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+--- Thread: Another rifle bits the dust using smokeless (/thread-1740.html)
RE: Another rifle bits the dust using smokeless - Tom Herman - 12-23-2019
(04-27-2018, 12:29 PM)Don McDowell Wrote: What drives me nuts is the number of idiots on the internet trying to pass Trailboss and the like off as good bp substitutes. It's pretty obvious they have never spent any time looking at pressure and velocity data.
Don,
Thank you for stating what isn't obvious to way too many people: When shooting vintage or reproduction BP firearms, you want to duplicate the rise time and pressure of the BP used in that gun.
My jaw drops when I see people peddling heavy loads of powders like Trail Boss that have huge pressure spikes!
Maybe it will work for now, but you never know when the accumulated extreme stresses cause the gun to fly apart.
It's not a matter of "if", but "when"... Doubly so when using true vintage firearms!
Save for a Pedersoli Sharps that fell into my lap (lightly, thankfully!), all of my rifles are 1859-1890 vintage... I try to baby them as much as possible, with reasonable smokeless powder types and weights, no wads (with smokeless), and bullets at proper weight or under for caliber to keep pressures low.
Also, this whole discussion makes me wonder if it was an accidental double charge, or if the shooter didn't know that smokeless equivalents usually run 40% by weight of BP...
Glad that all turned out well and that no one was seriously injured.
This should definitely be a teachable moment....
-Tom
RE: Another rifle bits the dust using smokeless - kenny s - 06-27-2020
thanks for the wake up call. we all need to be reminded that our sport can be dangerous, even with black...
the wad caused an obstruction in the chamber...
One time too many....glad he lived...
Ken