Black Powder Cartridge Reloading Hacks
feature By: Rick Moritz | April, 26
Here are some methods I’ve gathered over the past 30 years while loading black powder cartridges; you might find them useful.
O-RINGS
The threads on your reloading dies may not always align perfectly with the reloading press. This can cause the loaded ammunition to be slightly off-center. All threads are made with some slack to accommodate manufacturing variations, making it easier to connect parts without binding. Without this slack, achieving proper alignment would be difficult. However, this slack can lead to increased bullet “run-out,” resulting in ammunition that isn’t perfectly straight. Run-out is the wobbling of a rotating object from its true axis. There’s a simple, inexpensive solution that can help reduce run-out.
O-rings placed under the die lock rings not only prevent the die from shifting after adjustment, but they also allow the reloading die to slightly flex in the loading press, helping it better align with the cartridge case. Using O-rings is inexpensive and offers significant benefits. I buy O-rings with an inside diameter of 7⁄8-inch, which matches the threaded portion of standard reloading dies. I screw the die into the press by hand just enough to keep it snug. The rubber’s flexibility helps the die align more precisely with the cartridge during sizing or bullet seating. I purchased the O-rings at my local hardware store for 75 cents. Lee supplies some of their dies and straight-through bullet sizers with lock rings that include an embedded O-ring.
OVER POWDER WADS AND CASE RUNOUT TOOLS
When charging the cartridge cases and seating wads on top of the powder, a dowel is used to push the wad below the case mouth and seat it onto the powder charge. Using fairly thick polyethylene wads (0.090 inches) tends to cause them to sit very high in the case neck unless forcibly seated further. If these thick over-powder wads are not sitting below the case mouth, the powder compression stem can skip across the wad’s surface during the powder compression step, potentially damaging the case neck. Seating the over-powder wad with a wooden dowel also allows me to gauge its depth, indicating that the powder charge is correct and at the proper height within the case. I insert the dowel in a file handle; it is easier to hold and apply pressure to the wad.
I usually check my ammunition with a case run-out tool at the start of each new reloading session. It helps me verify my die settings and the ammunition’s concentricity. When using a new lot of powder that required extra compression, I noticed my run-out was larger than usual. I double checked all my measurements, including the depth of the over-powder wad and the overall cartridge length. Everything looked fine. Confused about what was happening, I increased the overall cartridge length slightly (not seating the bullet as deeply) and saw the run-out decrease. Increasing the length, a bit more brought the run-out back to a normal 0.003 inches or less. Curious about the cause, I re-measured the over-powder wad seating depth and noticed a dimple in its center. Careful measurement showed the edge of the wad was 0.010 to 0.015 inches higher than the center. During bullet seating, I was pressing down on the edge of the wad with the bullet, which caused the bullet to become slightly distorted or bent, showing up as increased run-out. We might think our bullets are tough when the alloy is 20 to 1 or even 16 to 1 (lead to tin), but in reality, bullets are lead putty when subjected to the force a reloading press can generate.
As standard practice, I use the case run-out tool to help set up my bullet seating die at the start of a reloading session. Case alignment tools, such as an RCBS – Case Master Gauging Tool, not only measure cartridge case concentricity, neck thickness, and variation, but they can also measure bullet run-out on a loaded cartridge.
I once had a set of dies from an unnamed supplier that consistently produced ammunition with a total indicated run-out of 0.012 inches. I was unable to determine why the rifle and ammo combination shot so poorly until I measured the bullet run-out. After replacing the dies, the problem disappeared. As a reference, I have found that a total indicated run-out of 0.003 inches or less leads to accurate ammunition, all else being equal.
TWO BULLET MOULDS
Many years ago, someone advised me to try using two bullet moulds at the same time and to tap the mould handle near the mould with a small plastic mallet after closing. At first, operating two moulds simultaneously was challenging, but eventually I mastered it and learned some valuable lessons. First, the bases are noticeably improved when using two moulds; the sprue cut-off is cleaner and smoother. I believe this is because of the longer cooling time. Second, the bullet weights are much more consistent, likely due to tapping the mould handle with the mallet.
To run two moulds, a few adjustments are necessary compared to the usual casting process. While the lead heats up, I place both molds on top of the lead pot and cover them with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Before casting, I wait until the pot reaches the proper temperature. I set the temperature to the highest setting on my pots because each mould sits longer between lead fills than when using just one mould, requiring more heat input. Depending on the moulds, I reduce the temperature after casting 10 to 20 bullets. Using the aluminum foil cover helps the moulds produce high-quality bullets from the start. I don’t consider myself a fast bullet caster, but with this method, I can make 100 match-grade bullets (50 from each mould) in one hour. I rarely use just one mould to cast bullets.
