Reloading Black Powder Cartridge

[Spitpatch]

I found a source for BP (Salem area) but at $34 per pound. Might be better off waiting for free shipping or free hazmat deal from powder valley?

I'd bite the bullet (or powder in this case) and get to shootin'! I'd imagine the Salem provider has done calculations to put his price comparable to any price mail order (of course with a "gotta have it now" premium). Good to keep those guys in business too.

 

[P7M13]

I found a source for BP (Salem area) but at $34 per pound. Might be better off waiting for free shipping or free hazmat deal from powder valley?

If you're dealing with Ken -- great shop, and great man.
Edit to add, I haven't seen BP below $30/lb in ~8 years.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

$34 per pound of black powder is an excellent price.

The days of :
Its cheaper to shoot black powder / muzzle loading firearms.....are long gone.
Andy

 

[dangerranger60]

So you'll only load to 21gr of #FFF instead of his 24gr?

BP will be measured in volume not in weight. its grain size sets its burn speed, so weighing loads has not produced loads that have a low extreme spread.
measuring in volume has produced better results.
If you are using the right grain size, I doubt you can overload even an inexpensive modern pistol. but to get the best load you will need to shoot and adjust the volume to find the most accurate, and the least fouling. using fillers seems to be pretty much settled as a standard for reduced loads. I don't se a down side. DR

 

[dangerranger60]

One thing not mentioned here is bullet lube. If you use a lube that contains petroleum the chemicals in BP will turn it to a fouling that looks and feels like asphalt.
The bullets that are specifically made to shoot with BP have larger lube grooves to hold more lube. If you are using a bullet that is made for smokeless powder, you may need to add a wafer of lube under the bullet. these are sometimes called a "lube cookie"
The lube in a BP cartridge both lubes the bullet and works as a solvent to keep the powder fouling soft.

Shooting BP cartridge is fun but it takes more than just loading the same way we load smokeless powders. DR