35 Grains Too Much???

[HOGGHEAD]

I have a Southern Poor Boy 36 caliber Percussion rifle. It shoots dead on at 50 yards with a 30 grain charge of 3F Black Powder. I want to use this rifle to hunt ground hogs with in the next couple of months since my Early Lancaster is not here yet from TVM.

So I have been thinking about stoking up the load a little bit. Is 35 grains of 3F too much for the 36 caliber PRB?? How about 40 grains??

I haven't shot the rifle past 50 yards yet. And I honestly do not know how the rifle will kill ground hogs at 50 or even 75 yards with the 30 grain load. So please chime in with some personal experiences?? Would a 35 grain or 40 grain load really help out a good bit?? Thanks, Tom.

 

[flintlock75]

The charge weight you speak of should be safe to shoot. Uping the charge may effect accuracy, i would use the most accurate load that still has knockdown power. I have used a .45cal flinter on woodchucks useing a 60gr load of 3F. This knocked them down very well out to 75 yards. Small caliber guns lose power very quickly so i would limit shots to 50 yards or less.

 

[Zonie]

There is an old saying that when someone is starting to figure out the best loads for their rifle they should start with 10 grains per caliber.

That boils down to 32 grains in a .32, 36 grains in a .36, 45 grains in a .45 and so-forth.

Using this as a guide, a 35 grain powder load in your .36 would be considered just about at a starting load level so yes, your gun will be totally safe with that load.

When Lyman was testing barrels and powder loads they loaded up their .36 up to a 70 grain powder charge under their roundballs.
I mention this because although 70 grains was where they stopped, a load of up to 50 grains should be quite safe.

Now, whether your gun would be accurate with those heavy loads is another matter that only testing will determine.

Have fun.

 

[RADeO]

There is an old saying that when someone is starting to figure out the best loads for their rifle they should start with 10 grains per caliber.

Zonie, some low-life varmint went an stole the decimal point outta your suggested starting load. :cursing:

You musta skeered 'im off 'cause he didn't mess with your examples. :grin:

 

[wattlebuster]

Its safe. Good lookin rifle too :thumbsup:

 

[Rat Trapper]

I use 40 grains in my 36 caliber Seneca rifle.

 

[rabjr]

I was using a measure the other day for my .36 that threw 31.2 grs of 3F and it shot ok but felt pretty light to me and begging for more. But I am used to shooting a .58 and a big 12ga smoothie. :haha:

 

[David W.]

Somebody built that gun backwards!

 

[hanshi]

In a .36 a charge of 30 grains is almost a weeny load, but in my .36 SMR is extremely accurate. That's why it is my squirrel load of choice. Velocity is around 1600fps or thereabout. It's perfectly safe to go up in charge quite a lot. While you want a accurate a load as you can come up with, trading a small amount of precision for more power makes sense with critters as large as groundhogs.

 

[sniper68]

Going for varmits I would find the max load that is accurate. I have two, .36 cal. that like 40 grns and a flintlock that really tightens up with 50 grns.. :v

 

[Tony Logan]

Ground hogs are tough critters, you gotta boil em first if you are not eating a young one. I agree, use the max. charge load that is the most accurate. I love the picture of the gun as I shoot left handed as well.

 

[hanshi]

In thinking about your post I decided to take my .36 out for chronographing. The .30 grain charge which is my squirrel/target load averaged a little less than I expected, about 1550fps. Going up with charges finally took me to 55 grains. Well that load is definitely worth working with. Average velocity was very close (but never in any real danger of reaching) the 2000fps mark and really barked. Shot spread and sd were about the lowest of the loads I tried. Now THAT'S a load I'd be willing to use at 100 yards. Now to test it for accuracy.

 

[HOGGHEAD]

I didn't know you could go that high with the 36. But I just never had alot of experience with the 36. I think I will try a 40 grain load this week. Not sure I want to go much higher. But actually I am just not sure how much it will effect the sights??

My 30 grain load is dead on at 50 yards. And shoots very accurately at that distance. I do not want to mess that up. It will make a fantastic squirrel and turkey rifle with that load. Maybe I will just get up a little closer on the ground hogs. I will need to put the camo. netting over my Kawasaki mule. Thanks, Tom.

 

[TFoley]

Ground hogs are tough critters, you gotta boil em first if you are not eating a young one. I agree, use the max. charge load that is the most accurate. I love the picture of the gun as I shoot left handed as well.

Where YOU live, don't you shoot them before you boil them?

Seems pretty crool to me, that.

tac

 

[caddo]

:idunno: :idunno:

 

[hanshi]

Some folks like to do it a little differently. :rotf: :rotf:

 

[hanshi]

I never tried anything above 30 grains until your original post. 55 grains is quite okay in a .36 though 30 grains has been extremely accurate in my rifle. It's a cheap load, also. :thumbsup:

 

[Gemoke]

I have a 36 blue ridge and my load is 45 grs. 3f.

 

[HOGGHEAD]

All I really know is that with 30 grains of 3F BP I get really good burn and ignition. With very little residue, and very easy cleaning of the rifle. And it definitley makes some noise and smoke. Tom.