Help for a wet behind the ears newbie - and blank loads

[DJS]

A paper or cardboard cartridge with just powder in could be ok. There are many different ways of making them shown on youtube, one example here.
If you haven't got an explosives licence for the blackpowder you can use pyrodex.
Daz

[Smokeless Coal]

Obscure as hell but it sounds legit. You have to excuse us for our caution, not only do we have concern about non legit activity but we are under the microscope by people outside shooting.

I know reenactors who have "live" guns but can only shoot them with blank charges so you would not be alone there. The comment that you used cartridges was what threw me but I guess forwards venting blank firer on ticket with good reason sounds not so bad.

Now lets look at the problem, you would do best to homeload blanks for the cartridge blank firer, the primer system is more reliable. That would be doable in a centerfire case.

[farmer7]

Sorry to say that I'm trying very hard, so far I confess with no success, to get my head round the fact that you seem to have been granted an FAC for a Section 1 BP revolver in order to shoot bloons from the back of a norse.

Have I got it right? [Over the way nobody is going to believe this].

Me being nosey - what was your 'good reason' to acquire this Section 1 firearm? It cannot have been target shooting, since you don't actually shoot it at the target -or do you? It can't be pest control either, unless you feel that bloons are somehow threatening to your livestock or crops.

So please, just put my mind at rest and tell me, and no doubt, a few others, what prompted your county Chief Constable to make his [to me] surprising decision.

tac
vcrai.com

Totally unhelpful. Also implies he's telling lies!

The more FAC's granted to sane, sensible people for whatever legal purpose they desire the better for us all in the long run.

Good luck to you,sounds like fun!


As for blanks you could try 30 or so grains of BP or Pyrodex. But you will need something to compress it and also hold it in the chamber at a gallop! You couldn't use a wad as it would become a projectile. Over the pond the re-enactors use the green florists foam. Supposed to disintegrate almost straightaway. Give you lots of smoke and flame!

[Smokeless Coal]

For m/l blanks as DJS suggests a homemade paper tube works, you could drop the powder to a grain or 2 quite easy and all that would come out the barrel would be a bit of smoldering tissue. Reliable ignition would be your biggest problem. If you used pyrodex it would go off with more of a pfut than a bang if its not under compression or much of a restriction ie ball in front of it.

[pegger]

Well I guess it does sound like a bonkers hobby!

The forward venting cartridge pistols are limited due to the blocked barrel, so the only way to get range is to use the long cased catridge and up the load, which is not working well with my horses (they do have ear plugs in). Also I've been too chicken to try home loading, but the ability to put primers in would be good, as a cartidge with just a primer and no load are an excellent training tool with the horses (one up from the cap gun toy where I start them).

What I was hoping is that a cap and ball pistol with a lower load, but the clear barrels would be a good half way house for competition. However I am completely inexperienced with percussion pistols; chain fire and the load dropping out from shaking are a big worry.

[Smokeless Coal]

You want a small framed gun so I would suggest the 1862 colt navy, its a 5 shot .36, lovely dainty thing.

[Smokeless Coal]

chain fire would be no worry, what happens there would be the ball firing with the chamber not in station so going along the outside of the frame rather than the barrel, you are not using balls.

Keeping the powder in you would use a wad, perhaps tissue pressed on top the powder maybe with a light brushing of grease to make it stick better.

[davederrick]

Well I guess it does sound like a bonkers hobby!

Hmmmm, today I was lying on a sheet in the middle of a field in the driving rain trying to see a target, your sport seems quite sane Never heard of tentpegging, but would like to watch it now.

[pegger]

A paper or cardboard cartridge with just powder in could be ok. There are many different ways of making them shown on youtube, one example here.
If you haven't got an explosives licence for the blackpowder you can use pyrodex.
Daz

Thanks for the link, interesting stuff, but he is using balls. I'm looking for less smoke and flash, so at the moment haven't applied for black powder as I thought pyrodex would be cleaner and easier.

[pegger]

chain fire would be no worry, what happens there would be the ball firing with the chamber not in station so going along the outside of the frame rather than the barrel, you are not using balls.

Keeping the powder in you would use a wad, perhaps tissue pressed on top the powder maybe with a light brushing of grease to make it stick better.

Well you say that but chain fire is not great when you are sat on a horse, and you are not allowed to discard your weapon (we have strict safety drills). So you just have to hold the gun up until its finished.

Would a wad be man enough for the job, and do the caps ever work loose if in a holster and bouncing around?

[Smokeless Coal]

pyro is dirtier but easier to buy. But if your only use for this gun is going to be this then you could probably use nitro powder (everyone throws their hands up in horror) but only because there is no projectile to create breach pressure. Nitro would go off easier, the big shock is that it would be in a gun proofed only for BP.

We are cosidering specialist loading here, half a grain of nitro powder would be enough if your looking at the range of the rider in your example.

[pegger]

As for blanks you could try 30 or so grains of BP or Pyrodex. But you will need something to compress it and also hold it in the chamber at a gallop! You couldn't use a wad as it would become a projectile. Over the pond the re-enactors use the green florists foam. Supposed to disintegrate almost straightaway. Give you lots of smoke and flame!

Sorry dumb question alert! So we use florist foam in the long cased rounds and then turps and wax on the top. However in this case would you compress the load then add the foam, as otherwise the foam would be very squished? Or squish everything?

Also can you preload a chamber to take to a venue? Or must it always be done on site. As in it would be convenient to be all set up, remove gun from safe and compete straight away (usually don't have that much time to prepare depending on the venue).

[Smokeless Coal]

chain fire with just powder loads would be a big pfut and over in a second.

Caps you would have trial and error to find best fit, and a good push with a bit of wooden dowel to seat them well. A problem with m/l guns is that often the cap bursts and bits go everywhere, not good next to your horse or without eye protection. One plus is without the back pressure from a ball its less likely to blow the cap off, nipples with smaller holes would help as well. My bad as theres little powder larger holes would be best.

[pegger]

pyro is dirtier but easier to buy. But if your only use for this gun is going to be this then you could probably use nitro powder (everyone throws their hands up in horror) but only because there is no projectile to create breach pressure. Nitro would go off easier, the big shock is that it would be in a gun proofed only for BP.

We are cosidering specialist loading here, half a grain of nitro powder would be enough if your looking at the range of the rider in your example.

Shows how much I know, I thought Pyrodex was cleaner than BP!

Nitro... hummm makes me worry, and I would not be keen to try. One of our guys blew the breach out on a trinity with a nitro blank. I'd be very loathe to try it Do pietta make any muzzle loaders proofed for Nitro? (my little forward venter is, but can only take a 9mm short anyway)

[Smokeless Coal]

commecial blanks are made with a bursting insert and crimped to create pressure in the cartridge, you get more bang that way. You said you want less bang and the way to achieve that is to not restrict the powder and create an explosive force.