Storing and Carrying Black Powder

[Doc Hoy]

Pahoo

I am in agreement with your sentiments.

I said previously that I would write the rules the same way. And that is true.

But in this case it is not because of anything a lawyer might say.

It is because I could not be certain that everyone on the firing line has the same attitude toward safety, or the same experience avoiding problems. I guess the best way (for me) to put is is that the rules have to be written for the "lowest common denominator".

When teaching in management and business classes, my words to the class followed an incident which I personally witnessed.

I heard the VP of Ops at Virginia's Largest construction company tell one of his minions, "If you fail to listen to the attorney and that gets you in trouble, you will be in trouble with the attorney. But if you listen only to the attorney and that gets you in trouble, you will be in trouble with me!"

Decision makers are permitted to make decisions. And rule writers are aloud to write rules independent of the pronouncements of the lawyers. But if the lawyer makes a recommendation that makes sense from a practical standpoint, might as well pay attention.

 

[44 Dave]

What about a Patterson flask?

 

[mikemyers]

Mike Meyers, you can have 50 pounds of black powder in your condo if you want. Put some under the coffee table, some under the sink, put it wherever you want.

20 grains of BP for a charge? I bet that Ruger sounds more like a fart than a pistol when it goes off! Load her up with another 10 grains and have some fun.

As for charging a sixgun from a flask, you can do it all day long and never have happen what these folks keep guessing about. I've rapid fired/reloaded with paper cartridges and it didn't happen and the chambers were full of nitrated paper.

Risk adverse lawyers without horse sense have rewrote most of the rules of firearm safety and have actually made the sport less safe. That being said, following the rules is good manners.

I'm still waiting for those burning embers to get past my Sykes patented valve when loading the doublegun from the flask like our ancestors did.

Let's put it this way. I'm starting out. I've only shot the gun four times as of today, and will do so again on Tuesday. I wrote up my own routine of what to do, in what order, and it also matches what I am allowed to do at my range. Shooters are specifically told they can NOT load from the flask, so even if I agree with you, nothing is going to change right now.

The fellow who won last year's Black Powder Bullseye championship for the USA uses 25 grains of powder. We had an online discussion of what is most accurate. I'm not really concerned if the gun goes bang or BANG, as long as the grouping is tight, and preferably centered around the bullseye (once I get the sights adjusted some more). According to Ruger, I can fill the chamber full of powder, and the gun will be perfectly safe. However, I've been told that is not good for accuracy.


I'm not asking lawyers, I'm asking the head of the Black Powder group at my range, and other experienced shooters. I'm not experienced. I will follow their advice.

As to how much Black Powder I can keep at home, I'm slowly learning it is much less of an issue than I originally thought.

The reason for posting this thread was for feedback, and I've gotten lots of it by now. I'm starting to enjoy the Ruger and BP shooting more and more.

 

[Pahoo]

Rare

What about a Patterson flask?

Not sure what you are referring to but will give it a shot. I personally do not use a Patterson flask nor the single Patterson spout. However, given on how they where and how they are used used, I see no "personal" problem if someone uses them. If they are not allowed per range rules, so be it. You really don't see that many in use. …

Be Safe !!!

 

[swathdiver]

Mr. Myers, I remember when you first started asking questions, just trying to be of help. You should follow the rules at your range. There is a low charge and a high charge that will usually deliver the same accuracy. Several years ago I found that out with a couple of my sixguns and they all grouped best with 30 and 35 grain charges, even better than 15 and 20 grain charges. However, for competition, it is much easier on the hand to shoot those powder puff loads for score all day long. I do it too. 35 grains hurts my hands nowadays!

Enjoy your Old Army and someday I hope to meet you at a nearby range.

 

[mikemyers]

Thanks!!

I've learned a lot since then. I can load, shoot, and clean now, and I think I bought just about everything I should have. I've read several wonderful websites with great information.

I figure for me, I should just get comfortable doing all this. Maybe next year I'll be able to change things, and optimize them for better results. The fellow teaching me, who heads up the BP group, has suggested what I should do - they're not exactly "rules", but I'm taking them as if they were. He wants me to do 20 grains, no problem. He wants me to load only one of the six chambers, ditto. I agree with him.

(I bought a progressive RCBS reloader, but until I got comfortable, I only did one round at a time. Eventually I bumped that to 2, and eventually got to where I use the reloader as it was intended to be used. It's like learning how to crawl, then walk, and eventually run.)

Again, thanks! If you ever get to Ft. Lauderdale, that's where my club is located.