Wow! Lots of discussion on this thing! Lol. no worries guys, my skin is thicker than that. I welcome all of the feedback. I am aware that it is cast, and a mutt of a rifle. I originally thought it was a Union Hill #9 but after some closer looking identified it as a built rifle. No matter, I did not buy it as an investment anyway. 

For this thread I am more interested in a possitive I'd on the scope and maybe some idea of a value on the scope; I know value is impossible without identification.

Anyway, as far as shooting it. I like black powder, don't mind the cleaning. I have a few old Sharps rifles (original) that I shoot black with no issues. 
BUT I like the idea of really dialing in a good load with smokeless loads. (my dad had a Ballard years ago he used to shoot with smokeless with very good results in 32-40). I also have a bunch of that Trail Boss that I could play with.   

Again, thanks for the posts!

Greg,
Accuracy for breech seated bullets is a function of bullet fit. It won't matter what kind of powder is behind it, if it doesn't fit the barrel right (BS depth and  bullet diameter). A old standard low pressure 32/40  load with traditional 180+ bullets is 12.2 gr 4759 with pistol primers. A more modern one is 13.5 - 14.0 gr 4227. !3.5 is my limit on my 32/40 #2 action.

The big deal with smokeless in the cast Ballards is double charging. I was a witness to that happening years ago and it blew the rifle up. Although you can't double charge with trail boss, I've read that if you get much over the recommended charge, that the pressure can spike rapidly. I do not know of anyone that has used it in competition and that speaks loudly to me.

Frank

frnkeore wrote on Sep 14^th, 2012 at 7:58pm:


Huh?  If that were true shooters would be shooting 250's with BP, Frank. We would all be using one type of powder. 

BP gives BP accuracy, poor compared to smokeless no matter how it's loaded.

      Joe. 

Sorry..got a bit long-winded & ran out of room!  Anyway..what I am trying to point out is that while the black may require a bit more work (had to use blowtube & 3 long breaths to maintain that 1" grouping)..the accuracy can equal..and sometimes better smokeless.
  For example..I have a goergous fully engraved Ballard cast-action No.3 in .25-25 Stevens.  (probably was a .22 rimfire..rebored/chambered many years ago).  Now with this old action, I didn't know what to do..got as many different opinions as questions.  I must admit..I did try straight smokeless loads..TrailBoss & H4227.  But try as I might..I just couldn't get even close to B.P. accuracy..Now I must admit being uneasy when doing this..and perhaps I could have boosted charges up to see if accuracy increased...but to be honest..I didn't have the guts!
   But The real reason I guess was...It just wasn't as fun!..Where was that big grayish white smokescreen blotting out target..and everything else in front for a few seconds..followed by that deep boom!
   Now this rifle has vernier tang & windgage adj. front & I have only shot it out to 50yds.  But so far...and I am using fixed ammunition..loaded on an old nickled No. 3 adjustable Ideal nutcracker,,I am getting 5 shot groups with all shots cutting each other..some nearly going thru same holes!  Now to do this, I must run a barely damp patch thru after each shot..no big deal.
I think I am just about at fixed accuracy threshold..I will try B.S. next.  Now I consider this old girl more of a hunting type rifle..someone must have wanted a humdinger .22 squirrel rifle back then!  Fellow on next bench firing tricked out .22 with match ammo wasn't doing much better.  The point is..black powder can be accurate!  As far as clean up?  Three patches wet with Butch's bore shine..3rd. comes out white!
Wish we had a time machine...wouldn't the air be blue for quite awhile if westerner had buttonholed Mr. H.M. Pope about being only able to achieve B.P. accuracy!

Thats not what you wrote Frank. You just want to play with my breachseater.  My mom warned me about guys like you. 

.22-5-40, if I give you 20 dollars will you leave me alone !?

      Joe.

Thats not what you wrote Frank. You just want to play with my breachseater.  My mom warned me about guys like you. 

I would give it back to you all clean and shiney, ready to shot the match.

The top of the receiver does have a dish to it. I plan on slugging the bore so as to get the right diameter bullet. In an earlier post I mentioned 4226 smokeless, it was a typo I meant 4227. Just to clear that up.

100 shot OH match, that's my type of shooting! Backe when was shooting service rifle and high power I liked the OH possition best! 

Smokeless, the smoke is half the fun! 

Sinking p the kitchen before my wife gets home is the other half