How can I obtain small quantities of shot & black powder?

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DG45

New member
I want to reload some shotshells the old fashioned way, and have bought an old roll crimping tool to enable me to do just that. All I need now is powder, shot, wads, and overshot cards.

I'm having trouble finding real (Goex) black powder in less than 5 lb. quantities, and I'm having trouble finding shot in small quantities too.

It's the storage of black powder that worries me, not the cost. I don't want more than a pound of black powder (and less than that if I can buy less). I only want to load about 2 1/8 drams per shell right now - a very light load -and I don't like the idea of storing unused black powder around the house.

I'd also like to buy small quantities of shot of several different sizes instead of a very large quantity of any one size. A 5-6 lb total about equally split between #8; #5; and 00 buck would be fine for my purposes.

I could always tear into my factory shells and take the shot out and get my shot that way, which amazingly may prove to be the cheapest thing I can do to obtain shot, although on the surface it seems like an expensive and cracked-brain kind of a thing to do, to buy a factory shell just to get the stuff I need to hand load one.

QUESTIONs:

1. Anybody else been there, done that, and know the solution?

2. If I have to go to a black powder substitute, what would you recommend?

3. If worse comes to worst, can I use BBs for shot, an split-shot sinkers for buckshot? Any other ideas?

4. Can I make my own small shot from ingots, or is that unrealistic?

All comments are welcomed and Thank You in advance for any helpful information!
 
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oneounceload

Moderator
Midway carries some of your shot in 5# bags - I haven't seen it sold in smaller quantities. Perhaps you can buy a pound or two from a friend who has larger bags?

They also carry overshot cards from BPI (or you can go direct yourself)

Black powder would be better bought locally to save on the hazmat fee
 
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jepp2

New member
The black powder and black powder substitutes I use were all obtained in 1 pound containers. I have switched over to Hodgdon Pyrodex in place of black powder.

Do you know what granulation size you need? Black powder and the substitutes come in various granulation sizes for different applications. For my 54 caliber, I use FFG or Pyrodex RS Select (equivalent of FFG).

Also make sure you measure it in the "approved" devices for black powder. Normal smokeless powder measures can detonate black powder.
 
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Nate1778

New member
I will sell you a pound or two of #8 and 00 if you wish. I am afraid shipping may make it hard to manage though.
 
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DG45

New member
I appreciate your offer to sell shot, Nate. I may take you up on that offer too. Be thinking of a price; I may get back to you on it, probably with a PM, but I don't know how to handle the shipping either. Let's wait a day or two and see if anybody can suggest an inexpensive commercial solution first. I do appreciate the offer.

Pyrodex-- I've heard of it Jepp2, but haven't used it. I was thinking of using FFg black powder. I was going to use about 2 1/8 drams of black powder and 1 oz of shot per hull. The very low flash point of black powder kinda scares me though. I'm not interested in blowing my house up. And I can't find it locally in small (1 lb or so) quantities. Is Pyrodex a lot safer? Does it make the same kind of flash, bang and smoke? Can you use it in Cowboy shooting events? Can you get it in small (1 lb. or less)quantities? How does it clean up? What are the drawbacks?

Another possibility---loading with smokeless powder but in a "vintage" load.
Anybody got a smokeless recipe that would equal about 2 1/8 drams of black powder FFg ?

I'm not sure what you mean by "approved" powder measure Jepp 2. I was going to use an antique UH combination shot/powder measure. It's basically an adjustible metal (tin?)cup with a wooden handle. I think black powder is what they made these things for. Do you know of any danger from using them to load black powder?
 
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griz

New member
If you mention roughly where you are located there might be somebody who could swap you some shot. I'm in eastern Virginia if that is by chance somewhere close.
 
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jepp2

New member
Is Pyrodex a lot safer?
Click to expand...

I would consider it slightly safer but much more susceptible to initiation than smokeless powder is and with similar results to black powder.

I use it because I consider it to be more stable, easier to clean up, and slightly less acidic residue. But the normal cleaning steps need to be followed. It also offers greater economy since the bulk density is lower (about 70% of black powder) and since you load by volume, you get more shots per pound.

+1 on the USPS Priority flat rate boxes. You get them free from the post office, and the quantity of shot you are talking about would fit in the small box and ship anywhere in the US for $4.95
 
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DG45

New member
Sorry to take this long getting back Jepp 2, but I've been down with some kind of industrial strength intestinal crud for the last few days. I feel a lot better today though. I wanted to tell you that I couldn't understand what you were getting at when you used the word "initiation" as being somehow different with Pyrodex than with black powder. What does that mean?
 
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Jim243

New member
Dr Strangelove

You can not ship gun powder by US mail. You can ship it by UPS but there will be a Hazmat fee you will need to pay. Also while I realize you are only trying to help him out, reselling of gun powder will require you to have a FFL license (you can give it away but not resell it. I know the laws are strange but it is what it is).

Jim
 
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jepp2

New member
Initiation is the "energy" required to begin the combustion process. It can be from a flame (such as a primer or percussion cap), a spark, or pressure.

Black powder and Pyrodex both have much lower requirements to start them burning. A powder measure that shears powder is not problem with smokeless powder, but can cause black powder to "BLOW UP". It sounds like your method should be fine. I have a brass tube with an adjustable plunger (also brass) that I measure mine with. You set the loading based on volume and fill the tube until full. Then pour it out.

While you can burn smokeless powder unconfined very safely (it burns slowly). Don't try that with black powder or Pyrodex. They burn very rapidly, even with no confinement. That is why they are more dangerous to store than smokeless powder.

Jim243, I think he was only talking about shipping lead shot. There is no issue with the USPS and lead shot. But your point about powder is VERY appropriate.
 
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DG45

New member
Thanks to all who responded with info and offers to sell shot. I've decided that all I'm going to do is to mooch enough blackpowder off a re-enactor friend of mine to handload a few shells with blackpowder, and shoot it, just to know that I can do it, and know that that the shells I loaded actually went "BANG!" After that, I may never do it again, or if turns out to be a lot of fun shooting the stuff, maybe I will, who knows?

I'll just purchase a couple of standard five lb. bags of shot from Midway or somebody. That'll be no problem because I've got a hundred primed paper hulls to load, and probably half of those will prove to be reloadable after being fired once. I can use the same bags of shot with both my blackpowder, and smokeless loads.

I'd originally intended to just use handloaded shells in my old 1896 Forehand single-shot shotgun, but my Remington Model 11 auto shoots 2 3/4 inch shells too, and since its proved to be such a hassle to buy black powder in small quantities, I'll probably load all but a few of these 100 hulls with smokeless powder, some with "vintage" type loads for my old single-shot, and some with heavier loads for my Rem 11.

This is really a change of plans. I hadn't intended to shoot handloads in my Remington Model 11. I was afraid that they might come apart in the magazine due to that guns stout recoil, but having learned how to roll crimp shells on my old roll crimper, and after having done it a couple of times, I'm satisfied that they'll hold up to any recoil.

It's been a hoot learning how to roll crimp on an old hand turned tool, too.
 
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Dr. Strangelove

New member
Dr Strangelove

You can not ship gun powder by US mail. You can ship it by UPS but there will be a Hazmat fee you will need to pay. Also while I realize you are only trying to help him out, reselling of gun powder will require you to have a FFL license (you can give it away but not resell it. I know the laws are strange but it is what it is).

Jim
Click to expand...

I was talking about the shot, but thanks for making sure, I should have mentioned powder shipping being a no-no. :)
 
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