BP loading of small cartridges

[damoc]

Just a quick question about early .22 rimfire and probably .32 cal as well
did they use a ffffg BP granulation?

 

[Jim Watson]

Modern experimenters are using Swiss 4f or the even finer Null-B in. .22lr.
Old ammo has a fine grain but I haven't seen where anybody has pulled enough to do a screen analysis.
.32 usually gets 3f.

 

[Busyhands94]

I've loaded .22's with BP before, I used both FFFG and FFFFG. I've also loaded .32 S$W, .32 S&W Long and .32-20 with BP. For .32's I use FFFG.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I never had the opportunity to break down any old rim fire cartridges. I have broken down some old 43 Remington black powder cartridges and some 45-70 govt loads from the 1890's. Both appeared loaded with something that seemed a bit more fine than 2fg but not as fine as 3 fg.

I have loaded BPCR from 25-21 Stevens to 577 Snider. My daughter loads 3fg in 38 S&W for use in her small martini rifle and her groups are fantastic (better than mine)

As for old rim fire manufacture, the big outfits could and probably did order custom powder granulations for their uses. There may well have been something between 3fg and not as fine as 4fg that they used in small cartridges.

 

[damoc]

Thanks for the replies

I guess the consensus is that BP in a .22 was probably finer grain than fffg
that would make sense when comparing with modern small pistol powders
the smaller the cartridge the faster the burn of the powder.

 

[Malamute]

This was an interesting post. I think its a repost of an older one, I recall reading it a year or two ago.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...ping-Back-In-Time-22LR-Black-Powder-Adventure

This was interesting also,

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...owder-Reloads-How-to-Make-Them&highlight=Null

 

[Pete D.]

martini

Zimmer:

38 S&W for use in her small martini rifle and her groups are fantastic (better than mine)

You have a Cadet rifle chambered for the .38 S&W.....what a neat idea!. Where did you get the barrel? Who did the work?
I ask because I have a damaged .310 Cadet barrel on the shelf that would probably be useful if rebored to .360" or so.
Sorry for the hijack... but I had to ask.
Pete

 

[zimmerstutzen]

The cadet rifle is actually chambered for 357 mag, but I have a large lot of 38 s&w components from an auction. Several thousand bullets 400 or so cases.
.cadets were imported in the 1960s and rechambered for 32-20or rebored to 357. They sold mail order for $12
Redman's in washington can line the barrel for you.

 

[Pete D.]

Zimmer: thank you,

 

[BLU]

Here's a problem... I have a H&R in .32 S&W that accepts .32 S&W Long cartridges. I'm told it's a black powder era revolver, (NO .32 S&W roll stamped on the barrel). My Dad apparently didn't know NOT to use modern smokeless ammo, (the box is only missing 6 rounds-it may not have even been fired!).

I want to shoot it! I've been into black powder for decades but have never loaded cartridges, always powder-patch-ball shooting. Can I pull these bullets, dump the smokeless powder and replace with FFFg? If so, what's the recipe for mild loads? Are the modern primers okay or do I need to de-cap and reprime those as well.

 

[damoc]

Here's a problem... I have a H&R in .32 S&W that accepts .32 S&W Long cartridges. I'm told it's a black powder era revolver, (NO .32 S&W roll stamped on the barrel). My Dad apparently didn't know NOT to use modern smokeless ammo, (the box is only missing 6 rounds-it may not have even been fired!).

I want to shoot it! I've been into black powder for decades but have never loaded cartridges, always powder-patch-ball shooting. Can I pull these bullets, dump the smokeless powder and replace with FFFg? If so, what's the recipe for mild loads? Are the modern primers okay or do I need to de-cap and reprime those as well.

yes easy to load with black std recipee is to put enough black in to achieve a small amount of compression.

those .32 sw "shorts" are a little tricky due to the small size i would only use lead
bullets myself

 

[BLU]

Okay.... I was going to reuse the same lead bullet. I use 12 grains of FFFg for my .36 cal patched lead ball that is 64 grains. What's a good starting point for an un-lubed .32 S&W bullet of 98 grains? 10 grains of powder or 12 like my .36 cal.? I guess I need to research that further on the net huh? Wondering if I should use the same primer once I dump the smokeless powder too.

 

[StrawHat]

Use however much powder will give you a little compression when you seat the bullet.

If the primer is good, no reason not to use it.