Breech Seating

[JKR]

Would someone please describe for me the proper method of breach seating as it would be done with a black powder load.
What would the advantage be over the way we load a patched bullet just barely in the case?
Are special tools required to seat the bullet?
I assume the case needs to be loaded so that no air space exists when using a black powder load?
JKR

[Don McDowell]

You use a camming tool that is sort of a dummy case that pushes the bullet into the barrel then you chamber the case
Some of the ODG loaded with as much as 1/16 in between the case mouth and the bullet base
A number of the Creedmoor shooters “muzzle loaded their patched bullets and then chambered the loaded case. I am assuming they used a loading rod they had a depth stop on it.
IMHO breech seating and muzzle loading a cartridge rifle were more of a way to get heavier powder charges. Today we have loading presses and compression dies that are lite weight enough they can be carried by hand and are able to achieve the same result

[Kurt]

For a bore diameter PP bullet seated shallow in a case I personally see very little advantage breach seating the bullet with a breach seater below in the photo.
It is a different story if you breach seat a groove diameter PP or GG bullet or a jacketed bullet like some Schuetzen shooters use with their .32-40 rifles or what ever centerfire rifle.
Using a breach seater with the groove diameter PP bullet the bullet is seated without runout using a proper fitting tool. Also that bullet does not get kneaded like dough expanding in the chamber and swaged back down as it enters the bore.
Using a breach seater with say a .32-40 or .38-55 and smokeless powder. The shooter will have a shell charged with smokeless powder and the shell will have a cork of some sort in the case mouth so the powder won't spill when transporting them or they will charge the shell at the range. Some will use the same case for the whole match if time allows.

You don't need to use a tool like mine for breach seating. You can use a Pope type of seater that is a palm pusher with a case filled with lead and push a bullet into the bore.

I just made a simple breach seater for my long freebore chamber so I could use a DD PP bullet that did not fit against the throat and I didn't want the patch to unravel while just using my finger to load it in the chamber and push a loaded case with a wad flush with the case mouth, it's not the best thing to do with a dry wrap PP bullet.
But you need a stop bushing on the shank so you don't push a straight shanked PP bullet in too far ahead of the case when the case has a wad over the powder. Some of the smokeless powder breach seater shooters will tune the load adjusting the seated bullet ahead of the chambered case.

Kurt

[JKR]

For a bore diameter PP bullet seated shallow in a case I personally see very little advantage breach seating the bullet with a breach seater below in the photo.
It is a different story if you breach seat a groove diameter PP or GG bullet or a jacketed bullet like some Schuetzen shooters use with their .32-40 rifles or what ever centerfire rifle.
Using a breach seater with the groove diameter PP bullet the bullet is seated without runout using a proper fitting tool. Also that bullet does not get kneaded like dough expanding in the chamber and swaged back down as it enters the bore.
Using a breach seater with say a .32-40 or .38-55 and smokeless powder. The shooter will have a shell charged with smokeless powder and the shell will have a cork of some sort in the case mouth so the powder won't spill when transporting them or they will charge the shell at the range. Some will use the same case for the whole match if time allows.

You don't need to use a tool like mine for breach seating. You can use a Pope type of seater that is a palm pusher with a case filled with lead and push a bullet into the bore.

I just made a simple breach seater for my long freebore chamber so I could use a DD PP bullet that did not fit against the throat and I didn't want the patch to unravel while just using my finger to load it in the chamber and push a loaded case with a wad flush with the case mouth, it's not the best thing to do with a dry wrap PP bullet.
But you need a stop bushing on the shank so you don't push a straight shanked PP bullet in too far ahead of the case when the case has a wad over the powder. Some of the smokeless powder breach seater shooters will tune the load adjusting the seated bullet ahead of the chambered case.

Kurt

Thanks for that good explanation,Kurt. The picture of the one you’ve made up for your 38-50 gives me a good picture of what to do if I want to play with this in my 38-55.
Jim

[Kurt]

Jim,

I haven't had time to make an adapter for the Webber tool yet but at this point I don't need one unless I order a Groove diameter mould for the .38-50 and I will soon. It's very hard to beat a groove diameter PP bullet breach seated and for my long freebore chamber it is a plus.
For silhouette breach seating is a none option but for the Mid Range or long range it's doable because of the longer time frame.