# Firearms and Shooting > Firearms, Optics and Accessories >  Help with black powder rifle

## hollowpoint

Hi can anyone help, I have a black powder muzzle loading rifle which has been built by a Canadian police armourer, problem is that it has been built using a .308 inch barrel from a 30/30 rifle ,my problem  is I have no bullet mould to use with this rifle and Im having trouble finding anyone that can give me information on what mould I could use as this is not common as a black powder calibre , yes I did know I would have trouble when I brought the rifle but it was such a great little rifle I  thought I would give it a go, any help or advice would be great

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## madjon_

:Useless:  :Yarr:

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## john m

I looked at it several times but the caliber put me off. I like barrels I can poke my finger down.I will look in some BP loading books for a mould.

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## hollowpoint

Yes my other black powder rifles are 58cal and the barrel of this one looks so small but it’s such a nice little rifle I thought I would give it a crack, thanks for help

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## Maca49

Just get a projectile close and size it, And use a patch to fit to barrel. Upper Hutt gun shop would be the guy to talk to. Slug the barrel to get accurate measurements.

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## hollowpoint

cheers

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## Maca49

Take it your shooting ball?

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## hollowpoint

At this stage im looking at anything that may work it has been suggested to try buckshot ball with patch

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## Maca49

It will bump up to fit when fired, problem will be residue in the barrel after a few shots

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## Chupacabra

I'd follow Maca's advice, he knows his stuff. 

A slug in .301 PP'd up to .308/.309 works great in my 308win with smokeless, might be a place to start.

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## hollowpoint

Cheers for that any idea where i could get a mold of that size

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## Chupacabra

That's were it gets interesting. For smokeless PP the rule of thumb is bullet should be about .001 over bore and PP about .001 over groove. A custom mold would be ideal but I've just been using a Lee C312-185-1R as it throws a .301 nose and used a lathe to take the ribs down to size. A .301 sizer may also work but that would probably need to be custom too.

Slugging the barrel would be good before investing in molds etc.  Firing a couple of 30 cal casts through may reveal a few things too.

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## hollowpoint

Cheers

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## Maca49

Try to get a Lyman mould cheap as chips, email or ring Upper Hutt as found him really helpful

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## Maca49

Sorry make that a Lee mould, a Minnie would be good but think that cal maybe a little small. Easy mould to make if you have a good machist or the equipment.

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## Maca49

> At this stage im looking at anything that may work it has been suggested to try buckshot ball with patch


When you fire a ball it will no longer be a round ball as the pressure will bump it to the bore size so will become sorta oval

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## Maca49

> I'd follow Maca's advice, he knows his stuff. 
> 
> A slug in .301 PP'd up to .308/.309 works great in my 308win with smokeless, might be a place to start.


Thanks for that but I really know bugger all! I have a guy I get info from and he has a library that is jus amazing. I think with BP you can experiment without killing yourself , within reason. It is relatively easy to load and shoot a rifle that's in good nick.

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## Chupacabra

> Thanks for that but I really know bugger all! I have a guy I get info from and he has a library that is jus amazing. I think with BP you can experiment without killing yourself , within reason. It is relatively easy to load and shoot a rifle that's in good nick.


I could sniff BP all day, reminds me of Guy Fawkes  :Thumbsup:  

A bud once caught me yoinking a long string connected to an old 303 (he had sold me) mounted in sandbags, he complained that I could trust the gun and I told him I couldn't trust the load I was putting through it hehe  :Grin:

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## Maca49

Just did the same with an old sleeved 12 guage, gave me the confidence to hold to my shoulder after about 5 shots.
My 577/450 loaded with 85 grains of ffg is a handful but awesome fun. Better when the smoke from that drifts down the range and into the nostriles of the others.love shooting my 45/70s

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## hollowpoint



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## hollowpoint

Excuse the state of my office,

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## Maca49

That's your .50 cal?

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## hollowpoint

Hi no thats the 30cal

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## Maca49

Nice looking rifle, has it never been fired?

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## hollowpoint

I brought the rifle while on holiday in Rotorua it was at the local hunting and fishing store ,I was told that it had come from a deceased estate and that the wife of the previous owner had brought it in with other bits and pieces  that she wanted to get rid of, they did say that it had been fired but they had no idea on how  one of the guys there did seem to know quite a bit about the rifle as in who made it  and told me to contact people at the local black powder club here in whanagarei  for help which in its self is a bit of a challenge as I’m finding it hard to find contacts  for BP shooting  in whangarei.
If it proves too hard to get sorted I’m still not too worried as it’s a real cracker little rifle and good conversation piece.

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## Maca49

I'll see what my mate has in the way of moulds, but later in the week

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## hollowpoint

Thank for all your help

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## john m

No listings in my books but I would get an old Lee mould in a smaller caliber then get someone to ream it out to the shape and size you want, simple job.

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## homebrew.357

Hi.guys, yes I think your best bet is a lee mold, 170/80g, but cast with wheel weights or lino type, the 3030 has a fast twist rifling and soft lead could lead up the barrel . All so a round ball needs a slow twist, 1 in 48", but mite be ok with a light load of 30/40 grs of fffg, Still be hard to get the bullets in, good luck, Homebrew.357.

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## homebrew.357

Hi.guys, yes I think your best bet is a lee mold, 170/80g, but cast with wheel weights or lino type, the 3030 has a fast twist rifling and soft lead could lead up the barrel . All so a round ball needs a slow twist, 1 in 48", but mite be ok with a light load of 30/40 grs of fffg, Still be hard to get the bullets in, good luck, Homebrew.357.

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