PAN LUBING BULLETS
Although Mattern has a different view: “And still I regard the use of bullets without sizing as a makeshift measure. Too many things can happen in a mould to cause slight variations. The shooting always will be less accurate, the groups always larger. Sizing with a die therefore can be considered a necessity, and the preparation of good cast bullet without this operation is more or less impracticable. Handloaders who have always fired their cast bullets as they come from the molds have not yet learned what fine accuracy can be obtained.” (1)
I respect Mattern’s view, even though I don’t share it. I’m sure he never used a Paul Jones or Buffalo Arms bullet mould. Bullets from a mould that produces perfectly round projectiles might not need sizing unless they are too large in diameter.
With two “Baker’s Secret” eight-inch square pans and a double-boiler, I lube 200 bullets at a time. After weighing and sorting my bullets, I place them nose down in Styrofoam trays designed for .45 Colt cartridges. I spray the inside edges of the Baker’s Secret pan with canola oil, then hold 100 bullets in the Styrofoam trays. I position the square pan over the Styrofoam trays and then flip it right side up. After setting the square pan on the work surface, I carefully remove the Styrofoam trays to keep the bullets in neat rows. I only spray the inside edges of the pan. If I spray the bottom, the canola oil makes it too slick, causing the bullets to slide around and misalign.
After melting the lube, I pour it into the Baker’s Secret pan with the bullets, making sure the top lube groove is covered. It might not be necessary, but I place a piece of plastic vertically between the two sets of 50 bullets to create a fracture line so the lube cake separates upon cooling. Once cooled, it’s easy to slide the bullet trays over the noses and tip the Baker’s Secret pan to remove the lube and bullets as one piece. I use a wooden dowel mounted in a file handle to push the bullets out of the lube and into the trays. I have not found this method to be slow or messy. I can lube 200 bullets in about 15 minutes, including the time to melt the lube and push the bullets out of the lube into the Styrofoam trays, but not the cooling time. The bullets are allowed to cool overnight.
EXPANDERS
Fine-tuning neck tension is a way reloaders can greatly improve ammunition accuracy. Long ago, I discovered that the expanders supplied with standard reloading dies are usually too small in diameter for lead bullets and don’t provide the light neck tension needed for the best accuracy. There are a couple of options to fix this problem.
Porter’s Precision Products offers an expander that uses gauge pins. The collets inside the tool that secure the gauge pins come in several sizes. I bought four-gauge pins for my 38-50 and rounded the ends by chucking the pins in my drill and holding them against the fine wheel on my bench grinder. To finish, I used 400 to 800-grit sandpaper and applied a small coat of moly bullet mould prep before using. If you prefer not to buy the Porter’s expander, you can use a press-mounted collet-type bullet puller to do the same job. Just be careful not to run the brass into the bullet puller and damage the case.
Having multiple expander sizes allows you to find the most precise neck tension for your rifle and cartridge. One size does not suit all. The needed expander diameter can vary depending on the condition of your brass, whether it’s annealed or not, the brass thickness, and the selected bullet diameter. Brass can spring back by 0.001 to 0.004 inches, depending on its hardness. Brass that is regularly annealed will spring back less and provide more consistent neck tension. Consistent neck tension results in more uniform bullet release. A neck tension of 0.001 inches is a good place to start.
I am interested in old .22 varmint cartridges and rifles. Wait, what does this have to do with BPCR reloading? Well, I believe it does, so please bear with me. Charles Landis wrote several books on varmint cartridges and rifles, as well as on the 22 Long Rifle. In his time, he was recognized as one of the small-bore experts. In my view, their shooting was very pure. They lacked chronographs, ballistic programs, anemometers, and scopes with reticles similar to modern radar screens. They had a rifle, a few cartridges, and a paper target. Everything was about demonstrating accuracy by shooting groups on paper targets.
Landis advised sizing the cartridge so that the inside diameter of the case neck was two to three thousandths of an inch smaller than the final desired diameter. He then expanded the neck to achieve 0.8 to one-thousandth of an inch of neck tension. (2) Light, consistent neck tension generally yields the best accuracy.
