Starting Over

[vthompson]

I am new to the forum's here and I have already learned a great deal. I asked for help, and I got it. Now I need everyone's help again.
It has been a while since I have shot my blackpowder rifle, so I am starting over from scratch. Here is where you guy's come in.
What name brand of powder should I look for? My rifle is a T/C 50cal.percussion. I am going to get some new round balls in .490 but I am going to try to find some.495 balls to try out also. Also, what name brand primer should I get also. I plan on getting different patch material to try out too. Like I said, I am starting over and I want to do it right with your help. Thank's.

 

[roundball]

I am new to the forum's here and I have already learned a great deal. I asked for help, and I got it. Now I need everyone's help again.
It has been a while since I have shot my blackpowder rifle, so I am starting over from scratch. Here is where you guy's come in.
What name brand of powder should I look for? My rifle is a T/C 50cal.percussion. I am going to get some new round balls in .490 but I am going to try to find some.495 balls to try out also. Also, what name brand primer should I get also. I plan on getting different patch material to try out too. Like I said, I am starting over and I want to do it right with your help. Thank's.

There are multiple choices...I had that same rifle, then went to the same rifle in Flint, and in both case always had good success with Goex 3F, TC's prelubed .018" pillow ticking, and Hornday .490"s.

 

[jmac]

GOEX, none better

 

[vthompson]

Can I buy the GOEX powder at Walmart or do I have to buy it online?

 

[vthompson]

I am new to the forum's here and I have already learned a great deal. I asked for help, and I got it. Now I need everyone's help again.
It has been a while since I have shot my blackpowder rifle, so I am starting over from scratch. Here is where you guy's come in.
What name brand of powder should I look for? My rifle is a T/C 50cal.percussion. I am going to get some new round balls in .490 but I am going to try to find some.495 balls to try out also. Also, what name brand primer should I get also. I plan on getting different patch material to try out too. Like I said, I am starting over and I want to do it right with your help. Thank's.

There are multiple choices...I had that same rifle, then went to the same rifle in Flint, and in both case always had good success with Goex 3F, TC's prelubed .018" pillow ticking, and Hornday .490"s.

How many grains of powder do you shoot in yours?

 

[Dave K]

If by chance your shop does not handle Goex, but does handle Swiss or Schuetzen powder, buy it. These three are all great powders. Caps? I had very good luck with RWS brand and I have tried Remington caps with good luck. Back to the powder though. You will find that living with a muzzleloader is so much better and nicer if you use real black powder and not a substitute. The powders mentioned are some of the best black powders available.

 

[jmac]

The products at wally world are black powder substitutes and you'll find inferior to real Black Powder. GOEX must be purchaced through an FFL.
In my .50 cals 70 gr FFF with a PRB. My wife uses 60 in hers. I use 75 in my .54 mountain rifle.

John

 

[roundball]

How many grains of powder do you shoot in yours?

Just for weekend plinking at the range...25/50 yard fun targets, steel, etc, I normally use the caliber (50) or soemtimes even only 40grns Goex 3F.
For deer hunting I use 90grns...with an Oxyoke prelubed wool wad over powder.

 

[vthompson]

Thank's for all of your help guy's, I appreciate it.

 

[mykeal]

First of all,

GOEX must be purchaced through an FFL.

That's not true.

Any of the real black powders can be purchased over the counter or by mail order. It is difficult to find in local stores as it requires a license and special storage and insurance. In my area, for instance, the closest shop is 50 miles away. For a list of mail order outlets with comparative prices, see the thread titled Where Can I Buy Black Powder in the Shooting Accessories subforum.

'Best' primers? That's a manure shoot. Lots of opinions, however.

 

[boar]

The wallmarts in my area don't even have caps.You might try Cains in W.Va. I get mine from Log Cabin in Lodi,Ohio. You might try Cains in W. Va. I like the new Remington caps. Dilly

 

[erzengel]

Brands of caps offered in Germany:

1.) RWS
2.) S&B
3.) CCI
?.) FIOCCI

There might be others, I am not aware of because you do not see and here about them.

RWS is used by most. Up to 50. cal you use the normal cap or a reinforced +plus cap if necessary.

In 2003 I buyed several thousand of 1075 caps from a member who quit shooting. He himself buyed them in 1988. Not one misfired. The last were used up in April / May this year.

If you need mor power take the +plus caps.

FIOCCI caps couldn't compete over here with the RWS. The amount one member had was not reliable enough.

 

[shdwlkr]

Just for the record I use real and pyrodex and 777 powder in my cap locks and it all works. With the pyrodex and 777 I have found that the magnum caps work better at setting it off.
I have 32,36,50 and 54 caliber cap locks all TC's and I use remington, cci and cci mag caps. Have used rws and found they work good too. I have also had all kinds not go off for one reason or another.
As to loads start with one that matches the caliber and go from there. As to patching I use pillow ticking that I got 14 yards of years ago and will last me as long as I live. It is the .018 thickness and works in all my cap locks as it presses down to .015.
I also use 3f grade powder in all my cap locks takes a little while to figure out a good load but that is part of the fun. I am trying to get my powder choices down in everything I shoot so I can keep track of it easier. I know some have said that using 3f in a 50 or 54 caliber isn't safe but if you load 10-15% less you still get the same performance and it is easier to clean up. So if I am using 70 grains of 2f I load 60 grains of 3f and it seems to be working just fine.

 

[Lostrifle]

I don't know about the rest of the country, but the Walmarts around here haven't sold anything relating to firearms for years. They caved in to the anti-gunners long ago, too afraid they might lose customers if they carried firearms or related items.

 

[rdillion]

It can be tough to find real black powder in my neck of the woods also. I usually just order it in bulk and factoring it the time and gas used to drive somewhere to get it the prices are not that bad. I've been using the Graf and Sons black powder. Have any of you used this? I've had good luck with it. What are your thoughts?

 

[Dave K]

rdillon, you make a very good post on handling BP purchases. I know many do not want to buy as much powder as some of use do, so they want to buy in small amounts. But when you said driving to buy it verses buying it and having shipped can make very good sense. Some times driving 100 miles to buy a pound of powder really doesn't make much sense. But, I am a member of the NMLRA, there is an active ML'er club near by and I have ordered powder and had it shipped to my door. All this makes the powder available to me and many others should look to all the avenues available to them as they are available to them as well.

 

[rabjr]

I've been using the Graf and Sons black powder.

It's a very good consistent powder. That my .58 deer rifle gets a steady diet of. Both my uncle and I here find clean up a snap and it has proved to be very accurate. :thumbsup:

 

[vthompson]

I called every gun shop in my area today, and none of them even had any blackpowder in stock. So,I found some online and ordered it.