25 Yards - 100 yards more powder ?

[oldhunter1954]

I have a 54 caliber colonial. I have been shooting 25 yards. I am getting good groups with 75 grains of 2f, .530 ball and lubed patch. Does this mean I am good for 50 yards or 100 yards? I realize the ball will drop at the longer distance. But do you guys load more powder to shoot 100 yards.

 

[Woody Morgan]

Nope. Aim higher.

wm

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Agreed.

 

[Maven]

While I agree with Woody & Ranch... above, I usually use lighter loads for 25 yd. and more powder for longer ranges. E.g., in my Chambers .54cal. Isaac Haines, I use 60gr. FFg for 25 yd., 70gr. for 50 yd., and 80gr.* for 100 yd. It saves powder and accuracy remains unchanged.

*the R. Rice bbl. is rated for 90gr. FFg max.

 

[azmntman]

Rated for 90? Hmmm I have CVA and Traditions that have got fed more than that and not an issue. Seems like a light maximum load.

 

[Art Caputo]

I use one load, optimized for accuracy. POI is generally identical at 25-50 yards, elevation corrected to 100+

 

[azmntman]

Choose yer best load and file sites for the anticipated usual distance. One can aim higher if need be. Sited in for 75 with heavy .54 conical once I aimed 3' over shoulder and brought home a dandy bull at 180 yds. Yep, I was stupid young kid. Wouldn't repeat it but many who have a single gun and know it well can do things like this. "Beware the man with one gun"

Develop yer load and use it. That's for hunting. Paper targets...I dunno? I shoot cuz I hunt. I suppose if I didn't have other guns I could develop a close up load for small game??

 

[oldhunter1954]

Thanks to all of you. I see when people are hunting they use a much higher load than for target shooting. In my newbie brain its seems that more powder for more distance would make sense. I tried 60 grains, 75 grains and 85 grains. The best groups were with 75 grains.

 

[azmntman]

then thats yer load. Now try lubes, patch material, ball size etc. then you'll have the best load for that gun. all guns are different.

 

[Cpt Flint]

Same load for 25 and 50. Add powder for 100.
Use same sight picture.

 

[Magungo1066]

If you were shooting a "light" load id say that you might want to up it for longer ranges but you are shooting almost 80 grains which is a pretty standard load...its what I shoot in my .54. I say if "its working" then keep it unless you become unhappy with the accuracy at 100 yards.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

In my .50 Early Virginia with a .42" barrel, I use 70 grains of 3F for hunting. I limit my shots to 75 yards.

I use the same gun for match shooting at 25 to 100 yards, but I increase my powder charge to 85 grains at 100 yards. That allows me to use the same sight picture at all distances. (With the lighter load, I have to cover up my target to hit at 100 yards.)

The only way to tell what works for you is to go to the bench and start shooting. Keep notes, and your results will tell you whether your selected load is accurate enough and to point of aim at any distance. No one else's experience can transfer to your rifle.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[Tom A Hawk]

My standard hunting load in .54, 1" barrel Hawken is 125 grains FF and its sighted in for 100 yards. Several years ago when I shot in a club competition I'd back it down to 80 for the head shots on the squirrel targets 50 yards.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Back in the 70's when you just had to have a Hawken of one brand or another if you didn't shoot at least 100 grains you probably wore lace panties. That's why I used 120 grains in my 54. I didn't have enough sense to figure that 80 grains would have killed a deer just as dead.

 

[oldhunter1954]

I guess I should ask Jim Kibler what the maximum load is for my Green Mountain barrel.

 

[BEP]

With your current load, you've got plenty of power for whatever. And you say you're getting good groups. Varying that powder charge - either up or down - can and often does cause those groups to open up. If you do choose to up the powder charge, try the new load first at your current ranges of 25 and 50 yards to see what happens. Maybe your groups won't change but don't be surprised if they do.

 

[Zutt-man]

Thanks to all of you. I see when people are hunting they use a much higher load than for target shooting. In my newbie brain its seems that more powder for more distance would make sense. I tried 60 grains, 75 grains and 85 grains. The best groups were with 75 grains.

I use a higher load for my .40 poor boy when I deer hunt. I generally shoot 35 gr FFF when target shooting, but bump it to 50 when deer hunting. Finding that sweet spot is the key. I actually had forgotten my hunting load three years ago and shot 70 gr instead of 50. Missed the biggest deer of my life, because my ball went sailing over him.

 

[hanshi]

Depending on the gun I tend to have just one load. The .32 & .36 are sighted for 30 to 40 yards max for small game. The .45 and up about 1.5" to 2" high at 50 yds so groups are still on a saucer at 100 yds. Powder charge is always the same.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

I use a higher load for my .40 poor boy when I deer hunt. I generally shoot 35 gr FFF when target shooting, but bump it to 50 when deer hunting. Finding that sweet spot is the key. I actually had forgotten my hunting load three years ago and shot 70 gr instead of 50. Missed the biggest deer of my life, because my ball went sailing over him.

How does that 40 caliber do on deer? The reasons I ask are that I'm probably going to order a Kibler in 40 and I have my ancestor's 40 caliber that he packed along on the Meek cutoff in 1845. It was good enough then but back in those days they'd never heard that ugly word "magnum".

Edit: "Where never was heard that ugly word "magnum". Now that sounds like the beginning of a good theme song for a western if I ever heard one!

 

[mooman76]

keep in mind 40 cal may not be legal to hunt deer depending on the state you are hunting in.