Author Topic: Who's shooting black powder in their Handi's?  (Read 364 times)

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Offline jason280

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Who's shooting black powder in their Handi's?
« on: December 10, 2005, 02:38:39 PM »
I've decided to try reloading some black powder rounds for my .45-70 Buffalo Classic.  Anyone else loading their Handi's with black powder?  What powder do you like using?

I've got seven pounds of Pyrodex RS, five pounds of Triple 7, and a box of cast 405gr lead bullets.  Do I need to stick with softer lead bullets, or can you use hard cast?
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Offline OldBob

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Who's shooting black powder in their Handi'
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2005, 02:57:25 PM »
Jason, I'm working on a black powder load for my Handi-Rifle, but haven't got it right yet. I've done a lot of talking and reading and can offer a few guidelines from folks who have got the load right. This applies to black powder, I don't know if Pyrodex will act the same way.........First off start with a real clean barrel, get any copper fouling out, you will need to clean or use a "blow tube" between shots, or you can use duplex loads which cut fouling way down. I use FFG Goex, loaded thru a drop tube and heavily compressed and a .030 card wad, use a hot primer, soft lead bullets seem better than hard. Use a lube made specifically for black powder such as SPG. Keep your crimp light, I use a Lee taper crimp and set it just tight enough to hold the bullet. From what research I have done I believe each rifle is a rule unto itself with this, you just have to spend the time and try different loads, bullets, etc....... but thats not such a bad thing !
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Offline quickdtoo

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Who's shooting black powder in their Handi'
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2005, 03:36:34 PM »
Here's a good read on Junior Doughty's BP Handi experience...

http://www.castbullet.com/shooting/1871.htm
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Offline .308

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Who's shooting black powder in their Handi'
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2005, 04:22:16 PM »
Jason,

Junior is a mess, and a real sharp fellow. I love his site and alway check to see if he's written something new. His main page is http://www.castbullet.com/

Two of my favorite places to go there are the Shooting and the Reloading/Casting links. You might like his .30-30 stories, since you're looking to buy one. Later. 8)

Offline dodd3

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Who's shooting black powder in their Handi'
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2005, 04:59:42 PM »
jason if you just want to do some plinking with black powder then a harder bullet will do alright ,but if you want to hunt with black the use a softer 20to1 mix bullet or even 30to1. at the speed you push a bullet with black powder you wont the bullet to expand to get good killing shots that my opinion.
bernie :D
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Offline Trapper-Jack

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Who's shooting black powder in their Handi'
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2005, 02:44:32 AM »
Take a look at the website that Hodgdon has for reloading with Pyrodex and tripple 7.

http://www.hodgdon.com/data/cowboy/prdxt7warn.php

If you are just plinking and having fun, it'll work fine.  If you want to get serious about shooting longer ranges, my experience has been that you will do better if you use the real black stuff.
Thanks,
Trapper Jack