Shooting Blank BP Loads fot 4th of July

[Gaucho Gringo]

Hi all.

I was thinking of shooting off some blank loads with my 1858 Remington clone on the 4th. My question is would 1 or 2 .45 cleaning wads soaked in Bore Butter on top of the powder be enough to hold the powder in or would cardboard or felt wads be required. All I want to do is make some noise, flash & smoke don't want to cause any problems. I realize legally this is a discharge of a firearm but I do not see how it is any worse than firecrackers. At 56 years old all I want to do is have a little fun on the 4th and forget about my mounting health problems.

 

[Snaggletooth]

Far be it from me to encourage you to be a law breaker. I'm loading my Walker with 6o grains and a lube pill over the powder. I want to see if I get 44 inches of flame. I make a lube pill using 1/3 beeswax, 1/3 parrafin, and 1/3 rendered beef fat. I cut them out with a 45 casing that I ground the end from. Heat all the waxes together, pour it to get 1/8 inch thick in a pan then cut them out.when they are cold, They will work well. Take evasive action when the cops come but dont let them see the gun or they may shoot. Where I live, nobody but the family will hear it.

 

[Duncaninfrance]

Make some paper cartridges up!

Easier and quicker to re-load. You can make more noise faster!!

What is the problem with shooting blanks anyway? Is it cos you are not on the range?

 

[DixieTexian]

Get a block of floral foam and use a .44 or .45 case to cut blocks out. That's what the reenactors I know use.

 

[Curator]

Most Civ-war reenactors use cream of wheat or cocoa-puffs over the powder to make a sort of "frangible wad". Start with the chamber 2/3 full, add cereal and use rammer to compress. Repeat the cereal and compress again. This should create a "frangible" wad that will blow to dust upon exit from your revolver. Be Careful! This "wad material" can injure someone out about 15 feet. In fact cowboy mounted shooters use these kind of blanks to bust balloons out to that distance. This gives a realistic report and no fired wad evidence to dispose of..

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Just don't do it inside city limits.

 

[KevininPa]

I asked the same question earlier this year and someone told me they use aluminum foil balls and 20 grains of black. I'm going with that. Just going to make sure that it's not pointed at anyone. Fortunately, I live rural. The foil should be a little louder due to tighter compression, but too little density to fly far. Should be cheaper and smokier than the Bird shot I was shooting off.


Kevin in Pa

 

[Imaginos]

A little ball of toilet paper works just fine.

 

[arcticap]

I would try some wadded newspaper as long as the flaming embers don't create a fire hazard.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I was just going to use 60 grns of Pyrodex and a wonder wad in my Walker.

I don't have to worry about the cities. I luckily live in the county so no big deal!

I figured my daughter would enjoy trying the Walker out and making some noise!

 

[Imaginos]

You will get your best bang if the powder is compressed and you have something that will give some resistance to the ignition pressure. Loose powder just fizzles. you may get a sparkler effect, and I'm not sure Wonder Wads alone will give you enough friction for a reliable bang.

 

[1911 guy]

Mine's a rifle, but...

I've always dunped 40gr FFFg down the spout and crammed a bit of paper towel over it. Compact it with the rod (or loading lever) and have at it. I did this several times the night of the fourth with my flinter. It needed cleaned anyway.

 

[ky_man]

A blank load for my .32 flint pistol is 15 g of FFFg under a pre-lubed patch. Goes bang, lots of smoke/fire.

A blank load for my .50 longrifle is 50 g of FFFg under same.

Same rules of firearm safety apply, don't point at anything you don't want to destroy. I typically shoot at a 45 deg angle with blank loads, lets people really see the smoke and it's safer.

The patch goes really far sometimes, and is always can be reused (but I never do). Never burnt (really weird, I know).

 

[Duncaninfrance]

What is the problem with shooting blanks anyway? Is it cos you are not on the range?

SO WHAT IS THE ANSWER? Can't be that difficult a question