RELOADING AMMUNITION FOR PISTOLS AND REVOLVERS.
There is a general impression among the shooting fraternity that reloaded
ammunition is superior to the factory made. This is doubtless true if
prepared by an expert, but it is safe to say that a majority of persons
would secure much better results from the factory-made cartridges than
they would with those prepared by themselves. It is necessary to have
perfect fire-arms to secure fine and regular shooting; but unless the
proper ammunition is used, the superiority of the pistol or revolver will
not be apparent.
As marksmen become skilful, they notice errors in shooting; if they
possess enthusiasm enough to become experts, they are constantly studying
to improve their shooting, and a large share of their attention is devoted
to the ammunition. It is not uncommon to find cartridges with the bullet
improperly seated in the cartridge-case or shell; the bullet is sometimes
jambed over one side of the shell, and instead of being wholly seated in
the shell has the full length of the bullet on one side exposed. The
common mode of lubricating by dipping in the lubricant, after the bullet
is seated in the shell, hides many defects in factory-made cartridges,
and the indifferent shooter fires the cartridges without thinking or
investigating the cause of wild shots, until he notices what is
technically known as "key-holes," or the bullets going through the target
sideways instead of point on.
[Illustration: THE WINCHESTER RELOADING TOOL FOR PISTOL AND REVOLVER
CARTRIDGES.]
Other faults in factory-made ammunition are caused by age, which
deteriorates the cartridge, causing the powder to cake, and the shell,
bullet, and lubricant to oxidize; the latter cause also affecting the
efficacy of the primer. As some cartridge companies have used one formula
for making lubricant for cold weather, another for warm weather, and as
lots of ammunition get scattered in all sections, and sometimes carried in
stock for several years, it can be said that one would not be likely to
get so good results from factory cartridges as from those freshly prepared
of home make.
There are other reasons why many of the shooting fraternity prefer to
reload their ammunition; it is a piece of economy not to be despised, and
being located in an inaccessible place, away from towns or cities where
cartridges can be purchased, compels some individuals to make their own
ammunition.
The marksman, in attempting to reload ammunition, will be beset with many
obstacles, and is not likely to produce so good cartridges at the first
trials as he can purchase in stores where they have been received fresh
from the factories; but to those who desire to prepare their own
ammunition, the following mode, practised by different pistol and revolver
experts, will doubtless prove a guide to many.
If the finest work is to be attempted, the use of new shells is
recommended. If old shells are to be reloaded, the exploded primer should
first be removed, the shells then washed and thoroughly rinsed in water,
warm if convenient, and, if desirable to remove the stains from the
shells, a little acid may be dropped into the water. After washing
thoroughly, dry perfectly, but do not heat enough to draw the temper.
Special care should be taken to have the water dried out of the pockets or
primer-holes. The next process, if the shell was previously crimped, is to
expand it at the mouth.
[Illustration: THE IDEAL RELOADING TOOL, FOR PISTOL AND REVOLVER
CARTRIDGES.]
The reloading tools supplied by manufacturers are advertised to expand as
well as decap the shell, but do so very ineffectually, and a tool is
recommended specially for this purpose. Unless the shell is sufficiently
expanded, the bullet cannot be properly seated in the shell, and this is
one of the first difficulties the beginner is likely to encounter. After
expanding the shell, the next operation is to reprime the shells. It will
be found necessary to use the copper primer for most of the American
shells. Considerable care should be used in seating the primer, as most of
the shells are not solid head, and a heavy pressure on the capper will
seat the primer too deep, and often force it through the pocket and
spoil the shell. If the full charge of powder is to be used in the
cartridge, the shells should then receive it; but if a reduced charge is
to be used in a large calibre, with the object of making cartridges for
in-door shooting, many experts use a wad of pasteboard of the exact size
of the inside diameter of the shell, with a hole about one-half the
diameter of the wad in its centre. The wad is seated in the base of the
shell, and the light charge of powder poured in. The object of this wad is
to have the powder ignite quicker than it is supposed it would if spread
over the base of a large shell. By the hole in the centre of the wad, much
of the small charge of fine powder is directly in front of the primer, and
the theory of experts is that the full force of the charge of powder is
more quickly secured than if spread over the base of a large shell.
The question of powder is a very important one, and has provoked an
endless amount of discussion and experimenting among manufacturers and
shooters. The most desirable point is cleanliness, as much fouling means
inaccurate shooting; and as that is a very marked defect in nearly all
black powders at the present time, many believe that the effectiveness and
accuracy of the revolver will be increased when improvements in powder are
made.
In the smaller calibres and in short-barrelled pistols a finer grain of
powder should be used; the fine-grain powder is also better for light
charges.
