have did a limited info search using black powder in plastic hulls and wads. so far it looks like black powder burns at high temperature and causes hull and wad plastic to breakdown ect. have never reloaded with black powder and it looks like a fresh start in components and maybe even reloaders equipment may be in order. anyone out there ever run black powder thru a MEC, P-W, Spolar, or any other progressive shotshell reloader ?

THE ANSWER IS “NO, DON’T DO IT!”

Black Powder is very sensitive to ignition by static. Whilst some powder measures (such as the Lyman 55 Black Powder measure) are made without plastic parts so as to be safe to measure black powder most are not.

You do not want a bottle of black powder exploding that close to your head.

Yes. You can do it quite easily. However, you won't find a powder bushing that is big enough, so plan on buying a couple and then grinding them out to much larger capacities.

Fiber wads are the way to go. I've mined a lot of plastic out out of my barrels from plastic wads. Plastic hulls are not a problem, but they do get a bit toasted at the case mouth. For that reason, I rarely reload them a second time. I pick up hulls from the high school teams, usually Federal Top Gun and reload those and then toss them.



This is another myth from the internet. Hundreds of thousands of blackpowder loads will be made this year using powder measures with plastic hoppers. Back "in the day" the Lyman 55 powder measure was made with a plastic hopper and that continues to work just as well as all the new powder measures with their plastic hoppers. Additionally, blackpowder is shipped and sold in plastic bottles today. Static electricity, of this sort, simply does not have the amperage to get the job done. Lightning bolts are another matter, so do not load in a storm while outside.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gdHdnnhy5Ro

I have heard that static is a concern when mixing plastic and black powder and believed that was why it was sold it in metal cans. However, Goex, Swiss, and Shuetzen are all sold in plastic containers now. I would still be concerned with forming a roll crimp on a plastic hull with a plastic crimping tool. You are correct that the heat melts the plastic hulls to a degree. Brass hulls can be purchased.

I use the Federal paper hulls for black when I can get them. I’ve loaded lots of BPCR with an RCBS powder dispenser when I was playing with Trapdoor Springfields. Then I was told I’d blow myself up using so I bought a Lyman 55 with brass reservoir. I like the RCBS better. A powder dipper is foolproof for loading shotshells.

I've been using a MEC 600JR for well over 20 years. I have an auto primer feeder, plastic drop tubes and use the adjustable charge bar. It is grounded in a shallow wooden box screwed down to wooden table. And only use black powder or pyrodex. I have never seen any static electricity on any of my equipment. Have to wonder if this is all just a load of BS as I have never heard of a gun room going up in flames due to static electricity and black powder.

For probably the last 20 years, real Black Powder has been sold in plastic containers.
I’ve loaded a lot of BP shotgun cartridges, over the decades, with plastic hulls.. multiple reloads.
Roll crimp and hand load with same components as my Muzzleloading SxS.

Black powder in granular form will not be ignited by static electricity. It is much too coarse. However, static electricity can ignite flammable gasses, fumes, and fine dust, including both black and smokeless powder dust. OSHA requires grounding straps to be installed on drums of flammable solvents and on fireproof chemical storage lockers. I would bet that companies that load large amounts of black powder ammunition have a static electricity grounding system on their equipment, and hopefully are aware of the hazards of dust build-up over time. For the rest of us, normal precautions for handling black powder are sufficient.

https://bulkinside.com/bulk-solids-...ion-during-powder-processing-operations/

A local fireworks manufacturer had an explosion in one of his plants a number of years ago that was blamed on static electricity igniting an accumulation of fine dust. Static electricity has caused fires and explosions in paint booths, and an accumulation of static charge is said to be the cause of the hydrogen filled Hindenberg dirigible. A quick Google search will give you results for many explosions of dusts and flammable substances that were caused by static electricity. But even 4Fg priming powder is much coarser than fine dust. I just grind 2Fg or3Fg in small amounts to make priming powder for my flintlock. A plastic screwdriver handle and an old ceramic ashtray make a good non-sparking mortar and pestle. No issues so far.

I have loaded many thousands of black powder Trap loads in Federal Top Gun plastic cases. Many of our club members do the same.
We use fibre wads because plastic wads leave stringy plastic in the bore, but the hulls cause no problems for a single use and then discard them.
I use a brass measure for powder dispensing, but other operations are done on a single stage press.
Black powder Trap gets expensive at 80 grains of FFg per shot.