I expand the necks using a two-stage process. The first expander bells and slightly expands the case mouth, stopping a few thousandths below the final size. A gauge pin expander is then used as the final step. This process produces expanded brass with the case mouth properly aligned with the case body. Using this two-pass expansion method helps maintain straighter brass.
QUALITY DIES
I have mentioned these dies in previous articles, but I thought it would be helpful to add more details. The dies for my 38-50 Remington Hepburn and 45-90 Sharps were made using Forster Products’ Ultra Bullet Seater Die. The modified die started as a .220 Swift die. These have enough length and diameter to allow material removal with either a 38-50 or 45-90 chambering reamer. I also have a die for a 38-55 WCF, made from a Forster Ultra Seater 222 Remington die.
There are commercial options, especially for the 45-70 and 40-65 (Redding and others). Shiloh Sharps also offers an excellent straight-line seating die for the most popular black powder cartridges.
The straight-line dies are worth the money because they produce nice, straight ammo. Conventional dies can also make good ammo if set up correctly, especially when used with single-stage straight-line seaters offered by RCBS and Forster. I prefer using a progressive press, and the modified Forster Ultra Seater dies allow me to do that.
POWDER THROWS
A large portion of my ammunition is loaded using a powder throw. I check the weight of the initial charges to make sure the throw is set for the correct charge. Once everything is accurate, I place the charges directly into the cases while watching the powder level to ensure there are no obvious light or heavy charges. However, with a properly operated quality powder throw, this usually doesn’t happen.
PROGRESSIVE PRESS
Many years ago, my wife gave me a Dillon Progressive press for Christmas. I find it to be a major time saver. For resizing brass, I use three dies: a sizing die, a neck expander die that also bells the case mouth, and a gauge pin final expander die. Each stroke of the press handle produces a finished case.
When reloading the cleaned and annealed cases again, I use three dies: a powder compression die, a bullet seating die, and a neck sizing die, which removes the flare from the mouth of the cartridge case. Each stroke of the press handle produces a finished cartridge. I should mention I do not use the automatic powder feature of the Dillon press. I prime my cases with a handheld case primer and put the charge from the powder scale or powder throw into the case before compressing the powder and seating the bullets using the Dillon press.
KEEP DETAILED NOTES
As Philip Sharpe states in Complete Guide to Handloading, “The man who is really interested in the handloading game will keep records, and the more extensive the records he keeps, the more successful will be his handloading.” (3)
At minimum, I fill out a table similar to the one shown below. Additionally, I record the primer, brand, and trimmed length of the cartridge case, as well as the wad material and thickness, bullet hardness, type of lube, and neck tension.
GREATEST POTENTIAL BENEFITS
As part of refining the reloading process, it is also essential to improve the inputs involved. In my view, the three areas of cartridge reloading that can yield the most significant advancements are: first, a high-quality, concentric bullet that fits your barrel and chamber well; second, loaded cartridges with minimal or no run-out; and third, proper and consistent neck tension. To emphasize the importance of using a quality bullet for the rifle, Franklin Mann wrote and published a 400-page treatise, The Bullet’s Flight from Powder to Target, which mainly concentrates on testing bullets and identifying causes when bullets do not follow their intended path.
CONCLUSION
When I think about black powder cartridge reloading and development effort, I also consider Travis Gienger’s views. Gienger is a four-time winner of the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off. Wait, first it is varmint rifles and now pumpkins? What do pumpkins the size of Mini Coopers have to do with BPCR shooting? Well, in my opinion, there are some clear similarities and valuable lessons. Gienger explains that you must invest time and effort; second, he only grows a couple of pumpkins each year, so he can focus entirely on them. Gienger also stresses that you can’t buy a win. I focus on serious reloading and load development for one rifle at a time. Switching rifles can disrupt focus. I aim to improve the load for my primary match rifle each winter. Most years, I find some small detail or technique that boosts the load, simplifies my reloading process, and yields better results.
I hope these reloading hacks help you.
References:
1 Mattern pg. 104
2 Landis pg. 456
3 Sharpe pg. 328
Landis, Charles S. Twenty-Two Caliber Varmint Rifles. South Carolina: Small Arms Technical Publishing Company, 1947.
Mann, Franklin W. The Bullets Flight from Powder to Target. Arizona: Wolfe Publishing Co. Inc, Reprint 1980.
Mattern J.R. Handloading Ammunition. South Carolina: Small Arms Technical Publishing Company, 1926. Reprint Wolfe Publishing Company, 1985.
Sharpe, Philip B. Complete Guide to Handloading. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. Third edition, second revision.