A request to the leading American powder manufacturers to state the brands
of powder they recommended for pistol and revolver shooting brought the
following responses:--
Boston, Mass., 1887.
_Editor of The Rifle_:--
_Dear Sir_,--I enclose one of our later folders, by which you will see
that, in sizes, the Telegraph runs from No. 1 to No. 5, inclusive. I
think, however, for pistol cartridges I should not recommend anything
coarser than No. 2; _i.e._, Telegraph, Nos. 2 to 5; Rifle Cartridge, Nos.
3 to 5 (No. 2 is used in rim-fire cartridges, which are not reloadable);
also "Dead Shot." Yours,
F. A. ADAMS.
* * * * *
DUPONT'S POWDER,
87 BEAVER STREET, NEW YORK.
_Editor of The Rifle_:--
DEAR SIR,--Yours of 10th inst. duly received, and in reply would say that
for pistol cartridges we would recommend the powders specially made for
that purpose and known as _FFF B_ cartridge powder, and also _FFF A_
powder.
The Eagle Duck No. 3 is also used for pistol cartridges; but Mr. Conlin,
the expert in such matters, and who keeps a gallery in this city for
pistol-shooting principally, states that "the _FFF B_ brand of powder,
introduced to revolver shooters, would prove the best adapted to revolver
cartridges, as I find it to be the best that I have yet tried." Yours
truly,
E. I. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO.
* * * * *
BOSTON, Dec. 15, 1887.
_Editor of The Rifle_:--
DEAR SIR,--Yours of 10th inst. is received. We would recommend for pistol
cartridges our Wing Shot, No. 2 or No. 3 grain, or Western Sporting, _Fg_
or _FFg_ grain. Yours truly,
ORIENTAL POWDER MILLS.
* * * * *
THE HAZARD POWDER COMPANY,
MANUFACTURERS OF GUNPOWDER,
NEW YORK.
_Editor of The Rifle_:--
DEAR SIR,--Yours of the 9th just received. The difference of opinion is so
varied regarding the best powder for pistol cartridges that we hesitate to
recommend. The calibre may be .32 or .45; yet, if the pistol barrel be
long, it requires for accurate shooting a much coarser grain powder than
does a short barrel. We enclose herewith our circular and diagram card,
and remain,
Yours truly,
THE HAZARD POWDER CO.
(EXTRACT FROM CIRCULAR.)
For pistol-shooting--A fine grain is preferred, of "Electric," "American
Sporting," or "Kentucky Rifle."
In addition to the American brands of black powder mentioned is the
American wood powder, which is favored by some pistol-shots on account of
its non-fouling qualities. The English powder, Curtis & Harvey No. 3, is
also excellent. It is quite clean and uniform, but its cost is very high,
the expense of a pound being about $1.50. The American Powder Works'
products are used by many experts, the Hazard's Kentucky Rifle is also a
favorite brand, but there are many opinions as to the best powder; if a
shooter get good results with a certain brand, it is wisdom to use it
exclusively, if possible, as the different brands vary considerably in
strength and effect elevations. Mr. F. J. Rabbeth, an acknowledged expert
in fire-arms, has devoted considerable time to experimenting with powders,
shooting many hundred shots at a rest, with revolvers fitted with fine
sights, to learn, if possible, the merits of different brands of powder
for pistol-shooting. His experiments with wood powder show excellent
results; but a majority of the pistol-shots at the present time do not
seem to favor this kind of powder, but there exists a feeling that before
long a powder will be produced which will cause less fouling than that in
use at the present time, and such a compound will be welcomed by
pistol-shots.
[Illustration: Score of 90 out of a possible 100, at 30 yards, with
gallery ammunition, in .44-calibre Smith & Wesson Russian-model revolver,
made by Mr. F. E. BENNETT, at Walnut Hill, Mass., Oct. 12, 1887. Reduced
one-half.]
After placing the powder in the shell the bullet is inserted, generally
without a wad, and seated in the shell. In cartridges with full charges
the bullet is generally seated with a tool made expressly for the purpose.
With reduced charges, a round ball is often used, which is seated down in
the shell touching the powder. It is then necessary to lubricate the
cartridge, and as there are no cannelures to hold the grease, it is
necessary to place the lubrication around the upper edges of the bullet.
There are several ways of doing this, the most approved manner being to
place a bit of cold lubricant in each shell after the bullet has been
seated, then with a plug with a concave end, of about the same diameter as
the shell, force the lubricant down on top of the bullet, and by a few
turns of the plug the lubricant will be placed evenly around the edge of
the ball. Evenly distributing the lubricant is essential to secure even
shooting.
