.36 Cal. Flinter Load

[Big Iron]

Hi all, this is my first post on this forum. I have shot caplocks for years but am new to flintlocks. I have a Frontier Maple Standard Flintlock model from Pedersoli in .36 Cal. What would you suggest for a starting load? I have Goex and Swiss powder in 3f and Goex 4f to prime.

Thanks!

 

[rabjr]

Hi all, this is my first post on this forum. I have shot caplocks for years but am new to flintlocks. I have a Frontier Maple Standard Flintlock model from Pedersoli in .36 Cal. What would you suggest for a starting load? I have Goex and Swiss powder in 3f and Goex 4f to prime.

Thanks!

Welcome to the forum,

I don't think you can wrong with starting with 20 gr and work up. A lot of guys report using 30 to 40 gr of powder. Some a little more, all depending on what you want to to do with it.

I hope to go the other way whenever I get me butt to the range and try 15 gr 3F Swiss. I just want a 25 yard squirrel rifle and as less noise as possible.

 

[badpenny]

i shoot 25 grains of swiss 3f with a .350 swaged ball.very accurate in my .36 flinter.good luck,half the enjoyment is finding the right load.mine is a pedersoli also,never had any problems with it.

 

[hanshi]

Welcome, Big Iron. My best .36 load is 30 grains Goex 3f, .350 ball and .015 patch. Twenty grains may be a better squirrel load, however. A bit milder and still accurate.

 

[Trench]

I have the same rifle, and it only likes 40gr of 3F. I was hoping to be able to use 30gr, but the rifle says otherwise.

 

[plewis]

I would recommend the same as above: I have a 42" flint gun in .36, and have fantastic accuracy with 30 grains of 3F goex and a tight patched ball. Even runs great with 3F prime in the small Siler lock. Same with all of my big guns, prime right from the horn, no issues. shoots like a .22 rimfire! :v

 

[Zoar]

Big Iron---What they all said, and of course PRIME the pan with the 4F. 4F pan powder is superb for fast and reliable ignitions. Prime about halfway to get ultra fast ignition, contrary to what one might think before you get to experimenting and proving allthi8ngs to yourself---priming to FULL pan often makes ignition a tad slower.

 

[rabjr]

Big Iron---What they all said, and of course PRIME the pan with the 4F. 4F pan powder is superb for fast and reliable ignitions. Prime about halfway to get ultra fast ignition, contrary to what one might think before you get to experimenting and proving allthi8ngs to yourself---priming to FULL pan often makes ignition a tad slower.

Your honor, I object! :wink:

Bring that prime up to the bottom of the vent, never over it and if you only have 3F like me, it'll work just fine as a prime. :v

 

[Big Iron]

Thanks for the replies, good infromation. I shot it once last fall with 20 grains. The accuracy was only so so. I'll try Trench's load of 40 grains and perhaps the 15 grains of Swiss too!
I only had Goex last fall. Just got the Swiss.
I also have some new .35 Hornady balls. I'll probably get a mould later. What diameter is best for most in 36 cal? The Pedersoli's bore seems tight with the old cast balls I had. I also have a Uberti .50 Hawken Caplock. It's bore is tight. .490 balls work with a thin patch but I think .485 would be better.

 

[D Sanders]

Hi all, this is my first post on this forum. I have shot caplocks for years but am new to flintlocks. I have a Frontier Maple Standard Flintlock model from Pedersoli in .36 Cal. What would you suggest for a starting load? I have Goex and Swiss powder in 3f and Goex 4f to prime.

Thanks!

Welcome to the forum. I have a .36 cal PLR with a green mountain 42" bbl. 1 in 48 twist. I like to shoot 40 grains of fffg .35 round ball and .016 patch. I can cover my shots with a quarter at 25 yds. I would start with about 25 grains and work up from there
Good luck :thumbsup:

HH 60

[/quote]

 

[rabjr]

Thanks for the replies, good infromation. I shot it once last fall with 20 grains. The accuracy was only so so. I'll try Trench's load of 40 grains and perhaps the 15 grains of Swiss too!
I only had Goex last fall. Just got the Swiss.
I also have some new .35 Hornady balls. I'll probably get a mould later. What diameter is best for most in 36 cal? The Pedersoli's bore seems tight with the old cast balls I had. I also have a Uberti .50 Hawken Caplock. It's bore is tight. .490 balls work with a thin patch but I think .485 would be better.

Whats the length of your barrel? And if you do try 15 gr of powder, please let me know how loud it was. Thanks! :thumbsup:

 

[Trench]

Here's a reference on how my groups tightened as as I went from 30gr, 35gr, and then 40gr in my Pedersoli Blueridge in .36.

 

[Big Iron]

Trench, very good photo. Your 30 gr. group looks like the one I had with 20 grs. It will be a bit before I shoot the rifle again since I am refinishing the exterior of the barrel right now.
The person that had the rifle before me put it in a case while wet which resulted in rust spots on the barrel. The bore is smooth with no rust so the $250.00 I paid for the rifle was a deal. It will just take a little work to make it look good again.

Regards all.

 

[Big Iron]

I just checked the barrel length. It's 40 inches.

 

[Big Iron]

I just completed refinishing the barrel on the rifle. So, it's ready to shoot again and looks good!

I love it when a plan comes together!

 

[Big Iron]

I finally went to the range today to work on a good load for the .36 flinter. Since the 20 gr. load I shot last time was so so. I tried the 40 gr. That was suggested. It was about the same so I dropped to 35 grs.

That was the charm, I had four shots cutting a ragged hole at 25 yds. from a rest. I was using Speer RB's and Swiss 3 F in the main charge. Prime was with 4 F Goex.

I need to do this sort of thing more. And.......Retirement in September will be the cure!

It's sure nice when it works! :grin: