Take 2 or 3 gallon milk jugs full of water. Set them in line at your max hunting range, about 75 to 100 yards. Load up your accurate hunting load and shoot at the bottles. If the bullet makes it into the third jug, that load will put down an elk.
3F powder vs. 2F in .54cal flintlock rifle
- Thread starter Frontiersman
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bldtrailer
Pilgrim
Frontiersman
32 Cal
Here are my results so far. I attended the Eastern Primitive Rendezvous in Zions Grove, PA (10/20 -10/27) I had no time to work up a load for my .54cal Woodsrunner (40" barrel). A friend had an old TC book with recommended powder charges. For the TC Renagade (26" barrel) it was a Wonder Lube patched .530 ball with 80gr FF Goex powder. So I gave it a go. I was shocked at how accurate this load was and placed 2nd in the Men's 25/50yd aggregate. I really don't care about winning competitions, as I built this rifle to hunt a doe or a bear in PA's Muzzleloading Season in 2 weeks (10/19 -10/26).
On the other hand I spoke with some experienced shooters, who have been competing in flintlock shoots for over 40yrs. A few guys told me was using too much powder. And I should start with 50gr for 80gr was excessive. While I do plan to work up a load by experimenting with different powders/amounts in the future, I have confidence in this load for this season. I'll keep you posted on how the hunt goes. Thanks again for everyone's input. Heck, that's why I joined this forum!
On the other hand I spoke with some experienced shooters, who have been competing in flintlock shoots for over 40yrs. A few guys told me was using too much powder. And I should start with 50gr for 80gr was excessive. While I do plan to work up a load by experimenting with different powders/amounts in the future, I have confidence in this load for this season. I'll keep you posted on how the hunt goes. Thanks again for everyone's input. Heck, that's why I joined this forum!
Second-rate Marksman
By faith and fortitude…
Anyone have any experience with Swiss 1.5? I’ve heard it’s essentially the same granulation as the 2F offered by other manufacturers.
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Oleschool you are the man off hand wow that’s some nice shooting .As far as the difference between 2f and 3f is about 10 grains in my 54 hawken 32” barrel .
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And when your feeling frisky try 4F in appropriate amounts ,another old wife's ( tail ) is going down too . Can't say the same for a
buck !!/Ed
That's what I've seen in my .50 over the years too. Less fouling with 3fOleschool you are the man off hand wow that’s some nice shooting .As far as the difference between 2f and 3f is about 10 grains in my 54 hawken 32” barrel .
Antelope Pete
40 Cal
It's a larger granulation than Swiss 2f but not sure about other brands though. I tried it in my .54 against 2f Swiss and the recoil and velocity was noticeably less and the accuracy was also less in my gun. I'll use it in my black powder cartridge guns. Just my experience though.
Second-rate Marksman
By faith and fortitude…
Thanks for chiming in. I got a couple of bottles of 1.5F to try in a Caywood that had a huge touch hole and was actually dribbling powder from the main charge during the loading process when using 3F. I sold the gun before I ever actually had a chance to try it and see if that would resolve my issue.
I don’t think I’d ever attempt it in my small bore firearms, but I’ll have to give it a whirl in my .62 cal NSW trade gun.
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But what if it's flavored water?
I always put a couple of drops of red food coloring in the water jugs. Promotes reality.
FWIW yesterday I put 10-shots over the new Garmin Xero chronograph of a 54-cal using 80-grns 3Fg Schuetzen powdah and got a Standard Deviation of only 7.3!
That is an incredibly statistical LOW value, which translates to consistency!
From the bench it was a one ragged hole group @ 50-yards ... offhand not so much!
That is an incredibly statistical LOW value, which translates to consistency!
From the bench it was a one ragged hole group @ 50-yards ... offhand not so much!
Second-rate Marksman
By faith and fortitude…
Impressive!FWIW yesterday I put 10-shots over the new Garmin Xero chronograph of a 54-cal using 80-grns 3Fg Schuetzen powdah and got a Standard Deviation of only 7.3!
That is an incredibly statistical LOW value, which translates to consistency!
From the bench it was a one ragged hole group @ 50-yards ... offhand not so much!
I just bought myself a Caldwell Lead Sled DFT 2 yesterday and I’m looking forward to getting out and doing some load testing. I’ve got a couple Richard Miller rifles that need sighting in.
That is all i use in my .54 & .50 T/C.
Ricky Bobby
32 Cal
For the folks using 3f for everything … how much are you using in the primer pan?
I use Swiss 1.5 in several of my original fowling pieces, it seems to give better patterns with #4 shot for turkey's than 2ffg Goex.
Brokennock
Cannon
Just enough to cover rhe bottom of the pan usually. Different pans, different flash-hole sizes and positions may influence how much is too much and how much isn't enough. When I switched to just using the powder from my main horn I found there to be a more noticeable delay if I used a lot. In my Early Virginia with Siler lock and flash-hole liner well positioned, if I were to spread my 3f prime out evenly across the bottom of the pan it would just barely cover it from end to end with about a single layer of powder granules. My Centermark Fusil des Chase has a larger pan, larger direct drilled flash-hole, and the hole is too low. It requires more prime.
westrayer
40 Cal
A partial pan give a flash. A full pan acts as a wick and takes longer to burn.
