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E.B. Erickson
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Location: Thailand
Joined: 23 Aug 2003

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PostPosted: Mon 15 Sep, 2014 6:41 am    Post subject: A Question for all you Blackpowder enthusiasts         Reply with quote

About how high would 15 grains of powder fill a 1/4" wide by 1" deep hole??

Thanks in advance! -- ElJay
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Paul Mullins





Joined: 22 May 2006

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PostPosted: Mon 15 Sep, 2014 6:56 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

It would largely depend on the grade of powder, it commonly comes in 1F, 2F, 3F and 4F. 15 grains is not very much, it would probably fill it up to around one quarter.

I can give you an exact measurement if you require, once I am home to my supplies.
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Lin Robinson




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PostPosted: Mon 15 Sep, 2014 7:48 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Paul Mullins wrote:
It would largely depend on the grade of powder, it commonly comes in 1F, 2F, 3F and 4F. 15 grains is not very much, it would probably fill it up to around one quarter.

I can give you an exact measurement if you require, once I am home to my supplies.


Won't come close to that, except possibly with 1F. Why do you need this information?

Lin Robinson

"The best thing in life is to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women." Conan the Barbarian, 1982
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Jeffrey Faulk




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PostPosted: Mon 15 Sep, 2014 1:02 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Knowing Eljay has made some swords and hilts and therefore has a decent interest in historic re-creation, I am guessing perhaps he's helping re-create some form of medieval cannon or bomb.
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Lin Robinson




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PostPosted: Mon 15 Sep, 2014 4:46 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Jeffrey Faulk wrote:
Knowing Eljay has made some swords and hilts and therefore has a decent interest in historic re-creation, I am guessing perhaps he's helping re-create some form of medieval cannon or bomb.


Knowing what he plans to do with the charge might help someone give him advice to accomplish his goal. That is the only reason I asked. 15 grains of powder is a very small charge for any purpose other than loading a small caliber pocket pistol or the chamber in a small caliber revolver.

Lin Robinson

"The best thing in life is to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women." Conan the Barbarian, 1982
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Tyler Jordan





Joined: 15 Mar 2004

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PostPosted: Mon 15 Sep, 2014 5:32 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Lin Robinson wrote:
Jeffrey Faulk wrote:
Knowing Eljay has made some swords and hilts and therefore has a decent interest in historic re-creation, I am guessing perhaps he's helping re-create some form of medieval cannon or bomb.


Knowing what he plans to do with the charge might help someone give him advice to accomplish his goal. That is the only reason I asked. 15 grains of powder is a very small charge for any purpose other than loading a small caliber pocket pistol or the chamber in a small caliber revolver.


Well, if it's a 1 inch deep, .25 caliber hole, That is rather small. I agree though, knowing the application will help.
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E.B. Erickson
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PostPosted: Tue 16 Sep, 2014 3:03 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

The project is a pistol that I'm making for a collector. He's not a blackpowder shooter in a big way, but he does want to try shooting it with a light, 15 grain load, just to see what it's like.

Does that help?

Thanks for the replies so far!

--ElJay
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Lin Robinson




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PostPosted: Tue 16 Sep, 2014 3:29 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

E.B. Erickson wrote:
The project is a pistol that I'm making for a collector. He's not a blackpowder shooter in a big way, but he does want to try shooting it with a light, 15 grain load, just to see what it's like.

Does that help?

Thanks for the replies so far!

--ElJay


A .25 caliber bore usually calls for a small charge, of course. The important thing, in shooting any muzzle loading firearm, is that the ball be firmly seated on the powder charge. As long as that is done then a 15 grain charge, which takes up a very small space, should be adequate. I use 18 grains of FFF in a .36 caliber revolver, for example. Assuming the pistol has a short barrel, if that is the one inch of depth you are referring to, then the light charge should be sufficient to give your customer the experience he is after. Failing to seat the ball on the powder charge will increase chamber pressure dramatically and could rupture the barrel.

Hope this is what you needed to know.

Lin Robinson

"The best thing in life is to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women." Conan the Barbarian, 1982
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Christopher Treichel




Location: Metro D.C.
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PostPosted: Tue 16 Sep, 2014 8:27 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Rule of thumb in muzzleloading to start with is one grain per caliber for rifles and fowlers and half that for pistols. So you could start at about 10 grains of powder for a .25 cal pistol and be just fine.
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Glen A Cleeton




Location: Nipmuc USA
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PostPosted: Tue 16 Sep, 2014 12:55 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Consider that the old .22 CB black powder cartridge was often less than 2 grains of powder. The old .22 long only 7 grains of very fine powder. Then consider volume vs weight.

Cheers

GC
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