Thread: Reloading for black powder

Make sure he takes you into his gun room! Drool drool drool!

Here a couple auctioned at Christies in 1995

i had a very good few hours with Robert Dolimore today and learnt alot! We decided not to proceed to do more with this gun at this stabe as the potential for heavy rust pitting once the barrels are taken off the ribs was great and as i haven't paid for it yet we laid it to rest . its a shame as the action on this gun is very nice

Get some new barrels made! Rob priced a total refurb on my William Evans inc new stk at 15k asked what it would be worth finished and he estimated 10k so that was a dead duck! Rob is an amazing craftsman looking at some of his work and it's a privilege to spend some time with him, especially in that gun room!g

Glad you took some of the advice above on board and didn't get stuck with a lemon!

There was a Powell in his lock up that fitted me like a glove - Could spend hours in his workshop! Maybe be better off buying something hes already restored, like that pair of Westley Richards he has (had?). Nice and short in the stock, ready for a man of your stature

yes that pair was nice and affordable but to much cast to bend for a lefty .Robert is going to make a few calls to see if he can find something for me . the trip was well worth while for sure and his advice invaluable

funny also yesterday i met gappedaxe of the forum in person . he happens to be habour master , medical officer , security for the tarawera area he is in . He saw my setters in the car and saig hey i know you! nice to meet him in person

Another forum good dude!

Are you actually left eye dominant?

He's one for your quail! 4" bore!

Originally Posted by Maca49

12 GAUGE BRASSAttachment 25147 So load powder (grade FFG) then cardboard wad from milk carton, then grease cookie, then maybe two wads from beer mats/coaster, bit of a cushion for the shot, then shot,then wad held with small dob of wax. I have load data at home. I usually mount a new, old, gun in an old tyre and fire with a string attached first few times for safety. Have used light smokeless loads as the proofing, as Bp wont have the same pressure. but be careful first few times

This was a really helpful guide thank you. It seems reloading these is more trial and error / experience as there's little load data. I personally want light loads for cowboy action and was hoping to use Trail Boss not BP.

I've read issues with these specific hulls in 'some' cases where the recess around the primer in the brass head has left some slower powders unburnt. In some articles people plug the bottom with plastic, I was thinking to fill up the base with a little molten lead, then copy your load data but adjusted for Trail Boss. Is lead filler a good idea?

On a side note, I'm not a hot glue fan, wax seems ok. What was used 'back in the day' to seal off loaded hulls? Pitch? Pine resin? Shellac? Just curious.

When I loaded for my 16 gauge bp using plastic hulls I sealed the overshot wad in place with a run of PVA glue around the outer edges of the wad.
The PVA is normally not suitable for gluing the plastic used in shotgun hulls but I never had a wad come loose.

Good test was after firing just one barrel with a side by side, all the shot didn't run out of the second barrel when the gun was lowered due to the wad being disloded. Seen thus happen to other shooters.

Don't think the PVA would be suitable with brass hulls though.

Back in the day they roll crimped over the overshot wad with the original cardboard type hulls.

couple of dabs of $2 shop nail polish will hold most things in place.

I was thinking nail polish/shellac or waterglass (sodium silicate) from somewhere like this.

cowboy action loads with trail boss should be piece of wees to make up..... you want ????oz of 7s??? old rule was same VOLUME of shot as black powder..... strangely enough the starting point for trail boss in centrefire is 80% of volume of smokeless...... PERSONALLY I would run with load of same volume and see how it feels.... you shooting break open gun with no chokes...wads are surplus to requirements,circle of felt/cork is perfect,card over top of shot and nail polish it in place......it wont matter if case is only 3/4s full UNLIKE plastic hulls,you wont have wad pressure to worry about,just make sure no airspace around BP..... but you using TB so not so much of an issue.sounds like you have primers sorted.... have a look at Wingmans thread on everlasting .410 shells.....that will answer some questions and give you ideas.