Field Expedient Powder Measure - Sharpie Cap

[pjmcdonald]

I headed down to the range today to sight in the rifle I completed a couple of months ago. Excited to get it sighted in and no better way I can think of to celebrate Independence day than shooting. Figured if I got a decent load developed, I'd even have a go at this month's postal shoot.

I finally get there, get all set up, have range 3 all to myself. Then it hits me. Where is my powder measure? $#@*. Not in my big shooting bag. Not in my truck. Didn't bring my hunting bag. $#@*. Thunderstorms on the horizon and if I drive home, I'm pretty sure it will be a washout before I get back.

I scrounged around, looking for spent casings. Nothing doing on this range. People police up their brass. Only thing I have handy is a Sharpie marker. Cap looks to be about 50 grains. What the heck. Target up at 20 yards. 4 rounds touching, about 2" below center, off a rest. Looks like windage is good. Let's try two sharpie cap loads.

Two caps full didn't group as well but point of impact came up about dead center. And here comes the rain. Load development for another day.

And for those wondering, I measured when I got home. A sharpie cap holds just about 45 grains of powder. Next time you need a field expedient powder measure, you might have one in your pocket.

Paul

[OldMtnMan]

Good to know. I always have a sharpie with me when shooting targets.

[Brokennock]

Ha ha, lol. Improvise, adapt, and overcome.
Well done sir.

[Panzerschwein]

The old timers would lay the ball in their hand and pour powder till it was just covered and that makes a suitable charge. Another pay of skinning the catfish, and more PC but very cool about the sharpie cap. I usually keep a tin or bone measure lashed to my shooting pouch where it is handy. I don’t personally leave the house without my pouch and horn, as I shoot from it almost exclusively.

[Daryl]

Same here, Panzerschwein. The"ball in the palm measuring" makes a huge different just how much the palm is cupped - each time.

Each of my horns (different horn for each gun) has THE powder measure for that rifle attached to the horn's strap.

[pjmcdonald]

I generally keep an adjustable measure in my range bag for working up loads. I still can’t for the life of me find the dang thing. Guess I’ll order two. Because I’m sure to lose another. Once I figure out what this gun likes, I’ll make a fixed measure to keep with its bag and horn.

I guess I’m a bit ocd, in that I’m collecting a bag, horn, and measure to go with each specific rifle.

When I’m plinking, target shooting, or hunting I likewise shoot from the bag. This was just one of those days - “oh, I don’t need that bag...”

Life is full of lessons!

[OldMtnMan]

The old timers would lay the ball in their hand and pour powder till it was just covered and that makes a suitable charge. Another pay of skinning the catfish, and more PC but very cool about the sharpie cap. I usually keep a tin or bone measure lashed to my shooting pouch where it is handy. I don’t personally leave the house without my pouch and horn, as I shoot from it almost exclusively.

I've been reading that for years. I'd like to see it written by someone from those times. For all we know only one guy did that.

Has anybody measured that out to see what the load is?

[Daryl]

Dang - going to do that right now.

OK results - note, I poured until the ball was covered in a mound, not flat on top of the powder.
Once doing that, it would be difficult to get ALL of the powder charge into the barrel, especially
on a small calibre, without spilling some of it. Once you pour the powder over the ball, you have
to re-cap the horn, then pick the ball out of the powder, then attempt to pour the powder into
the muzzle or onto the scale's pan. The pan would be a lot easier than a muzzle.
Here are the results of doing this once for each. Note, it would be very difficult to get these "throws"
charges consistent.
I had my hand quite cupped with the thumb alongside. Yes, granules of powder stick between the
fingers.

.69 (.682") - 96gr. 2F
.50 (.495") - 67.7gr. 2F
.36 (.350") - 27.7gr.

[Panzerschwein]

I’m going to try that too and just see.

It’s SO HOT here in Vegas and where I shoot has no overhead cover. It’s just miserable to be baking while trying to shoot a muzzleloader.

[Daryl]

I soaked my ball-cap yesterday and the temp was 22C. 71.6F.
Yeah - OK - the sun was hot, really hot.

[Panzerschwein]

I soaked my ball-cap yesterday and the temp was 22C. 71.6F.
Yeah - OK - the sun was hot, really hot.

I wish I could live in Canada. Seems like my kind of weather.

Oh well... it’s “only” going to get up to 45°C here this week... 

[OldMtnMan]

Dang - going to do that right now.

OK results - note, I poured until the ball was covered in a mound, not flat on top of the powder.
Once doing that, it would be difficult to get ALL of the powder charge into the barrel, especially
on a small calibre, without spilling some of it. Once you pour the powder over the ball, you have
to re-cap the horn, then pick the ball out of the powder, then attempt to pour the powder into
the muzzle or onto the scale's pan. The pan would be a lot easier than a muzzle.
Here are the results of doing this once for each. Note, it would be very difficult to get these "throws"
charges consistent.
I had my hand quite cupped with the thumb alongside. Yes, granules of powder stick between the
fingers.

.69 (.682") - 96gr. 2F
.50 (.495") - 67.7gr. 2F
.36 (.350") - 27.7gr.

I'm surprised the charges for ball size aren't that bad and would work fine. Then what would I do with my antler powder measure?

