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Weird question-.303" black powder. |
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TomcatPC 
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Joined: February 02 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 335 |
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 Topic: Weird question-.303" black powder.Posted: February 25 2007 at 1:36pm |
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This is something I have wondered about so I just had to ask. Has anyone ever tried or heard of toading .303" with black powder? Not that I have a desire to fire black powder in any of my Lee-Enfield Rifles, just courious if anyone has tried a black powder load for the Lee-Metford Rifle? I might be optomisitc and plan ahead to the year 2525 when I get a Lee-Metford...LOL. Everyone can stop rolling their eyes and quit laughing now...LOL.
Mark |
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The .303" Cartridge, Helping Englishmen express their emotions since 1888.
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Posted: February 25 2007 at 2:34pm |
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I know the Mk1 Round for the Lee Mteford used 70gns of black powder behind a 215gn bullet but that's about as far as I've ever deweled on the subject
Dave |
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TomcatPC
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Posted: February 27 2007 at 11:57am |
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Thank you Dave, not only for responding, but for not laughing me out of here...LOL. I can't imagine many people asking about re-loading .303" in black powder. Maybe somewhere out there there is a multi-millionaire who has several Lee-Metfords in his vast collection that pays someone to load rounds for him, but for the time being, that is not me...LOL.
I don't recall where I heard this from, but I heard that the black powder charge in the .303" was compressed real tightly in the casing. I imagine that might be difficult to replicate. Mark |
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The .303" Cartridge, Helping Englishmen express their emotions since 1888.
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Posted: February 27 2007 at 12:16pm |
Look I would never laugh at a reasonable request ! Martini Henrys converted to .303 would shoot well with Black Powder . They say the charge of 70gns was compressed into the case . I would assume that you'd need the longest drop tube you could find & then apply the powder slowly ,followed by seating the bullet gently ,as Black powder unlike Smokeless will explode under impact or force ! I've often wondered if they had many accidents when they loaded the original ammo in the factories ! I know that Alfred Noble's factory was built of wood & even the carts to carry the chemicals & the finished product were made of wood to avoid sparks ! His own Brother was Blown up working in the Nitro Glycirene factory Dave |
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hoadie
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Posted: February 28 2007 at 8:31am |
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I've NEVER had a cae of black powder exploding on impact(Not to say it wont happen)Remember this,Mark..black powder burns SLOWER than smokeless, & is courser(I use FFF in my Enfield - the 1812 guys use FF in they're Brown Bess).It is also VERY DIRTY.Martini-Henry was black powder & made the conversion -relativly easy I'm told-to .303.When we use black powder in handguns, Navy & Army Colt - we put black powder in each chamber, then compress it - then insert the ball, & lube it.
Why anyone would want to go thru the rigors -I have NO idea.It alot of fun with a weapon DESIGNED for Black powder..a real pain in the ass, otherwise (& thats all I have to say about that) Hoadie |
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Loose wimmen tightened here
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Ed Hill
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Posted: February 28 2007 at 9:49am |
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Remember that is very important not have any gap in the bp cartridge. The bullet should be sitting right on the powder, or right on a wad sitting on the powder. Air gaps can cause excessive pressure. Remember the stuff is corrosive, and you'll have to clean carefully after firing.
ED |
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TomcatPC
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Posted: February 28 2007 at 11:16am |
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Thank you all for the responces. This was just one of those things I had always wondered about, I don't plan on reloading any rounds with black powder anytime soon. Just wanted to know if anyone here has ever done it before. It would be nice to have a Lee-Metford to find black powder rounds for though, but I'm not holding my breath...LOL. I have never seen a Lee-Metford for sale in "real life", but I can't imagine getting one for under at least $1500 (US).
Mark |
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The .303" Cartridge, Helping Englishmen express their emotions since 1888.
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Ed Hill
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Posted: February 28 2007 at 12:44pm |
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I load BP in my 45-70 on occasion. The powder is difficult to find here in the PRK, and $19 a can if I'm lucky. The straight wall case is easy to load, and the gun is an H&R buffalo Classic break open so the cleaning is very straight forward. No bolt or nooks and crannies to clean. It is fun to make big clouds of smoke and have the other shooters stare in awe and admiration. ( I can't figure out why they shake their fists and swear loudly while staring at me with awe and admiration??)
Ed |
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Posted: February 28 2007 at 5:41pm |
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I Know where you comming from there Ed ! My Brother in law was a big Bp shooter & he & his Mates were the Brunt of all of my Jokes !
 I was invited to join them one day for a shot .....So I turned up wearing a Old WW2 Gas mask that I found in a Army surplus store ! Yeah it was like serving a Pork roast at a Jewish wedding ! There was that deathly silence ! Revenge was achived some months latter when my B/L suggested he'd found a "Gun" that I would'nt be game to fire! Of course this was a Red rag to a Bull ! It turned out to be a 4 Bore Punt gun  ! Yes I went through with it ! They stood on a chair to load the bloody thing ! I ended up with a bruise on my shoulder that went from Black in the centre to a light shade of yellow !!!!!! Dave |
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Raider
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Posted: February 28 2007 at 7:28pm |
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Cowboy action shooters shoot black powder in even modern guns for some of their stages. Its a lot of fun but you have to clean thoroughly. Heads still turn when I shoot my Ruger Old Army at the range and quite a few folks want to try a shot.
Raider
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Ed Hill
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Posted: March 01 2007 at 10:04am |
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I think we also called the Punt guns "market guns" over here as they were used by market hunters shooting the entire flock of ducks!
Ed |
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Posted: March 01 2007 at 10:13am |
Yes they go by several differant Names . They were origanaly used in a long narrow boat ,where the shooter lay down & paddled within range of duck sitting on the water & then let loose ! apparently bags of several hundred were'nt uncommon ! But a lot of these wild Fowlers came to sticky endings ! I remember reading of one such hunter whose Flint lock Punt gun let go ! It blew the Poor Devils hand off ,then he capsized & drowned ! Dave |
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Tony
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Posted: March 02 2007 at 1:11am |
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Punt Guns were used quite a bit over here. Providing table game for the Upper Crust . 1 I saw looked like and artillery piece with a cord to the trigger release. They recon the recoil sent the punt backwards at a fair rate. Personally I'd rather use a claymore and a decoy duck sod paddling around in a boat with a cannon on the sharp end.
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Rottie (PitBulls dad.)
“If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons Born free taxed to death!!! |
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Posted: February 25 2008 at 1:39pm |
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71.5 grains of RFG2 Black powder. The original loading of the 303 using a 215gn projectile
Dave |
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Tony
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Posted: February 25 2008 at 5:30pm |
YOU CAN TAKE THE GAS MASK OFF NOW DAVE!
 LETS SEE YOUR FACE!!! |
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Rottie (PitBulls dad.)
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Posted: February 25 2008 at 6:02pm |
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YOU CAN TAKE THE GAS MASK OFF NOW DAVE!
LETS SEE YOUR FACE!!!Not until the Stature of limitations runs out !!!!!!  Dave |
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Tomcatrc wrote: