Source
r/castboolits•
Sen4_

Super low power black powder suggestions

Making my own percussion cap musket. I slugged the barrel to .385 caliber. I have made and am making everything but the barrel, springs, and pins (cut down nails or bolts). Everything else is hand forged or made from bar stock. The barrel is about 3.5 ft long with 0.5 in outer diameter and previously slugged inner diameter. Chamber cap is a 7/16 bolt tapped about 3/4 in. in. I plan to make the black powder myself along with the percussion caps. I'll be testing them with paper towel slugs, to begin with. The bullets I'm planning are conical .375 cal. (maybe slightly less) with handmade mold from aluminum bar stock with weight not yet known. I am worried about squibs but I really just want a starting place to push it out the barrel. Not looking for a solid answer, just want some people's two cents. In before pipe bomb.

Posted Oct 21, 2017, 4:20 AM UTC

26
cawpinhas all the stuff to cast .45-70 but hasn't jumped in yet...•

0.500 OD and 0.385 groove diameter leaves you with only 0.0575 wall thickness. That isn't going to hold much pressure.

3
Sen4_OP•

agreed. I'm reinforcing the high-pressure areas with friction fit steel bushings. And probably the rest with wood encasement. That's why low-pressure loads. Edit: I would like to find a second tube that would tightly fit over the barrel. Normal Hardware stores: no such luck

2
cawpinhas all the stuff to cast .45-70 but hasn't jumped in yet...•

You'll have to bore something on a lathe (and probably turn the outside of the existing piece) to get a fit for pressure.

2
Sen4_OP•

If only I had lathe. That would make me a happy camper.

2
The_MadChemist•

I wouldn't recommend taking a lathe camping.

1
rednuck•

make a mark on your ramrod at the length of an empty barrel. Then you will always be able to check quick that it came out.

for clearing dryballs we used to take the nipple out, and use a priming flask of FFFFg to dribble some in. It was probably less then 2-3 grains that would clear a round ball out.

2
alexzxz•

if its smoothbore, you should be fine with low pressures. I've messed with loading homemade low power BP for a 38sp revolver. Never again.

Hammering a squib out is nerve-wracking. Once its engaged in the rifling, you need ungodly amounts of force with a solid hammer (no rubber mallet) to free it.

That's a pretty thin barrel, but if you reinforce, should be fine. Ofc, fire with a string.

1