Info on Black powder pistols

[chris25]

Soon I hope to apply for an FAC for black powder pistol shooting. However I have a few questions-

1) What is needed for storage of black powder/pyrodex?
2) Are costs high (in terms of BP, shot, caps etc)?
3) Upon joining a club what is needed to ensure your FAC can go smoothly?

Cheers, Chris

[Smokeless Coal]

1 for BP you would need a wooded storage box built to a specification laid down in the regulations (they can be brought for about £50). You would need to have this cleared by your FLO.
You would need an explosives licence and another for transportation. A lot of fuss when getting started.
Alternativly you can use BP equivilents such as Pyrodex or 777. There is no difficulty buying and storage is up to you. (I buy through the post and mine sits in my gun cabinet).

2 You should get close on 1000 shots from a bottle of powder at around £30
100 caps is around £3.50
Wads are a bit pricey at about £3.50 a hundred but you can make your own from wool based felt.
Balls are around £6.50 a hundred. Again you can make your own. A mould is about £20.

3 Same as any other FAC, make sure your club caters for m/l and that you have suitable cabinet.

Go for it, its good fun.

[chris25]

Sounds great considering you can get a decent pietta BP pistol for £120.

[Smokeless Coal]

My Rogers and Spencer cost me £65 s/h my RFD also had a Colt for £35 so they can be got dead cheap.

A word to the wise. At the time of the pistol ban folks were searching for other stuff they could shoot. And m/l pistols seemed a good idea. After playing with them for a while they got fed up with the mess and poor accuracy they were getting. Its a big step back from 1" groups to 8" groups.

Be prepared to look hard and consider whether you are hardy enough to accept the challenge. Its not going to be everyones cup of tea. Its not as easy as load and shoot.

That said you dont have to start off all technical like, treat it as fun and enjoy it. You will soon start to work out where you might be losing accuracy.
I tend to shoot two lots of six then switch to a rifle for the rest of my session. Anaylise later and incorporate change next time.

These things are supposed to be able to shoot clover leaf at 25m. That would be nice, I cant shoot better than three inch groups with any gun over open sights.

[robinghewitt]

I joined MLAGB, but they make you wait a year as a probationary member shooting Musqts on a SGC until you can use them to get a FAC

[Smokeless Coal]

My club is cleared for m/l, 3 months probation, get cleared by the commitee, stick in FAC application to include a bp revolver and your on your own.

[Calibre44]

I took up BP shooting earlier this year and haven’t looked back. Absolutely great fun! You can take it as seriously as you like – try different powder charges, ball sizes and even caps until you get the best combination for you. If you can’t be bothered with all of that just load it up and shoot it – flash. boom and clouds of smoke – loads of fun.

The cleaning can be a fag but I actually enjoy it – all part of it in my opinion.

I shoot a Uberti Colt Navy .36 and am absolutely crap at 25m (8 inch groups etc) but who cares. I enjoy it so much I have just ordered a Remington and Dragoon both in .44, which should arrive soon – can’t wait!

Have fun and let us know how you get on once you’ve got all your certs.

Cheers
John

[Smokeless Coal]

Recently been extolling the use of conicals and they did compare well with the commercial balls I had been using but.

I just brought a ball mold and cast some, coz I can, and gave them a try on tuesday. What an improvment, groups come down from a raggy 8" to a crisp 4". Bearing in mind my eyes are only good for 3" this is getting close to what I would hope for.

These balls are a bit rough when compared to factory "swaged" one so I was more than a little surprised.

I have put down the improvment to softer purer lead. They push in dead easy so I thought they might be a tad smaller but they mike up as .455" so cant be that different. Lubed with alox.

I'm still using 12gr by vol 777 and an 1/8" wad but would like a bit thicker.
This gives a gentle let off so I can hold over better.

[luddite]

Smokeless Coal, try a Pietta Remington Competition in stainless .44 cal and see your groups shrink at 25 yards.

I have tried a Colt but couldn't hold better than 8". I regularly achieve 3", 5 shot groups or less at 25 yards with the Remington and commercial balls using pyrodex.