40 cal Accuracy Load?

[Horace]

Just received a new 40 cal rifle with a premium Rice swamped barrel. I know that this is a "well it depends" question, but what are you guys most accurate loads in a 40 cal?

 

[flintlock75]

My .40cal likes 35grs of 3F and a patched .395 RB,
the patches are .010 thick.
This load shoots 1 hole groups at 25 yards.
But every gun is different. good luck

 

[roundball]

Just received a new 40 cal rifle with a premium Rice swamped barrel. I know that this is a "well it depends" question, but what are you guys most accurate loads in a 40 cal?

I have a 33" GM .40cal flint barrel and the only powder charges I've tried are 40 (and 30) grns of Goex 3f, .015" patch & .395 ball, .018" pill tick & .390" ball...all combos are extremely accurate.

Bullseye shooting is boring to me but picking off little action targets like empty .12ga hulls is fun...the first time I shot a half dozen empty hulls off a 2x4 laying on the ground I thought I had just grazed them as they barely fell over a couple inches off the 2x4.

Went to set them back up and was surpsied to find they were all basically center shot with the ball zipping through both sides of the plastic hull so fast that the hull had very little physical movement from it...so apparently 40grns 3F has a pretty fair velocity...hope to check in on a chronograph this year.

 

[PJC]

Isn't there some man law that states you have to post a picture of every new rifle you get?

 

[roundball]

Isn't there some man law that states you have to post a picture of every new rifle you get?

Here's a pic from a couple weeks ago when I was testing some .40cal solid rubber balls:

 

[bob308]

i go by the old timers. they said to shoot the cal. .40 use 40 grs. then work up or down from there.

my .40 hoyt barrel 40 grs. 3f .020 denim patch .395 ball. spit lubed cut at the muzzle. shoots clean. if i use 45 grs. i have to clean between shots.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Most accurate charge can very with the relative humidity. 40 grains of FFFg Goex, or Swiss, will give betweeen 1500 and 1700 fps, depending on the powder chosen. One shooter adjusted his load down to 37 grains on a particularly humid, and rainy day, to get it to group like it would with 40 grains on a dry sunny day.

 

[MikeC]

Mine shoots dead on if I do my part from 25 to 50 yards with 40 grains of FFFg .395 ball and Wally World pillow ticking.

 

[MikeC]

Mine shoots dead on if I do my part from 25 to 50 yards with 40 grains of FFFg .395 ball and Wally World pillow ticking.

 

[Frank/Pa]

Mine has a 40 cal Getz barrel, 40 grains 3F, .015
Ox-yoke spit patch patch and .390 ball. Shoots one hole groups at 25 yards and clover leafs at 50 yards.