Cap and ball... AND... more, oh my!

[redcliff]

Personally I went with the Open-top and conversion type revolvers sold by Cimmarron; they have the proper bores for .38 special ammo which the black-powder guns do not, and are proofed for smokeless .38 special. I do run lighter loads only in them.

[DisgruntledReaper]

One important thing to remember about ACTUAL BLACK POWDER is that it is an EXPLOSIVE where as smokless powders are 'accelerants' (if i remember the term right).. if you load BP whether in a cartridge(cowboy) or actually pour ,insert lubed ball' and press into cylinder... you CANNOT ANY HAVE ANY empty space or it WILL blow up.... when loading cartridges people need to put a wad or something to take up empty shell space..... I have seen cylinders blow apart due to misloaded rounds,balls not completely seated,etc..

Good luck,read up and enjoy!!

[scrat]

load data

Anyone who has shot a cap and ball will tell you the biggest advantage is that you can actually tailor your loads to what you want. Example you load 15 grains of goex 3fff followed by fiber wad then another 10 grains of COW (cream of wheat) then another fiber wad then press in the ball. shoot a full cylinder see how you like it. then increase the powder and lesson the cow. Why Cream of wheat. Well it depends on the gun. in an 1858 the loading lever will not reach all the way back with small loads so you have to make it bigger so cream of wheat was always used as a filler.

OK loading 45 Colt
you can do it the same way. weather you use a lee loader a press or whatever. decap size and re prime the shells as you normally do. Now for GALLERY LOADS take 15 grains Goex 3FFFg followed by fiber wad followed by cream of wheat until it reaches the top of the case now hand put in a fiber wad. then take a .454 roundball and tap in until the ball is just over the half way mark. make a few like this increase the powder lesson the cow. just make sure you loads are compressed. then you can use lead bullets just make sure they are lubed for black powder. load them up to about 3/16 past the bottom of the bullet at correct height to allow for compression. then press in some bullets. adjust your load for proper height. here some pics.

round ball gallery loads loaded with 15 grains goex 3fffg


various 45Colt loads