I was looking up some brass shell info a few months ago and saw that Rocky Mountain Cartridge has a limited supply of any brass shells. They also advertise that the equipment and/or business is for sale. Looks like the plandemic/supply chain issues caught up with them too. :banghead::crying:

Mike, their business has always been listed for sale as I recall. I wouldn't hesitate to place an order as they do great work.

Can you use the same dipper for shot and powder?

Yes but different settings for each and only to be used for black powder!!!!





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So maybe a stupid question but I see there are dippers with measurements for powder and ones for shot if a person was only to use one which one should a guy use? Just curious.

First I would figure out what load you want. A light target load, heavy hunting load or something in the middle? The dippers you mentioned are often marked in drams(for powder) and in ounces(for shot).

You might run across the term "square load" which is the same setting for both powder and shot. So a scoop of powder and a scoop of shot that are the same amount by volume.

In my experience you want a little more powder than shot. Though I have done well shooting square loads and that is not a bad place to start(See attached picture) If you wanted to go shoot some clays and get a feel for the gun, I might start out with:

3 drams of 2f and 1 1/8oz of shot(that is nice light target load)

For reference, my 10 gauge hunting load is 4 drams of 2f and 1 3/8oz of shot

There are a lot of good sources online including You Tube. Load up some shells, give it a try and let us know how much fun you are having!

That helps a lot thank you for the info!

“You might run across the term "square load" which is the same setting for both powder and shot. So a scoop of powder and a scoop of shot that are the same amount by volume”.
I use “square loads” for clay pigeons.
Keep in mind (Very Important) Square Loads are for Black Powder use only.

On more suggestion on this...load up some different shells with differences in powder, shot and wads and pattern it. Most fiber wads you buy are 1/2" think, I cut those in half but then put both halves in the shells. I get a much better pattern, The 1/2" wad as whole seems to push through the shot and the pattern is awful.

There is some trial and error to this that is a lot of fun to figure out. Here is the order I would load into a 10 gauge primed shell for target shooting:

1. 3 drams of 2f black powder(I also like 1 1/2f)
2. 1 - 9 gauge 1/8" nitro card
3. 2 - 1/4" 9 gauge fiber wads made from a cut 1/2" wad, use both halves and I lube with bore butter or some other type of black powder lube.(you used to be able to buy these already lubed and I use those if I still have them).
4. 1 - 9 gauge overshot card on the wads(I like the shot on a clean surface).
5. 1 1/8oz of shot
6. 1 - 9 gauge overshot card glue in with ducco cement.

The best resource I found for me was: https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categ...BOOK-HL-10-BSS

There are some hot hunting loads in there(that work well), but you can load down for target shooting. It is such a valuable resource and I believe the author is a PGCA member.

Good luck! Every time I think about black powder shooting it makes me want to organize a hummer gun hunting trip...a few of us should get together and do this! Shooting the shells/loads our hammer guns would have shot when new.

So I’m in the process of getting all the supplies I’ll need to start shooting this spring and I know with black powder it’s really important to clean the gun as soon after shooting as you can but I am curious how in depth of a cleaning is needed after shooting it? Does the whole gun need to be disassembled or not quite that detailed of a cleaning? And what’s best practice for the cushion was to have lubed or not lubed? I’ve read on people doing it both ways..