amount of grains in each tube and the gun that those tubes are for.

I do all of my measuring & pouring at my kitchen table, so I don't have such issues.

Rule number one: Never pour from a flask or horn into a gun! Always use a measure! Doing otherwise is grounds to be evicted from the Range!

Dave

 

[renovato]

I started shooting black powder when I was a kid back in the 70s. Nobody taught me not to load from the flask, so I always did so. It wasn't until recent years that I learned of the dangers. I'm not one of those "I've always done it that way and nothing happened so I'm going to keep on, even if it's dangerous" people that I've ran into. When I find a safer way of doing something, I immediately adopt it and never look back.

It just makes more sense to have a measure between your powder source and anything that might set it off. It just makes sense to me, even if it is a little slower. Black powder isn't a speed sport anyway.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Black isn't a speed sport, that's for sure!

That's why I have over 200 of those little red tubes with the orange caps that RMC Sports makes. With my very accurate pre-measured and pre-poured charges, all of this "do I use a flask" nonsense goes away and I can concentrate on safety and shot placement :thumbsup: . For me the investment was well worth it--whether or not I'm doing a Scout Demo and need a couple hundred charges or just a revolver match where I only need 13!

Dave

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I have a replica Remington flask that the spout on holds 19grs after the valve is shut so it would do as a light target load. however for hunting I carry 7.62X39 cases full of powder with a vacum line cap placed atop, it's a snug, waterproof arrangement and plenty of powder for a hot load.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

It is good to be safe but it's possible to be real dang silly about it as well. If you load paper cartridges there is some danger of a smoldering piece of paper but if you load powder and ball you are in a lot more danger from lightning than from your powder flask.

 

[mykeal]

I do all of my measuring & pouring at my kitchen table, so I don't have such issues.

Sorry, but I have to strongly disagree.

You could easily get one of those little red tubes mixed up with a pepper shaker, and I wouldn't want to think about the results to your 'internals' if that 'pepper' met up with some tobasco during 'processing'. Montezuma's Revenge doesn't even begin to cover it.

 

[moose30273]

I load cap and ball from the flask. But I would never think of loading any sort of longarm straight from the horn. Never given it that much thought. I think if a spark is going to linger it is more likely to do it in a long gun. Something to think about.

 

[Toomuch_36]

I have a replica Remington flask that the spout on holds 19grs after the valve is shut so it would do as a light target load. however for hunting I carry 7.62X39 cases full of powder with a vacum line cap placed atop, it's a snug, waterproof arrangement and plenty of powder for a hot load.

Just one word of caution Blizzard, Those 7.62x39 Russian casses are "steel" not brass and if stored/carried in a leather bandoleer they will pick up a static charge which has been known to arc to the cylinder and ignite the charge.

Toomuch
............
Shoot Flint

 

[Hawkeye]

Here we go again, static discharges don't have enough heat to ignite BP.Check out this link to see some test results, http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/216296/

Hawkeye

 

[renovato]

Here we go again, static discharges don't have enough heat to ignite BP.Check out this link to see some test results, http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/216296/

Hawkeye

Entirely true. I've tried very hard to get a static spark to light the stuff off. Nuthin' doin'. I'd set a pile on a metal tray and scooch up and down the hall in my socks until I could throw lightning like the Gods. Touch the pile with a coat hanger and make a "pop" that would startle you, yet no matter how hard I tried, I could never get it to light.

I never tried FFFFG or the fines I sift out of my powder though. Who knows. Now I'm curious again.

 

[pargent]

Static spark is DC current ,its voltage &amps will be different due to an infinant number of variables.Can you measure the heat range of a static spark?. If a static spark can melt steel why is it not able to ignite black powder? Charles Darwins theory perhaps.If you keep trying you will get a result ,just be sure you or your next okin let us know when you get a hot one.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I do all of my measuring & pouring at my kitchen table, so I don't have such issues.

Sorry, but I have to strongly disagree.

You could easily get one of those little red tubes mixed up with a pepper shaker, and I wouldn't want to think about the results to your 'internals' if that 'pepper' met up with some tobasco during 'processing'. Montezuma's Revenge doesn't even begin to cover it.

Not to mention all of the "Help" from the salt peter :haha: :shocked2: :shake: . I can just hear myself now, "Sorry Dear, I poured charges today" :redface: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I'm curious enough not to try this experiment. I don't need to push my luck. That being said, Chuck Dixon (one of the East's Black Powder Guru's) told me to not worry about normal around-the-house static discharge. He didn't mention Atom Smashers or Lightning, so I'll keep my 3F away from them :wink: :haha:

Dave

 

[mykeal]

Static electricity by itself will not ignite black powder. That fact has been amply demonstrated and reported.

However, what does ignite black powder is heat. How is the heat generated - by resistance. If the material that comes in contact with the electricity is sufficiently resistive it will heat up. This resistance is a function of many properties - the molecular structure of the material itself as well as geometric properties. A thin copper wire subjected to the same amount of current as a thick wire will heat up while the thick one does not. Aluminum wire of the same gage as copper wire will heat up before the copper wire when subjected to the same amount of current

Today's commercially made black powder is coated with graphite, which gives it conductive properties (the base materials in the black powder mixture are also conductive, although to a lesser degree). Black powder will conduct static electricity rather than resist it, and thus will not heat up when exposed to it. However, if the powder contains contaminants that are resistive in nature, either due to geometry or by the nature of the material, the contaminants will heat up and, again depending on the material properties and geometry, can reach the 450 deg C temperature required to ignite the powder.

In the case of steel cartridges, it's not the powder that's heated by the electricity, it's the cartridge case. That's what sets off the powder.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

That's almost word-for-word what Chuck Dixon said! It's the heat!

Thanks for making it thorough and understandable. :thumbsup:

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I have a replica Remington flask that the spout on holds 19grs after the valve is shut so it would do as a light target load. however for hunting I carry 7.62X39 cases full of powder with a vacum line cap placed atop, it's a snug, waterproof arrangement and plenty of powder for a hot load.

Just one word of caution Blizzard, Those 7.62x39 Russian casses are "steel" not brass and if stored/carried in a leather bandoleer they will pick up a static charge which has been known to arc to the cylinder and ignite the charge.

Toomuch
............
Shoot Flint

you're partly right toomuch, many are steel - the Russki and so on. however many others - Lapua, Sako, Privi Partizan, Fioccho and Yugo the Europa made ones are brass, berdan primered so nearly impossible to reload. these are the cases I utilize for holding powder charges. I also have some USA made (Fed, Rem, Win) and 'IMI' (israeli make) that are boxer primed that I reload, but once extractor grooves are beat up, primer pocket worn or neck splits I use these also. about 32grs a tight fit for a Lee mold conical slug atop of and a 'hot' hunting load. I keep around 24 charges in my bag when going afield - 4 cylinders worth about all I can shoot before fouling means 'clean me buddy'.
I have many years experience with this round beginning in '68 while haveing the slugs comeing my way.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

a good write-up mykeal. :thumbsup: