What powder do you use for reloading?

Andrewh · April 17, 2002, 09:54 AM

Since the other thread wasn't about this, I will ask.
When doing cowboy loads, what brand of powder do you reload with.
I looked over accurate's manual, and I will have to put in cardboard or something to pack the powder to the back with, from what I remember, will be almost half the case empty for 45lc, loading with improved number2.

Any other choices so I get a fuller case?

Malpaso · April 17, 2002, 01:05 PM

Hodgdon Powder web site has a great deal of information on loading both smokeless and black powder for Cowboy Action Shooting. They are a great sponsor of CAS, both financially and informationally. For that reason, I use their products. I use all variations of Pyrodex, and either Universal or Clays.

Andrewh · April 17, 2002, 02:24 PM

Thanks. I hadn't really thought of them. I was really focused on pyrodex numbers at the time I looked at their site last, and it didn't even dawn on me to check them for cowboy loads.

Nanaimo Barr · April 17, 2002, 03:27 PM

most manuals in recent years have recognized the growth of CAS and have included sections for reloading CAS loads in various callibers, some arn't as complete as they could be, but it's moving in that direction.

Andrewh · April 17, 2002, 06:01 PM

I did find reloading info on cowboy loads, it is just they all had a disclaimer saying you had to put wadding in the case so all the powder would stay back towards the primer. I was hoping someone made a lower weight/high volume powder for this so you didn't have to do that. Hodgdon seems to make that in there titegroup powder. So now I know where to look.

Nodakmarine · April 17, 2002, 10:15 PM

Well, if I am going to shoot those style of revolvers and rifles, I stick with full charges of either FFF or Pyrodex P in handgun cartriges and FF or Pyrodex RS Select in rifle loads. Never had much use for the pop-gun loads and prefer to keep things similar to the original loads of the day.

El Loco Lobo · April 18, 2002, 04:22 AM

In the 45LC I use Unique powder. 6.5 grains behind a 235 semi wad cutter and 7 grains for 250 round nose flat point (pistol, rifle respectively) no it doesnt fill the case but the pistol shoots 1.5 inch at 25 yards and the rifle has shoot a 6 inch at 200 yards.

Andrewh · April 18, 2002, 09:45 AM

El Loco Lobo- I wasn't sure if it was an accuarcy problem they were warning about. My memory of it is a bit fuzzy, but didn't there used to be a problem with revolvers blowing up when a partial filled case was used, or is this just a myth. I have seen pictures of revolvers with the top strap bent backwards, but this could be because of a heavy load instead of a partially filled case.

jjmorgan64 · April 18, 2002, 11:26 AM

I have heard in the past that you can blow up a gun with a really fast powder, and a large open space in the case, (it can build up too much pressure before the bullet starts to move and create a pipe bomb effect,

Don't really believe it, extremely common to load 38's with small loads of bullseye, no problems. I have taken unique down to some awfully low levels in 45 colts and ever had any problems.

Unique is a good cowboy powder, i use it in my 45 colts, tite-group is supposed to be position insensitive for large cases, I use it in my 38's and it shoots well.

Andrewh · April 18, 2002, 05:45 PM

jjmorgan64- Thanks. Good to know you haven't had any problems with mostly empty cases. Makes me feel better about reloading them.

Nanaimo Barr · April 19, 2002, 12:15 AM

where did it say you have to put a card board disk in??? I've been running 5.5 gr of unique behind .158 gr cast and lead into .357 cases for 2 years now. lots of room left in those case...

if I'm doing something wrong here I want to know now...

Andrewh · April 19, 2002, 11:48 AM

There is a warning or disclaimer in the begining of Accurate's loading book that says for cowboy loads to put in wadding so you pack the powder to the back of the case. I don't have it here, but will post it when I find it at home. It may even be online in their manual.

El Loco Lobo · April 23, 2002, 02:37 PM

the .45 loads I've used have shown no signs of pressure in weather conditions from -40 to 110 above(Montana wintes are cold and summers are hot) I don't have exact scientific tools, but I still have all my fingers after many 1000's round loaded this way. Lyman manuals from early 50' even the most recent ones I've read don't say anyhting about wadding.

Nanaimo Barr · April 24, 2002, 01:19 AM

I just re read the CAS reloading section in the Speer 13th manual, it talks about low presures, it talks about the position of the powder in the case, haven't found anything about a wad. we shoot with one of the gents mentioned in the section (an engineer at CCI), next time we see him I will try to remember to ask him about this and see what he has to say....

Andrewh · April 26, 2002, 08:26 PM

Guess I got confused. I did find it again, but it is a black powder warning.
In straight walled cases filler wads may be used to reduce the powder charge. This is done by inserting card or Polyethylene wads between the base of the bullet and the powder. Wads should be
sized to the internal diameter of the cartridge case. The loader must be careful to insure that there are no void spaces in the assembled cartridge. NEVER use any other type of filler material. Be careful as loads are reduced. At some point, the bullet will fail to exit the bore.
But there is a warning on another web site
http://www.reloadammo.com/liteload.htm

April 17, 2002, 09:54 AM	#1
Andrewh Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 1999 Posts: 966	What powder do you use for reloading? Since the other thread wasn't about this, I will ask. When doing cowboy loads, what brand of powder do you reload with. I looked over accurate's manual, and I will have to put in cardboard or something to pack the powder to the back with, from what I remember, will be almost half the case empty for 45lc, loading with improved number2. Any other choices so I get a fuller case?

