.44 Russian BP load

[Ysabel Kid]

I purchased 100 pieces of Starline .44 Russian brass from a fellow levergunner here a month or so ago. I've decided to load them with "the pure" - black powder. Figured this would be good for my Spencer 1865 reproduction, and I have a bunch of .44 Russian already loaded with smokeless powder.

Hate to admit this, but this will be my first experience loading black powder into a metallic cartridge. I shot plenty of black powder loose, or even with paper cartridges, so can't wait to begin doing this.

I think I may have run into a snag though. The bullets I was planning on using are just "regular" lead round nose-flat points I use for loading up .44 Specials or .44 Magnums with smokeless powder. They are lubed, but I don't know with what (I bought them in bulk at a gun show). I'm sure it is not a black powder lube.

Any concerns?

BTW, Looks like I will start with 23 grains of FFFg.

[adirondakjack]

Unless the lube is real sticky and soft, it's smokeless lube. You can melt it off with boiling water and re-lube em with BP lube, but even then a regular smokeless pistol bullet ain't gonna carry enough lube for a rifle barrel. grease cookies can be made OR you can source real, honest injun BP bullets that carry enough lube. Google "Big Lube Bullets" and maybe "Springfield Slim or Slim-Pony bullets. (two outfits I know of that make em.)

[J Miller]

The bullets themselves will probably work OK. But the lube won't. Most smokeless powder lubes have petroleum products in them and reacts with black powder to make a gummy icky mess. I'd clean the lube out of them and relube them with SPG or some other black powder lube.

Joe

[perry owens]

Big Lube have two moulds that cast 0.44 bullets. If you don't want to buy a mould and handles you can get Big Lubes ready cast and lubed with BP lube from Mark Whyte at http://hstrial-mwhyte2.homestead.com/untitled2.html
Perry Owens

[Ysabel Kid]

Big Lube have two moulds that cast 0.44 bullets. If you don't want to buy a mould and handles you can get Big Lubes ready cast and lubed with BP lube from Mark Whyte at http://hstrial-mwhyte2.homestead.com/untitled2.html
Perry Owens

That's the ticket! I was thinking I'd just load them and use them in an 1872 Colt reproduction I have that shoots either .44 Russian or .44 Special. That way I wouldn't worry so much about the barrel length of the Spencer carbine and the fouling getting too hard. But the "big lube" bullets look like they would be the best solution.

Thanks guys!