Thank you so much for all the replies and yes the toilet and I did survive. I enjoy the smell of black powder and it was a very small charge however you are absolutely correct letting off a blank especially black powder inside is not a good idea.

I'm attempting to do the carcano cartridge in black powder. I would like to run these first through my Calvary moschetto it's got a shorter barrel. That way I'm less likely to get a squib load or bullet stuck in the barrel however the verbage goes.

And no definitely wouldn't run this through a semi-automatic action this is for a old bolt action. Unique or h4895 can be reduced safely up to 60% of minimum load data. That would be absolutely ideal however given the current powder shortage and the vast applications of h4895 it's nowhere to be found.

Which has led my mind to creative alternatives. I plan to shoot once and swab the barrel like a muzzleloader. I have h 335 however that stuff is definitely not safe to run at below minimum published loads. I also have a big tub of Winchester 760 also a ball powder not safe to run under minimum loads.

As moderator I would be remiss if I did not point out to our dear readers the following ....  issues

1) Loading BP in bottleneck cartridges  genaerally generalllly often leads to a less than desirable outcome

2) Setting off BP indoors is a definite no-no ... not even a "blank" ....
    between the smoke, the stink and the fire hazard .....
    as our intrepid Original Poster learned firsthand...
    luckily the toilet survived

3) Any fluffy plastic fibers as spacers in BP cartridges is also undesirable as pointed out by our other esteemed Hivernaughts.

I would like to offer the opinion that almost any other smokeless powder would provide a more harmonious outcome.
The long established "light load" of 9-10 grains of unique under a standard lead bullet of 130-180 gr weight is a long time
favorite gallery load that will still take small game.



yhs
prof marvel

I been following TL posts on the S&W Forum and we've PM'ed back in forth.

I posted mine before, here it tiz again... these are so cool to shoot.
I roll my own 45 ACP reloads and for my Webley I have Auto Rims.

I picked up a "Man the Line" holster because sellers were well north of $100, and the conditions were eh ! 
Course I had to give the holster a bit of age, to look right.

Whoops!  I have Colt on the brain, 1st saw this on my phone.  The S&W N frame dates to 1908, thus cannot be used for the Victorian match, but can be used in the Era of Expansion GAF match.

 Patents for full moon clips go back well before WW!.  A full moon clip was first proposed to the US Army, but they decided on the half moon clips as they carry easier in the issue web gear.

   Well.  well. 

Short Answer.  Simple to understand.  "BECAUSE"


People are Still Contagious.  Avoid 'em