Lead bullets-Black powder

[Keith Kilby]

I’ve shot thousands of rounds through vintage single shot with lead bullets and black powder but it has been quite a few years back. I recently acquired a really nice, untouched Winchester 1885 in 32-40…manufactured in 1896.
Had everything already in hand to make period correct ammo- Lyman mould, WW brass, Swiss black powder. Cast and sorted bullets and pan lubed them. Determined OAL and hence space available for powder charge(full case to base of bullet). Loaded 20 rounds and made it to range this morning for my first session. No groups that will impress BR guys, but for a rifle closing in on birthday 130 it did quite well.
Rifle had been well maintained throughout its life. Lots of original case color, barrel blue in good shape and wood in great shape as well. There is some very light pitting scattered down the bore, visible only with borescope, but overall very bright and shiny.
Front sight is a pinhead, which has always given me trouble. An upgrade to match grade sights is likely in the near future. I’ll stretch in out to 100 and 200 at that point.
Keith

 

[ISS]

Looks like a phone call to MVA is in your immediate future...

My Shiloh Model 1877 in 38-55 is almost ready to ship, at least it won't take as long, just coming up four years instead of 130.

 

[Aero]

Wiping between shots? Blow tubing?

Most shooters, especially on this board have no idea how accurate those old single shots can be shooting cast bullets pushed by black powder.

 

[Keith Kilby]

Blow tube. Fired 20 shots total. Group pictured was last 5 shots. I’m using Swiss 3F powder and it burns very clean compared to other brands. Clean up was FAR easier than getting jacketed bullet barrels clean. Two wet patches with Hoppe’s #9, 2 dry patches, patch with Kroil and done. Cases were soaked in hot soapy water, brushed out, rinsed in hot water and set aside to dry. Accuracy may not compare to most modern rifles but it’s not much over half MOA. 130 year old rifle with sights that appear to have been with rifle since new,plain base bullets cast myself and black powder. Loads of fun if you’ve never tried it.

 

[ISS]

Yep! If you remember, I bought Cyle Miller's F (Farrow) Action single shot in 348 Win from you guys a couple years ago. It's a shooter.

 

[charlie b]

Nice. That's a great result from an old gun!!

A guy out here shoots the .32-40 in a Sharps Borchardt. He tests barrels for the company in Silver City. Last time I saw him at the range he shot a 1/4" group at 100yd. Separate loading his ammo. Most of his groups are 1/2", but, they are new rifles not originals.

I was tempted to buy one of those several years ago but didn't for a variety of reasons. I love the look of the High Wall's and Borchardt's.

 

[TRSR8]

Nice setup. Haven’t shot it in a while but I play around with a Stevens Pope model 52 in 32-40.
Two thought to consider, if you’re not already, consider a mold for a tapered slug, they tend to work well in these vintage SS’s. Also, no idea how your gun is throated but you might play around breech seating slug instead of fixed ammo….pretty small adjustment but usually performs great.

 

[dvraa]

My 1885 was originally chambered in 32/40. The gunsmith I bought it from had it rebored to 45/120. I used to shoot it A LOT until I got serious about shooting smallbore. When I was playing with it I got Dave Farmer to make a 605 grain pp mold. I shot a lot of smokeless loads and for black powder loads I used 10% 4759 over the primer(12 grains) and 108 grains of ff black. I could shoot all day without cleaning it. It was brutal on the shoulder, ( original stock and narrow steel buttplate). I had a blast with it shooting everything from paper to varmints with it. I never needed a follow-up shot with it. My favorite smokeless load was using a 300 grain jhp over 90 grains of IMR 4064. 2800 fps, ( any faster and the thin jackets wouldn't hold together with the 1 in 16 twist the barrel had).

 

[Keith Kilby]

TRSR8
I’ve shot many thousands of rounds breech seated….32-40,38-55 and 32 Miller Short. All with smokeless and tapered bullets. I shot schuetzen seriously for nearly 30 years and attended the championships in Raton on many occasions.
I have a Russ Weber breech seating tool for original 1885’s I plan to copy. I also have all my data for 32-40 loads using breech seated bullets. For now I’m happy with playing with loads I’m using. It’s been a bit of a nostalgic trip going back to what I was doing 15 years ago.

 

[ISS]

These rifles can shoot amazing. I horse traded into a Pope Stevens in 33-47 with a false muzzle and kit a while back.
Using the false muzzle to push the bullet down the barrel creates a clean bore for each shot. The bullet just pushed all the BP fouling down to the chambered case.