(1) What is in a percussion cap that makes it go bang ? ESSENTIALLY THE SAME KIND OF STUFF THAT'S IN A MODERN CF PRIMER.

But not nearly so much. There are a few tests of the strength of primers vs. caps and the strongest cap is weaker then the weakest primer.

(2) What's an easy way to tell if i've loaded too much powder and i'm wasting it ? CHRONOGRAPH THE LOADS AS YOU WORK UP. WHEN VELOCITY STOPS INCREASING, YOU'RE THERE!

No. Generally, accuracy will deteriorate before you max out velocity.


(7) How do you slug a barrel ? YOU DRIVE A SOFT LEAD, OVERSIZE SLUG THROUGH THE BORE FROM BREECH TO MUZZLE. YOU CAN'T DO THIS WITH A GUN HAVING A PERMANENTLY INSTALLED BREECH PLUG. DO IT BEFORE YOU INSTALL THE PLUG!!

No, you can do this to a breeched gun. It is done by first inserting a heavy brass rod, or in my case, a brass tube that has been filled with lead. Tap the lubed slug into the bore, then shake the gun or invert it and shake it up and down and the brass rod will drive the slug back out quite easily.

( How many shots can be fired before swabbing the bore ? ONE OR TWO IF USING BLACK POWDER. WITH PYRODEX OR EQUIVALENT, I CAN SHOOT ALL AFTERNOON WITHOUT WIPING!

And some of us can shoot all afternoon, and morning too, using the real thing. If you have fouling problems, you really have a problem with your load.

(9) Why doesn't pyrodex ignite reliably and what can i do about it ? IT DOES IGNITE RELIABLY. USE A CCI MAGNUM NO. 11 CAP, OR GET A "MAGSPARK NIPPLE" AND USE NO. 209 PRIMERS ON YOUR SIDELOCKS. I DO!

Better yet, just use real black powder. It works better, is more reliable in any weather and the fouling from BP is much less corrosive than the fouling from Pyrodex. Personally, I never let pyrodex get anywhere close to my rifles anymore.

(10) Why would i grease the front of a cylinder on a black powder revolver ? TO KEEP THE FLASH FROM THE CHAMBER YOU ARE FIRING FROM SETTING OFF ONE OR MORE OF THE OTHER CHAMBERS!! (CHAIN FIRING). A PRED-LUBED WONDERWAD ON TOP OF THE POWDER & UNDER THE BALL WORKS AS WELL, AND ELIMINATES FOOLING WITH GREASY CRAP!

This is a common myth. The accepted answer, however, is that chain firing happens across the other end of the cylinder between percussion caps. Lube in the cylinder is to keep fouling soft and lube the ball. A ball that is so tight as to cause lead to be shaved off of it when seated will not let a spark pass.

(11) What do i use in what ? fg , ffg , fffg , ffffg ? Fg in muskets/smallbore cannons. FFg IN ALL RIFLES FROM .45 to 58 CALIBER! FFFg IN ALL RIFLES UNDER .45 CALIBER, AND PISTOLS/REVOLVERS. FFFFg IN YOUR FLINTLOCK'S FLASHPANONLY.

Use whatever works best for the purpose you choose. the xfg lable can be quite misleading. For example, my current batch of 1.5 FG Swiss powder will produce identical velocities to 3fg Goex in the same .25-20 case. I use 1.5 fg Swiss in 10 bore shotguns and 1 fg in .45-100 rifles. Why? Because I have found each to work better than the other in those particular guns.

(12) Is black powder corrosive ? YOU DAMN BETCHA!! CLEAN EVERY DAY AFTER SHOOTING!!! POUR TWO QUARTS OF BOILING P[LAIN WATER THROUGH THE BORE, THEN DRY WITH 3-4 PATCHES AND OIL BORE. CLEAN ALL BP FOULING OFF ALL METAL PARTS WITH WET PATCH, THEN OIL. I SUBSTITUTE BIRCHWOOD-CASEY SHEATH FOR OIL IN BORES, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SWABBED OUT BEFORE LOADING UP AGAIN TOMORROW!! CLEAN PYRODEX SAME WAY. PLAIN, NON-BOILING WATER WILL REMOVE 777, CLEAN SHOT & CLEARSHOT FOULING.

