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Black Powder

Black Powder matches are Pistol Australia events, shot at distances 25 and 50 metres.

The discipline involves the use of black powder propellant in muzzle-loaded percussion cap pistols and ‘cap and ball’ revolvers.

Modern black powder pistols are well-made replicas of the original pistol type or can be of modern design made especially for black powder.

Refer to Pistol Australia’s Rules page for the latest Black Powder Rule Book. 

  • H category firearm licence
  • PA Holster Accreditation card

The 25m (aggregate) black powder event combines the Precision Stage and the Rapid Fire Stage.

Calibre: 

  • Maximum .46 calibre, cap and ball revolver

Precision stage:

  • 20 shots in 4 series of 5 shots
  • Each series is 12 minutes
  • Target: 10 rings of 50mm diameter, each ring increases by 50mm

Rapid Fire Stage: 

  • 20 shots in 4 series of 5 shots.
  • Each series consists of 5 exposures of the target.
  • Each exposure is for 3 seconds.
  • The shooter fires one shot per exposure.
  • Target: 10 rings of 100mm wide x 150mm high, each ring increases by 100mm.

The 50m Black Powder event is based on the ISSF 50m Pistol match reduced to 40 shots.

Target:

  • PA Black Powder Target

Distance:

  • 50 meters

Caliber:

  • Maximum .46 calibre, cap and ball

Shots/time:

  • 40 shots in 4 series of 10 shots
  • each series is 30 minutes

The 13-shot events provide a 13-shot event for virtually every type of black powder ‘cap and ball’ pistols.

Although this is an event of 13 shots, only the ten best scoring shots are counted for the shooter’s score.

There are four suggested ‘categories’:

  1. Replica single-shot, RSS
  2. Fixed-sight revolver, FSR
  3. Adjustable-sight revolver, ASR
  4. Modern single-shot pistol. MSS

Target:

  • ISSF 25/50m Precision Target

Distance:

  • 25 meters

Shots/time:

  •  13 shots in 30 minutes
  • 25m event: the first Saturday of each month at 8am
  • 50m event: the second Saturday of each month at 8am.
  • 13-shot event: each Sunday from approximately 10.00am

View our Events Calendar for exceptions.