I shot my first match using all black powder.

[Hopalong Strong]

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Yesterday at the Good Guys Posse match I shot the entire SASS match in the category Frontier Cartridge in Duelist style.  I was much slower than my usual self due to the one handed duelist style, the heavier recoil, and the thick cloud of (glorious!) smoke. It was so much fun. The roar of the guns, the clouds of smoke, the smell of sulfur in the air---Magical!

I used my 1866 in 44 special, a pair of 1872 open tops also in 44 special and a side by side in 12 gauge.

The boolits were cast from a beautiful Big Lube mold from Dick Dastardly (No leading at all!)

The shot shells were made out of some plastic AA shells my son had shot. I had planned on using brass ones but they are back ordered at Midway. I have no press but thanks to the fine pards on this forum I was able to make some shells with a dowel and a nail. They worked like a charm. A few of them melted a bit but all of them but one extracted fine (it was sticky but it pulled out easily with my fingers.)

One of my pistols developed an issue that made it extremely difficult to cock. After the match I was able to determine that the area surrounding the firing pin is cupped and the primer is able to swell into it making it very difficult to advance the cylinder. I worked on it a bit last night and I was able to push most of the metal back where it should be.  This should reduce or hopefully eliminate the issue.

I had an amazing time and I took first place in my category (I was the only shooter in that class!)

I took a few videos and posted them to YouTube. Here is a link to one. http://youtu.be/yY14c6prK4I

[Springfield Slim]

Black Powder Duelist rules!

[hellgate]

As long as I'm the only one in the category I get the blue ribbon! I've noticed the BP shooters have the most fun. More hootin' & hollerin' goin' on.

[Pony Racer]

That smile should still be on your face - is it not?

BP is best!

PR

[Twitchy]

I'm Jealous

[litl rooster]

I'm Jealous

end the greeness come to the Darkside

Black Powder Duelist rules!

ditto

[Dick Dastardly]

There's a feel to it.  That and the sound and smoke.  The flames help too.  Something about shooting black powder just plain says COWBOY, in a way that puny powder will never match.

Welcome Hopalong!  Yer in good company.

DD-MDA

[Paladin UK]

Way ta go Hoppy!!!

Paladin (What lurvs the HB  ) UK

[Cliff Fendley]

Looked like a lot of fun.

[Hopalong Strong]

Alright then, this weekend is the Illinois GAF muster. All black this weekend as well! I am hooked.

[pony express]

Alright then, this weekend is the Illinois GAF muster. All black this weekend as well! I am hooked.

Hope all there have a greatshoot, I was thinking about coming, but, then......suddenly needed a transmission rebuilt in my work vehicle, fun budget is officially blown now!

[bowiemaker]

I just loaded up my first batch of big lube - black powder .45s and did my first match with them last weekend too. Our match was cut short because of rain so I only got to shoot 2 stages with a pair of Ruger Vaqueros and a Cimmaron 1873 lever gun.  .45s stuffed full of holy black make real ground thumpers. I admit the first shot from the Ruger surprised me. A lot more boom and recoil than I have been used to with mild smokeless loads. It got everyone's attention and it was fun.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

BowieMaker, that's a shame ... gettin' rained out for yer first BP shoot.  But I'll bet you STILL had fun!

Hoppy Doug, Good On Ya, Pard!

Yer doin' it all right!  Shucks, yer not even NEAR as slow as ya led me to believe.  And I'm real proud that you haven't fallen in with the "gotta use breakfast-food fillers to make light loadz" crowd, too!

YEE--HAW!!

[Fairshake]

Steel Horse Bailey, I agree with the "NO FILLERS, JUST A CASE FULL OF REAL BLACK POWDER". It's the only way to shoot if you care to be authentic.
I also see our SASS BP classes being shot with subs and fillers and it is very dis- hearting. Before I receive a load of hate mail, please allow me to say this. There is room for every one regardless of how you wish to shoot. I do how ever think that the true meaning of the classes are being watered down to where they no longer are what was intented in the beginging.
The real black powder burns with a certain noise, fire and sparks and smoke that no sub has yet copied. They only make smoke and they burn the same as smokeless powders.
We need classes that require only the real black be fired and not in 32 H&R magnum cases.
Congrats on your first real BP match Hopalong and I hope you have many thousands more.
A tip on shooting the revolvers so that they run the entire match and still spin like the first shot. Go to any auto parts store and buy a tube or can of Mobil One Sythenic Grease. Put it on your base pins and cylinder bushings if they are removeable. This will keep the fouling away from the cylinder and it will go at least 7 stages as I've done before and still fell and spin free. Take Care Fairshake
 

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Good advice.

FS, I'm a SASS Lifer, but I see exactly where yer comin' from.  It's one of the reasons I shoot mostly NCOWS.  32 H&R Mag isn't allowed, 'tho the older 32 calibers are.  And real BP is shot waaaaaay more than subs, (and yes, they ARE allowed.)

I love my SASS experiences and if I hadn't heard and shot SASS I wouldn't be shooting what I do now.  There is a spot for everyone in our shootin' game - but too many forget, I guess.


Whatever ya shoot, be safe ... and have tons'O'fun!!!

[Sod Buster]

The real black powder burns with a certain noise, fire and sparks and smoke that no sub has yet copied. They only make smoke and they burn the same as smokeless powders.

The subs are  not very good for night shoots either.  Without the fire & sparks that the real black powder gives you, you might as well be shootin' the smokey-less stuff.

[Hopalong Strong]

I shot the Illinos State GAF muster with all Black Powder rounds this weekend. I was one of the few who did this. It was so much fun! The wind was with me so I did not struggle much with obscured targets but that would just add to the fun. It was a BLAST!

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I shot the Illinois State GAF muster with all Black Powder rounds this weekend. I was one of the few who did this. It was so much fun! The wind was with me so I did not struggle much with obscured targets but that would just add to the fun. It was a BLAST!

I'm proud of ya, pard!

Johnny Mac sent me a link showing you shooting your original Trapdoor with real BP!  Awesome!

[Hopalong Strong]

I would not risk my original rifle with a powder it was not made for.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I would not risk my original rifle with a powder it was not made for.

HEAR!  HEAR!

[wildman1]

I have never shot a CAS match with anything but BP. That being said I do shoot almost as much smokeless as black just not in CAS. Has anyone here ever loaded BP in a 9mm and shot it? I have but it doesn't eject worth a hoot with 3f, guess I'm gonna have ta try somethin else. WM

[hellgate]

Wildman, Try 3F 777. You don't get the BOOM of BP but it might work the action of your 9MM better.

[wildman1]

Don't really care fer 777. might try some 4f and work up to a full load. WM

[Hopalong Strong]

I'm going to shoot another all Black powder match tomorrow.  I'm really looking forward to it! I'll try to get some video shot and post that.

Shooting Black powder is some of the most fun I had in years!

[Hopalong Strong]

No video to show for this match but I had fun. I shot a clean match and had a great time. I took forst place in my category but again I was th only one. Slow but grinning!