[deadin]

I'm in the process of making some cases for a Belgian target pistol from the 1880-90s. I plan on seating .445 pure lead round balls in the case mouth. What should I do about lube? Dip the nose in lube just before loading, or do I need to use lube at all??

Thanks,

Dean

Forgot to mention, I'm using either black powder or one of the substitutes. I think I've got some Triple 7 in the ammo locker.....

 

[ribbonstone2]

When i do load rounds like that, will usually seat the ball a little deeper than 1/2 way, leaving a tiny bit of case mouth "edge" around the ball. Will simply rub lube into that "edge". If you need to crimp, do it after the hand applied lube.

Puts the lube only where it will do some good (right where the rifling is going to bite in).

The alternative (and easier) is to use a thinned out coat of liquid alox.

 

[deadin]

Thanks ribbonstone. The gun is a single shot so I shouldn't need a crimp.
I like the alox idea, in fact I think I may have some around here somewhere. What do you use to thin it? (or did you mean to just put it on thin?)

Dean

 

[ribbonstone2]

Either way....most people glob on too thick a coating, can get a reasonably thin coat full strength or can thin it with a solvent (Zippo lighter fluid...which is Naptha...and Charcoal lighter fluid works about as well).

I still prefer to just smear on some tradtional bullet lube, which i find faster, but I don't mind getting one hand lube-dirty (it's like flouring fishfor frying...one hand clean, one "dirty").

 

[tacklebury]

Thanks ribbonstone. The gun is a single shot so I shouldn't need a crimp.
I like the alox idea, in fact I think I may have some around here somewhere. What do you use to thin it? (or did you mean to just put it on thin?)

Dean

From the round ball loads I have made up, I always use a slight crimp even for single shots. All it takes is a slight bump and your ball gets knocked down inside and gives inconsistent accuracy. I have made some with Reloader7 for the .45-70 and if using BP, you can stack about 4 .45 cal wool wads, untreated one next to powder and 3 lubed ones above it, so you get less lead and better consistency. With my RL7 round ball loads, I can hit a 10x10 gong at 100 yards pretty consistently. They are only a slight kentucy wind snip to the right and down. They can easily put down varmint size game and are fairly quiet compared to normal .45-70's. One thing that made them more accurate was using my expansion die to seat the balls consistently without deformation. I use the lee factory crimp die to barely squeeze the brass. Have fun with em.

 

[deadin]

tacklebury,
Unfortunately the case for this pistol is made from a shortened .45 Long Colt case. Nearly a case full only holds around 21 grs of Triple Seven. I don't think I could get many wads in there and still have enough room for powder......

 

[tacklebury]

tacklebury,
Unfortunately the case for this pistol is made from a shortened .45 Long Colt case. Nearly a case full only holds around 21 grs of Triple Seven. I don't think I could get many wads in there and still have enough room for powder......

Well, you could use vegetable wads, pretty cheap also.

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,3360.html

They do have them in 30 thousandths thickness also.

 

[mazo kid]

If using black powder, make sure to use a lube made for BP. Petroleum based lubes and BP don't get along too well, makes a gummy fouling.