Blackpowder reloading question

[Brian Busch]

I'm thinking about buying one of the Pedersoli Sharps rifles in either 45-90 or 45-110, 'cause I always liked the classic look and impressive accuracy at long range.

I'm not a reloader (yet), but I understand that BP cartridges are low-pressure rounds. I'm wondering, how many times could you reload brass for these loads without overstressing the brass?

 

[dick w. holliday]

i think you can load the same brass forever but when i get in a blackpowder cartridge mood i go here--these guys seem to know their stuff http://talk.shooters.com/room_14/topics.cfm good luck going to the "Dark Side"......Dick

 

[Jim Watson]

According to my local BPCR shooters, brass life is long since it takes little resizing and little or no crimp for use in single shots.

Of course you do have to wash the empties. They carry a jug of soapy water to the range and drop the empties right in. One guy even carries an old 310 tool and decaps on the range so as to get the primer pockets soaking.

You might be better off to learn with a plain old .45-70, though. Brass and dies are less expensive than .45x2.4", .45x2.6" or .45x2 7/8" and loading data are more common. It is easier to get the .45-70 to shoot with smokeless if you are feeling lazy.

Everybody agrees that the .45-70 is ample for metallic silhouette out to 500 meters - except Steve Garbe, who shoots a .45-90 - and some use .40-65 to reduce recoil. Some shooters want the big rounds for long range, 800,900,1000 yards but others stay with the .45-70.

Caution, second hand information. I think it's interesting, but I don't do much myself.

 

[Gewehr98]

As I sit here reloading some .45-70...

One batch of brass, that I use with blackpowder and cast bullets, is marked REM-UMC, .45 Gov't. That brass goes way back in the time machine, but it looks just as good as the day I bought it at an estate sale. I've reloaded, fired, and soaked it about a dozen times since then. No reason it shouldn't last at least a dozen times longer!

 

[Brian Busch]

Thanks for the advice guys. I hear what your saying Jim, about the 45-70, I just keep thinking about Quigly Down Under. I want to be able to knock stuff over at 1000Y with open sights. Just to piss off the guy a few lanes down with the super-high-tech-sniper 300WM with $1000 optics