If desirable to make the bullets, we cannot add anything to the directions
given by Mr. F. J. Rabbeth to the readers of THE RIFLE in a recent issue,
from which we extract the following:--
"Ever since the combination of cartridge manufacturers went into effect,
by which the prices of bullets were advanced some 20 per cent., I have
been tempted to tell riflemen what I know about making bullets, thereby
enabling such as have not mastered the art, but who have the time and
inclination,--as also the disposition to save a penny,--to quickly acquire
it, and at the same time become independent of all combinations of
bullet-makers in the future.
"It is evident from the quality of moulds furnished by the various
manufacturers that there has been very little effort by any of them to
furnish their customers with a practical implement. Indeed, I believe
their policy has usually been to discourage people from making their own
ammunition. I have searched the market through and have never yet found a
thoroughly practical mould on sale. In fact, as compared with a
first-class implement, a large majority of these things are absolutely
worthless; but it would take too much space to point out all their various
defects, and it will be much easier to describe how a good mould should be
made. To begin, the mould should be of brass or composition, as lead flows
to that metal better than iron or steel, and is worth more than the
difference in cost. The two halves should be pivoted together, like a pair
of blacksmith's tongs (not like a nut-cracker, as many of them are), with
a large, well-fitted hinge-screw, with a body part one-eighth larger than
thread part, so that it may be screwed solid against this enlarged body
part without binding the mould too tightly together. Unless these
hinge-screws are so fitted with shoulder they are continually working
loose, and causing delay and trouble. After the mould is pivoted together
and properly jointed, it should have one well-fitted dowel-pin placed as
far from the pivot-screw as possible in the centre of the mould-head. The
mould should be ample in size at the pivot or hinge, and at the head, so
that it will not be likely to get sprung out of adjustment by rough usage;
also that its mass may retain heat, and so preserve a more uniform
temperature while in use. The cut-off should be of cast-steel, one-eighth
to three-sixteenths of an inch thick, and pivoted on a substantial,
well-fitted screw, with enlarged body part, as described for hinge-screw,
and for the same purpose, _i.e._, that it may stay put when secured to
place.
"The sprew-hole for any ordinary-sized bullet should not exceed one-tenth
inch in diameter. The cut-off should project about one and a half inches
beyond mould-head, and should swing far enough to one side to entirely
uncover the base of the bullet. The shanks of the mould should be adapted
to receive wood handles, and with handles attached, for comfort in use,
should measure about nine inches to hinge-screw.
"For melting the lead a small plumber's kettle should be had that will
hold, when full, about twenty pounds. For dipping from this, a small
Monroe ladle, with round nozzle that will enter the counter-sink or
sprew-hole of the cut-off. Heat the mould till it is near the melting
temperature of lead, and when the lead in kettle is sufficiently hot, dip
from kettle with ladle. Apply mould to nozzle while in a horizontal
position, then while still holding mould in contact, quickly elevate ladle
above mould, holding them in that position for a few seconds. This gives
the full pressure of the lead in the ladle on the mould while it is
cooling, and by this method as perfect a bullet can be cast as can be made
by swaging. They can be cast at the average rate of 225 per hour. A gas
stove is much the best means of melting the lead, as a more even
temperature can be maintained; but it is not difficult to cast good
bullets, using almost any kind of a coal fire.
"The lead and moulds should be kept at a temperature that will require a
few seconds, say five to ten, for the lead in the sprew-hole to solidify
after the ladle has been separated from the mould. This is the true test;
and while this temperature is maintained, the bullets will be cast
perfect. The mould should be held over the kettle while casting, so that
any lead spilled may fall into main body.
"The best method for lubricating grooved bullets is to mix beeswax and
cylinder or other heavy oil,--one part oil to four beeswax. Procure a pair
of ordinary ten-cent tweezers, file away the centre so they will grasp the
bullet near the point and not slip off too readily. Dip the bullets to
cover all the grooves, and set them on a board to cool. When cool, remove
surplus lubricant by forcing bullets through a tube the size of bullet.
This is cheaply made by cutting off the head of a shell and soldering a
tapering tin extension to the shell, say six inches long. Shove this tube
on to the bullets as they stand on the board, and empty the tube as often
as it fills with bullets. If the grooves are not too wide--they should not
be more than 1/25-inch wide, say twelve to the inch--this method will give
perfect lubrication. Another method about equally good is to set a
quantity of bullets in a shallow pan, points up, then to pour melted
lubricant among them till there is sufficient in the pan to cover all the
grooves; set aside till lubricant is sufficiently cooled, then use the
tube as described above to remove surplus. Bullets so cast and lubricated
will do very fine shooting either with clean or dirty barrel."
Cartridges should not be exposed to the sun, and should be kept in a dry,
cool place.