[Waldog]

Look on the Rifle/Handloader magazine web site. One of their authors, "Duke" Venturino, has written extensively about loading black powder cartridges. The NUMBER ONE RULE when loading BP is your tools must be spark free and static free. This means brass. Number TWO, you have got to load lead bullets only with a GENEROUS supply of lube. If you don't use the right type of bullet/lube combo you will get about 2 accurate shots and the rest will be all over the target. The lube keeps the BP fouling soft. Without it, the fouling gets hard and fouls the lands and grooves in the barrel, resulting in a "smooth bore" with zilch accuracy. Number THREE, BP charges need to be compressed "slightly". I think Duke recommends 1/16" compression but, you will have to verifly that and don't take my word. Loading BP ain't hard but, there is a lot more to it than loading smokeless.
Just in case you don't know, you can load reduced smokeless charges that would be safe in your vintage gun. It's a a lot easier and less aggravation than BP.