[Daryl]

Yeah- the .69's load would work, however the other two are under what I normally shoot in those rifles.
The charge in the .69 is actually 11gr. more than I shoot the trail with, but killing steal, golf-balls, strings and cards is not like killing moose - or griz.
With the moose (or deer), they have to lay down where they were standing when shot. With griz, well the further they ran away, the better.
Getting too old for the packing part, although I can still track game.

[Panzerschwein]

Dang - going to do that right now.

OK results - note, I poured until the ball was covered in a mound, not flat on top of the powder.
Once doing that, it would be difficult to get ALL of the powder charge into the barrel, especially
on a small calibre, without spilling some of it. Once you pour the powder over the ball, you have
to re-cap the horn, then pick the ball out of the powder, then attempt to pour the powder into
the muzzle or onto the scale's pan. The pan would be a lot easier than a muzzle.
Here are the results of doing this once for each. Note, it would be very difficult to get these "throws"
charges consistent.
I had my hand quite cupped with the thumb alongside. Yes, granules of powder stick between the
fingers.

.69 (.682") - 96gr. 2F
.50 (.495") - 67.7gr. 2F
.36 (.350") - 27.7gr.

Thanks, D. Incredible work and yes it does seem to be near the starting load for those calibers,

Maybe the old timers knew a thing or too?

[OldMtnMan]

Yeah- the .69's load would work, however the other two are under what I normally shoot in those rifles.
The charge in the .69 is actually 11gr. more than I shoot the trail with, but killing steal, golf-balls, strings and cards is not like killing moose - or griz.
With the moose (or deer), they have to lay down where they were standing when shot. With griz, well the further they ran away, the better.
Getting too old for the packing part, although I can still track game.

The .50 load would be fine with 3F. I use 70gr of 3F in a .54 for muley. 80gr for elk.

It's one of the advantages of sneaking in close.

[Dennis Glazener]

I soaked my ball-cap yesterday and the temp was 22C. 71.6F.
Yeah - OK - the sun was hot, really hot.

Oh poor Daryl:
Today in Powhatan County VA
High Temp 100.6 degrees F
Humidity 97 %
Currently at 8:10PM its 87 degrees and a comfortable 67% humidity

But it gets really hot and humid in August.
Dennis

[OldMtnMan]

I won't rub in our weather but no sweat is involved.

[AsMs]

Back to the original subject!

A friend once showed me that a spent rifle casing held the perfect charge for his .54cal rifle.  I told him I would not use it, it is not the correct tool for the job. On a later hunting trip he took a shot and while reloading dropped the casing down the bore. He tried dumping the powder and casing but the casing was stuck and it sealed the powder from dumping out. The only choice was to shoot the casing out. Which can’t be good for a barrel.

AsMs

[Daryl]

I highly doubt shooting that casing out would hurt the barrel, even if the bl. was iron, but definitely not the steel one.
Interesting story, though, AsMs.
All of my measures have strings attached and are attached to the horn's strap.
I also use range pickup, as well as the fit together .015" wall brass tubing from the hobby store.
The top left 1st 2 and the last 2 of the top row, are brass tubing with wooden stoppers.
The others are all ctg. brass picked up at the range, rims turned off at the extractor groove, rounded and screw-eyes soldered into the flash hole.

[Daryl]

Yeah- the .69's load would work, however the other two are under what I normally shoot in those rifles.
The charge in the .69 is actually 11gr. more than I shoot the trail with, but killing steal, golf-balls, strings and cards is not like killing moose - or griz.
With the moose (or deer), they have to lay down where they were standing when shot. With griz, well the further they ran away, the better.
Getting too old for the packing part, although I can still track game.

The .50 load would be fine with 3F. I use 70gr of 3F in a .54 for muley. 80gr for elk.

It's one of the advantages of sneaking in close.

The .54 ball's charge would be significantly higher, likely 75 to 80gr. Pete, due to the larger ball in the palm requiring more powder to cover it.

[OldMtnMan]

It's not far off though. A lot would depend on how much you cup your hand.


btw....My antler powder measure won't fit down my bore. It's old man proof.

[Daryl]

Exactly - how much the palm is cupped - each time.

[pjmcdonald]

Daryl,

That gives me a good idea for making up a set of powder measures for my range bag. Thanks for posting.

Paul

[Daryl]

You betcha, pj - if you mark them in multiples of 10's, or drams (providing those charges shoot well) they are easily & permanently marked, with 2,3 4 5, etc file cuts around the ends.
1dram -- 27.3gr
2drams -54.6(55)
3drams -81.9(82)
4drams -109.2(110)
5drams - 136.5(135/6)
etc.
for finer measures:
single file cut 10
a file cut with a crossed line could mean 5
so: 2 file cuts + second file cut with slash = 25gr. - etc.

[Denny]

OldMtnMan,

The passage you are asking about comes from Delineations of American Scenery and Character by John James Audubon (Simpkin, Marshall, Hamiton, Kent & Co. Ltd., London, England, 1926, pg. 282).

"Delineations..." is a compilation of essays that reflect life on the American frontier in the first quarter of the 19th century. This essay is "A Racoon Hunt in Kentucky," and Audubon is invited along. He is speaking of "the bold Kentuckian, his sons and a stranger," noting how the master hunter is loading his flintlock for the chase. The process of measuring the powder is explained thus:

"...He takes from his bag a bullet, pulls with is teeth the wooden stopper from his powder-horn, lays the ball on one hand, and with the other pours the powder upon it until it is just overtopped..."

Be safe and may God bless you all,
Denny