Wow, lots to disagree with here. Boiling water is at best a pain in the ass, at worst, high temps speed corrosion by increasing the rates of chemical reactions - in this case oxidation.

Most of us use unheated soap and water, or window cleaner, or any of a zillion other concoctions. Then a dry patch then oil.


(15) Why wouldn't i ram a ball with my hand over the ramrod ? I DO! IT USUALLY HAS TO BE DONE THAT WAY IN ORDER TO GET IT DOWN!

Hope it doesn't break, but I do it too. Better to bore a shallow hole in your short starter and put it over the end of the rod. Easier on your hand.


(17) Will black powder explode by any means other than a spark? IT CAN BE IGNITED BY A HAMMER BLOW, SOMETIMES, OR BY STATIC ELECTRICITY!!

Not by any normal static electricity. Another myth that we have discussed here before, check the archives. Plastic funnels and powder hoppers won't do it either.

(1 What is flint made of? FLINT IS A NATURALLY OCCURING ROCK! IT IS "KNAPPED" (CHIPPED & HAMMERED) OR CUT WITH DIAMOND SAWS TO THE CORRECT SHAPE FOR USE IN THE FLINTLOCK. AGATE CAN ALSO BE CUT INTO THE CORRECT SHAPE AND USED IN A FLINTLOCK. IT WORKS GREAT!
(19) Do i lube bullets before ramming them down? IN A ROUND-BALL RIFLE, USE A LIGHTLY LUBED PATCH. I AVOID LUBING CONICAL BULLETS BY USING A PRELUBED WONDERWAD UNDER THEM. SAME AS WITH A REVOLVER .

Doesn't help a lot with lubing the lead driving bands though.

(23) Can rods break? HICKORY RODS CAN, UNLESS YOU SOAK THEM FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS IN COAL OIL (KEROSENE) WHICH WILL RENDER THEM AS FLEXIBLE AS FIBERGLASS R CARBON RODS! IF USING WOODEN RODS, USE ONLY HICKORY RODS FOR LOADING & CLEANING ML RIFLES. OTHER WOODS DON'T FLEX ENOUGH BEFORE BREAKING!!!

And they can break after soaking them in kerosene as well. Look for grain run out in choosing a rod. It is MUCH more important.

(24) Should i use some kind of short rod to start the ram? HELLYES!! IT IS DIFFICULT TO START A BALL WITH THE FULL-LENGTH ROD, IF THE BALL/PATCH COMBINATION IS AS TIGHT AS IT NEEDS TO BE FOR ACCURACY.
(25) Why do black powder rifles have such a slow twist? TWIST IS DETERMINED BY BULLET LENGTH. ALSO, THE BIGGER AROUND THE BALL IS, THE SLOWER IT NEEDS TO BE SPUN FOR ACCURACY. PLEASE NOTE THAT BARRELS CUT TO SHOOT SABOTTED BULLETS THAT ARE THREE OR MORE DIAMETERS IN LENGTH, HAVE MUCH FASTER TWISTS THAN ROUND-BALL SHOOTERS!!

I don't know anyone selling sabots for 3+ caliber bullets. More like 1.5 or maybe 2 calibers - but yes, they require faster twists than balls.

(26) What are the wedges in a black powder rifle for? PERHAPS TO KEEP THE BARREL FROM FALLING OFF????
(27) Do i really need a powder measure ? I once saw a guy place a ball in his palm and then poured enough black powder in his hand to cover the ball . He said that it was the correct measurement . YES, YOU DO! THAT GUY WAS WRONG. SUCH A METHOD ALWAYS RESULTS IN AN UNDERLOADED RIFLE EXCEPT FOR MAYBE SHORT-RANGE TARGET PRACTICE OR BUSTIN' BEER CANS!!. IT IS ALSO A METHOD WHEREBY YOU NEVER GET EXACTLY THE SAME CHARGE TWICE EXCEPT BY ACCIDENT!! FOR A ROUND BALL RIFLE, THE CORRECT HUNTING LOAD IS ONE-HALF THE WEIGHT OF THE BALL.

