Fun with Black Powder

Jeff Higgins · 12-24-2012, 01:01 PM

Well, I finally got to the range the other day with my new Colt Peacemaker. I brought a variety of "Colt safe" .45 Colt loads with the intention of getting a feel for the gun, seeing what it liked, and getting a cursory zero on the sights (I even had my sight adjustment tools along - a big pair of vise grips and a mill file).

The loads all had the RCBS .45-270 SAA bullet cast from wheel weights and lubed with SPG. First load was my standard velocity, low pressure load of 8.0 grains of W-W 231, which clock at about 850 fps. The new Colt took to these like a duck to water, printing 2"-3" groups at 25 yards from a one handed hold. They hit a little high, though, with a 6:00 hold on 6" bull resulting in 12:00 hits. Rats - new Colts are supposed to shoot low, so we can file the front sight. Oh well, windage was right on, so no need for the vise grips.

Next up was 16.0 grains of 2400, which clock in the 950 - 1,000 fps range depending on the gun. The added velocity did the trick - these shot to the sights at 25 yards, and grouped better than the 231 loads. This was a big relief - it won't need anything special, shooting one of my standard loads with aplomb.

Now the fun starts - black powder time. Same bullet, but now with a full 40 grains of Goex FFFg. This was the original load for this cartridge way back in 1873, and the reason for its cavernous case. This is a very powerful load, often exceeding 1,000 fps in 7 1/2" Colts. It was soon reduced to 28 grains for military use, and loaded in a shorter case to fit the S&W Schofield break open revolver. That, and there were complaints over its recoil. But I digress...

So, another winner - the new Colt, true to its heritage, really shone with the black powder. It shot every bit as well as the 2400 load, and shot to the sights as well. I have a keeper.

Beyond all of that, though, is the interest that shooting black powder from such a gun elicits in the other folks at the range. I soon had the other dozen folks at the range making safe their respective guns and gathering behind me to see just what the hell was going on. Black powder speaks with a far, far deeper voice than smokeless, and then there is the huge muzzle flash and smoke from such a short barrel.

Soon, everyone was taking turns. Even a couple of ladies who, at first, thought it must be some sort of a monster magnum from hell, looking at all of the smoke and commotion. They both loved it, though, commenting on that while it kicked, it was a "push", and the gun rolled up so perfectly, absorbing most of it. "Is it supposed to do that...?" Of course it is.

I just love that stuff. Introducing folks to the "way it was", broadening their firearms knowledge just a bit. Everyone just loved shooting that thing. It's days at the range like this that bring so much of the enjoyment of the hobby to me.

Jim Bremner · 12-24-2012, 02:23 PM

Insert racoon "want" here.

John Rogers · 12-24-2012, 02:37 PM

Once you start shooting that black powder you'll get hooked and then everyone at the range will look at you in awe! I really like to let a youngster or someone who has never seen my Sharps or one of the muzzle loaders fire a round and generally the first thing they say is "dad we need one of these....."

emcon5 · emcon5's Garage

Reminds me of this:

Jeff Higgins · 12-24-2012, 03:57 PM

Here is a pretty good YouTube video I found that does a good job of demonstrating black powder use in the .45 Colt.

vash · vash's Garage

thanks for that.. i was just about to ask you to take some pics of the loading process. i'll just check the vid now!

Jeff Higgins · 12-24-2012, 05:20 PM

The loading process is the same as it is for any modern revolver. "Black powder" does not always mean "muzzle loader". There was a brief period in history (~1860 to ~ 1900) when black powder was loaded in self contained metallic cartridges, just as smokeless is today. The .45 Colt was one such cartridge. Others included the .45-70 Government (which fought alongside the .45 Colt as standard issue at the Little Bighorn). These two successfully made the transition to smokeless and, today, can be loaded (with smokeless) to performance levels never even imagined back in the day.

Reloading the cartridges differs only slightly from smokeless reloading. The chief difference is the use of about a 30" long "drop tube" to pour the powder into the case. This long drop allows the powder to settle better, so a full charge will actually fit in the case. As it is, the full 40 grain charge just about fills the case flush with its mouth. The powder is then heavily compressed with a compression die before the bullet is seated. Other than that, it's just like loading smokeless.

Cleanup is another story... The cases themselves must be cleaned immediately. This first thing to do is to neutralize the corrosive affect of the fouling left in them. I do this by popping the primers out and then soaking the cases in straight white vinegar while I attend to cleaning the gun itself. It gets fully disassembled and all parts cleaned in hot water, dried, oiled, and reassembled. By the time I'm done with that, the cases are ready to be rinsed in hot water. When dry, they are tumbled overnight.

A bit more work than smokeless, so I don't shoot black as much, but it sure is fun when I do.

John Rogers · 12-24-2012, 08:13 PM

Jeff, when I go shooting, I take a jug half full of pure water and several squirts of Dawn in it. I immediately decap the case and drop the shell in the jug. Once I get home the powder residue is all gone and I pop them into a dual Harbor Freight tumbler with ceramic balls, pure water, several squirts from a lemon taken from the tree in our back yard. After about 3 hours they are like mirrors. I do the same for 45 LC and 45-70 cases.

I might be getting older as I find the muzzle loaders, especially my Gibbs slug gun which can shoot to 1000 yards and NO cases is more fun to shoot.....no case stuff to mess with!