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RB in .44cal ARE around 140gr or so. The conicals ARE about 200gr, so all is well. BUT, loading conicals, unless you have a relieved chamber mouth, is a RPITA, and unless you are after hogs at 10 yards with stocious loads that would rattle your brass-framed pistol to components in short order, my advice to you is to melt them down and make more ball.

Thanks for the info. I poked around with this stuff again today, I think there is a mixture of equipment in the box it came in. Estate materials can come in all configurations, often put together by people who don't know any better. I measured the RN flat base bullets, they won't do. They measure .450 to .451, definitely will be melted down. For me not good enough even for .45 ACP. The round balls measure .454-.455 which I guess is good for the BP revolvers.

The powder measure I believe is for rifle, large increments and big hole. The flask may also be for rifle, large dispensing hole too big for revolver. I had a revolver flask years ago, it was the design with a lever and small narrow spout. There's also a brass rammer tip definitely for rifle, also a couple of brass spouts that have no utility for me. Today I ordered a smaller measure more appropriate for revolver.
 
Yes, the long powder measures are for rifles, but the short cylindrical device is great for loading either powder or semolina. That's to fill a deal of the space between the powder and ball, to bring the ball up level with the mouth of the chamber. Some do it, and some don't. Note that ALL single-shot target shooters do it, as you can see on a VERY impressive Youtube series by the Hungarian national champion rifle AND pistol shot Dr Balász Németh. Look for his article on shooting the LePage pistol if you are interested. In any case, his stuff ought to be required watching.

Good luck with all that, and keep us up to date with your BP shenanigins.
 
Most modern flasks will take various nozzles, that are made for different BP charges, both for rifle or pistol, check to see if the nozzle is threaded into the flask. I use about 16gr by volume in my 36ca Remington type, and 30gr up to around 90 in my 45cal rifle, depending on whether or not I'm planning to hunt with it. for plinking with the rifle I use around 30gr or so to conserve powder. BP is pretty forgiving as long as the projectile seats ON the powder with NO space between it and the powder. To leave a space can turn your firearm into a pipe bomb! Get a BP handbook to be on the safe side if you don't already have one that covers your questions!
Those nozzles are designed to throw their charge when you place your finger over the end then open the valve, then tip the flask upside down to let the powder fill the nozzle, then release the valve turn the flask back right side up and pour your charge into the chamber of your pistol, after loading the ball repeat till your gun is loaded assuming it's a revolver of course. o_O
I've also been of the understanding that using some sort of grease over the ball helps prevent chain fire where more than one chamber is fired at once.
Not recommended!
Along with the cleanup benefits. Plain old unsalted Crisco Lard from the grocery store works as well as any other lube.
When in doubt I would ask @AndyinEverson here in this forum and I would bow to what he recommends, he is our resident BP Guru!
Welcome to the rotten egg shooters. LOL They can be habit forming!
Gabby
 
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Chain fires, eh? Well, the general consensus is that chain-fires happen from the BACK of the cylinder, and not the front. IF the nipples are badly worn down and allow the flash to go sideways as well as into the chamber, that flash MIGHT just set off the next charge vai that worn-down nipple, and so on.

If the flash at the FRONT of the chamber set off a chain-fire, then why doesn't it happen every time you shoot a loaded chamber? The fact is that forcing a ball into the chamber - IOW, SWAGING it into the chamber, provides the best form of seal you'll ever get - after all, it has actually shaved off a teeny ring of lead to fit in there, right?
 
Chain fires, eh? Well, the general consensus is that chain-fires happen from the BACK of the cylinder, and not the front. IF the nipples are badly worn down and allow the flash to go sideways as well as into the chamber, that flash MIGHT just set off the next charge vai that worn-down nipple, and so on.

If the flash at the FRONT of the chamber set off a chain-fire, then why doesn't it happen every time you shoot a loaded chamber? The fact is that forcing a ball into the chamber - IOW, SWAGING it into the chamber, provides the best form of seal you'll ever get - after all, it has actually shaved off a teeny ring of lead to fit in there, right?

Yup I left that open for you to reply to, as I said I was to the understanding of the possibility of a chain fire. Possibility doesn't mean absolute reaction. But what if someone used an under size ball without grease to seal the chamber, could that possibly set off an adjacent chamber?
BP is classed as an explosive here in the states, ( I don't know about the rest of the world ). So it can do some pretty strong things if miss handled such as not fully seating the projectile against the powder charge. I'm glad you mentioned the oversize ball having a small ring of lead shaved off when being forced into the chamber. However I've observed that not ALL of the balls are full sized as cast, and don't shave off a full ring every time, and so I'll continue to put some insurance grease over the chamber as lube and chain fire protection when I shoot my trusty revolver praying that my caps are seated well upon the new nipples I put on each chamber, and it won't go double bang all at once!
So I agree with you with some reservations, and am not trying to be as smart A-s.
This is a way for the new B's to gain information, and I attempt to make sure they get as much good info as possible, as I'm sure you are doing as well.
Have a great day, and keep your power dry, :D
Gabby
 
The laws of physics being the same no matter where you live, BP is all classed as an explosive everywhere else, too.

The use of undersized ball is a matter for the owner to decide to use, or not. However, I've only ever used correct-sized ball in my Ruger Old Army - cast as .457" they are ALWAYS going to be oversize in chambers that average .454", and will always leave a ring on loading. If using a grease 'topping' works for you, that's fine. I gave up many years ago when I found that it got blown off adjacent chambers by the sideways blast from firing one of them.

I'm still not sure how even firing a chamber with an undersized ball, always supposing it would stay in the chamber and not simply roll out, could induce a flame that traveled into the next chamber around and then bypassing the ball in it it, set off the charge.

The jury is out on that one.

Anyhow, you carry on doing what you do, and I'll carry on doing what I do.

Shoot safely is all that counts.
 

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