NO, it's the amount of powder that works best for what you want to do, recognizing that maximal speed and maximal accuracy will occur for two different loads of powder, your job is to find the happy compromise appropriate for the job at hand. My 235 gr roundball load for my .54 is 100 gr of Swiss 1.5 fg (1931 fps) or 95 gr of Goex 2fg (of 1996 vintage and producing only 1770 fps)

MY .50 WITH A 1/72" BILL LARGE BARREL WILL SHOOT .500 DIA ROUND BALLS USING 90 GRAINS OF DUPONT FFg POWDER INTO 1" AT 100 YARDS ALL AFTERNOON LONG (WHEN NO WIND IS BLOWING!!!).

I'd like to see that. Never have seen anyone shoot consistent 1" groups with a roundball yet, but I'm still hoping.

(43) Are wheelwieghts o.k. or should it stick to soft lead for casting balls/bullets?NEVER USE ANYTHING FOR ML BULLETS EXCEPT PURE, SOFT LEAD. NO ALLOYS, JUST PURE LEAD. IF YOU WANT THE EXPERIENCE OF A STUCK BALL, MAKE SOME BULLETS FROM SOMETHING HARDER THAN PURE LEAD! HARDER ALLOYS CAN BE USED FOR BP CARTRIDGE GUNS, HOWEVER.

They can be used in muzzleloaders too. I have used 25:1 in my Joseph Lang 18 bore double rifle. Hardened bullets/balls were used for better penetration on larger game. Wheelweights, however are too hard for most uses.

(46) Are black powder rifles accurate? A UNION SNIPER KILLED A CONFEDERATE GENERAL OFFICER AT A RANGE OF OVER 1 MILE WITH A SLUG RIFLE THAT HAD A PRIMITIVE SCOPE ON IT. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF BILLY DIXON AND THE BATTLE OF ADOBE WALLS? WHAT DO YOU THINK KILLED ALL OF THE BISON IN NORTH AMERICA?? A SHARPS BP RIFLE, AT RANGES FROM 400 OUT TO 1000 YARDS!!

I believe the Civil War story is also a myth, though I believed it for years and it is in many books. Some research has failed to validate it however. Billy Dixon's shot still stands. He was the first to say it was just pure luck too (indian on horse back at 1535 yds give or take a couple).

(50) Why do black powder guys blow in the nipple to blow the remaining smoke out of thier rifles ? I NEVER COUILD FIGURE THIS ONE OUT MYSELF. PROBABLY SAW JOHN WAYNE DO IT IN "THE FIGHTING KENTUCKIAN" OR SOME SUCH NONSENSE!!

They do it to put out any embers that may be remaining before recharging their rifles. Some, like me blow into the muzzle, but this is not legal behavior at many ranges and in many matches. Use a flexible tube to do this and to soften the fouling with your breath's moisture. It makes reloading much easier and somewhat safer.

(59) When you measure out black powder is it by wieght or volume ? VOLUME ALWAYS! THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE OF STUFF LIKE PYRODEX, BECAUSE IT WEIGHS LESS BY PERHAPS 25-30%, BUT VOLUME-FOR-VOLUME IT PRODUCES THE SAME BALLISTICS AND SIMILAR PRESSURES.

Not always, esp, if you are loading cartridges, but even in technical muzzleloading target events, preweighed powder is often used.

(67) Will any powder solvent properly clean a black powder rifle? WATER WILL! OTHERS CLAIM TO, BUT NONE ARE AS THOROUGH AS WATER. Why ? Why not ? JUST BECAUSE, SONNY!

Try window cleaners w/o ammonia - Glass Plus for instance. Windshield wiper fluid will also work well - some of us think they work better than water.

(7 What's the advantage of pyrodex over Black Powder if there is any ? YOU KIN SHOOT ALL AFTERNOON WITHOUT WIPING WITH PYRODEX, BUT CAIN'T DO THIS WITH BP!!

Wrong, you certainly can do this with bp and all you have to do is go to a match and watch 60 guys doing it all afternoon, to see how it's done.

NOW I'LL ASK ONE!! WHAT DO I DO IF I GET A BALL DOWN?? (WITHOUT PUTTING THE POWDER CHARGE IN FIRST)?? (Happens all the time......)

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Screw ballpuller or a CO2 ball discharger. The last is much more enjoyable to use. Much more. Also good for unloading a rifle at the end of a day's hunt. You can also try putting a few grains behind the nipple if a perc gun. But this often will not work.

Brent