April 17, 2002, 03:27 PM	#4
Nanaimo Barr Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Location: North Idaho Posts: 1,024	most manuals in recent years have recognized the growth of CAS and have included sections for reloading CAS loads in various callibers, some arn't as complete as they could be, but it's moving in that direction. __________________ "Question that Regulation, you might be suprised to find out it's Illegal"

April 17, 2002, 10:15 PM	#6
Nodakmarine Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2001 Posts: 173	Well, if I am going to shoot those style of revolvers and rifles, I stick with full charges of either FFF or Pyrodex P in handgun cartriges and FF or Pyrodex RS Select in rifle loads. Never had much use for the pop-gun loads and prefer to keep things similar to the original loads of the day. __________________ Stand by to stand by! We definitely have a maybe!!

April 18, 2002, 04:22 AM	#7
El Loco Lobo Member Join Date: April 8, 2002 Location: East Helena, MT Posts: 33	In the 45LC I use Unique powder. 6.5 grains behind a 235 semi wad cutter and 7 grains for 250 round nose flat point (pistol, rifle respectively) no it doesnt fill the case but the pistol shoots 1.5 inch at 25 yards and the rifle has shoot a 6 inch at 200 yards. __________________ Life is to short to hunt with an ugly gun

April 18, 2002, 11:26 AM	#9
jjmorgan64 Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2001 Posts: 519	I have heard in the past that you can blow up a gun with a really fast powder, and a large open space in the case, (it can build up too much pressure before the bullet starts to move and create a pipe bomb effect, Don't really believe it, extremely common to load 38's with small loads of bullseye, no problems. I have taken unique down to some awfully low levels in 45 colts and ever had any problems. Unique is a good cowboy powder, i use it in my 45 colts, tite-group is supposed to be position insensitive for large cases, I use it in my 38's and it shoots well. __________________ The Forty-Four spoke and it sent lead and smoke And seventeen inches of flame. -Marty Robbins JM

April 17, 2002, 01:05 PM	#2
Malpaso Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2000 Location: MA Posts: 177	Hodgdon Powder web site has a great deal of information on loading both smokeless and black powder for Cowboy Action Shooting. They are a great sponsor of CAS, both financially and informationally. For that reason, I use their products. I use all variations of Pyrodex, and either Universal or Clays.

April 17, 2002, 02:24 PM	#3
Andrewh Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 1999 Posts: 966	Thanks. I hadn't really thought of them. I was really focused on pyrodex numbers at the time I looked at their site last, and it didn't even dawn on me to check them for cowboy loads.

April 17, 2002, 06:01 PM	#5
Andrewh Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 1999 Posts: 966	I did find reloading info on cowboy loads, it is just they all had a disclaimer saying you had to put wadding in the case so all the powder would stay back towards the primer. I was hoping someone made a lower weight/high volume powder for this so you didn't have to do that. Hodgdon seems to make that in there titegroup powder. So now I know where to look.

April 18, 2002, 09:45 AM	#8
Andrewh Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 1999 Posts: 966	El Loco Lobo- I wasn't sure if it was an accuarcy problem they were warning about. My memory of it is a bit fuzzy, but didn't there used to be a problem with revolvers blowing up when a partial filled case was used, or is this just a myth. I have seen pictures of revolvers with the top strap bent backwards, but this could be because of a heavy load instead of a partially filled case.

April 18, 2002, 05:45 PM	#10
Andrewh Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 1999 Posts: 966	jjmorgan64- Thanks. Good to know you haven't had any problems with mostly empty cases. Makes me feel better about reloading them.

April 19, 2002, 12:15 AM	#11
Nanaimo Barr Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Location: North Idaho Posts: 1,024	where did it say you have to put a card board disk in??? I've been running 5.5 gr of unique behind .158 gr cast and lead into .357 cases for 2 years now. lots of room left in those case... if I'm doing something wrong here I want to know now... __________________ "Question that Regulation, you might be suprised to find out it's Illegal"

April 19, 2002, 11:48 AM	#12
Andrewh Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 1999 Posts: 966	There is a warning or disclaimer in the begining of Accurate's loading book that says for cowboy loads to put in wadding so you pack the powder to the back of the case. I don't have it here, but will post it when I find it at home. It may even be online in their manual.

April 23, 2002, 02:37 PM	#13
El Loco Lobo Member Join Date: April 8, 2002 Location: East Helena, MT Posts: 33	the .45 loads I've used have shown no signs of pressure in weather conditions from -40 to 110 above(Montana wintes are cold and summers are hot) I don't have exact scientific tools, but I still have all my fingers after many 1000's round loaded this way. Lyman manuals from early 50' even the most recent ones I've read don't say anyhting about wadding. __________________ Life is to short to hunt with an ugly gun

April 24, 2002, 01:19 AM	#14
Nanaimo Barr Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Location: North Idaho Posts: 1,024	I just re read the CAS reloading section in the Speer 13th manual, it talks about low presures, it talks about the position of the powder in the case, haven't found anything about a wad. we shoot with one of the gents mentioned in the section (an engineer at CCI), next time we see him I will try to remember to ask him about this and see what he has to say.... __________________ "Question that Regulation, you might be suprised to find out it's Illegal"

April 26, 2002, 08:26 PM	#15
Andrewh Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 1999 Posts: 966	Guess I got confused. I did find it again, but it is a black powder warning. In straight walled cases filler wads may be used to reduce the powder charge. This is done by inserting card or Polyethylene wads between the base of the bullet and the powder. Wads should be sized to the internal diameter of the cartridge case. The loader must be careful to insure that there are no void spaces in the assembled cartridge. NEVER use any other type of filler material. Be careful as loads are reduced. At some point, the bullet will fail to exit the bore. But there is a warning on another web site http://www.reloadammo.com/liteload.htm