What is to much powder depends on the rifle. My 54 Cal Renegade with the 1-48 twist barrel will shoot holes that touch or come close at 100 yards if I hold the same sight picture each time with 110 grains powder and 425 grain Great Plains bullet. It's a jaw slapper but accurate.
.45 CAL
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paulvallandigham
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Sounds like you were burning patches, for sure. That is one of the tips new shooters are either fortunate to learn from a mentor, or don't learn until they are ready to wrap the gun barrel around a tree! You have to read your patches, even if you also use a chronograph to work up loads.
I have had the privilege to help new shooters find and read their patches, and teach them what the patches tell them, on many occasions, and the shooters are always forever grateful, whenever they see me again, for the education I gave them on reading patches. They become firm believers, and practicioners. I even get calls at home from some of them who are seeing something different, and want to consult me to find out what it is and what it means, or at least confirm their own readings. Sometimes they are helping a relative or other new shooter.
Whether a patch burns depends on the powder used, and the thickness of the patch, and, frankly, on the kind and amount of lube used on the patch.
I have had the privilege to help new shooters find and read their patches, and teach them what the patches tell them, on many occasions, and the shooters are always forever grateful, whenever they see me again, for the education I gave them on reading patches. They become firm believers, and practicioners. I even get calls at home from some of them who are seeing something different, and want to consult me to find out what it is and what it means, or at least confirm their own readings. Sometimes they are helping a relative or other new shooter.
Whether a patch burns depends on the powder used, and the thickness of the patch, and, frankly, on the kind and amount of lube used on the patch.
gmww
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Yes.
Lyman's The Complete Blackpowder Handbook by Mr. Sam Fadala is where I started. Lots of pictures. :grin: It also gives the ballistics withh load data of the different calibers in Roundball (rb)and Maxi-balls. It even tells you what the length of the test barrel and twist are for the given data.
Lyman's The Complete Blackpowder Handbook by Mr. Sam Fadala is where I started. Lots of pictures. :grin: It also gives the ballistics withh load data of the different calibers in Roundball (rb)and Maxi-balls. It even tells you what the length of the test barrel and twist are for the given data.
paulvallandigham
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The Lyman Black Powder Handbook, 2nd edition, is a good basic book.
Also, altho its not in book form , buy Dutch Schoultz's " System " , which is a series of printed pamplets He put together on how to get the best accuracy out of your rifle.
http://www.blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com/
It costs only $15.00, but that will be the best $15.00 you ever spend. It will teach you how and why to read your patches, and I just have not found, or heard of any other source for this information that tops it.
I think everyone needs a copy of the Walter Cline book, " The Muzzle-loading Rifle--- Then and now." I bought my copy from the NMLRA.
There are other books of great merit if you are interested in building guns, or learning about the 18th and 19th century gunmakers, and their guns.
Also, altho its not in book form , buy Dutch Schoultz's " System " , which is a series of printed pamplets He put together on how to get the best accuracy out of your rifle.
http://www.blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com/
It costs only $15.00, but that will be the best $15.00 you ever spend. It will teach you how and why to read your patches, and I just have not found, or heard of any other source for this information that tops it.
I think everyone needs a copy of the Walter Cline book, " The Muzzle-loading Rifle--- Then and now." I bought my copy from the NMLRA.
There are other books of great merit if you are interested in building guns, or learning about the 18th and 19th century gunmakers, and their guns.
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A few books that can be found in "used book" stores that give some good information are:
BLACK POWDER GUN DIGEST Digest Books Inc. 1972
BLACK POWDER GUIDE Major George Nonte (U.S.A. Ret.) 1969
These books (soft cover) are long out of print but the both contain some good information.
I am aware of the Editor of the first book I listed and I do not want this post to turn into another "rant" so please understand that this book was published long before the Editor (Toby Bridges) went over to the "dark side".
What he current says or believes should not be a part of this post, and buying one of his books that was sold years ago is not going to contribute to him in any way.
BLACK POWDER GUN DIGEST Digest Books Inc. 1972
BLACK POWDER GUIDE Major George Nonte (U.S.A. Ret.) 1969
These books (soft cover) are long out of print but the both contain some good information.
I am aware of the Editor of the first book I listed and I do not want this post to turn into another "rant" so please understand that this book was published long before the Editor (Toby Bridges) went over to the "dark side".
What he current says or believes should not be a part of this post, and buying one of his books that was sold years ago is not going to contribute to him in any way.
RUPPB said:
Hah, don't feel bad. I had been shooting muzzleloaders for about 30 years when I found this group. I had considered myself somewhat knowledgeable. Then I found this board and realized just how little I really did know. I learned more in my first couple months here than I had in the 30 years before.
as far as shooting as cast bullets go, i've been shooting 255 gr. round nose flat point .451 diameter lee pistol bullets out of my 1-in-66 rifled cva for some time, and the accuracy is awesome! i'm probably pushing the pressure limits a little with 80 gr.charges, but it has behaved wonderfully! additionally i'm working on a 45 cal. express rifle with a 1-in-24 twist (underhammer, 28"barrel, aluminum-steel composit action. moving slowly!)
gmww
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fixit said:
I think many of us have experimented with various bullets. I've got a couple of Lee .45 cal pistol moulds myself. Didn't try it in the slow twist though. I'll give that one a try. Would you mind posting your Underhammer build with photos in the Gun building section? I'd sure like to read about it.
I have a .45 bullet bbl.fit to a half stock traditional ML and my son killed his first deer with it 6yrs ago. We sighted it in with 65gr of fffg Goex and a 285gr Buffalo Bullet, he could keep it in the 10 ring off of the bench at 50 yds. When he shot the buck at 50yds I saw the bullet hit the shoulder and the deer took off running, my son thought he missed but I knew better because I heard him crash in the dry leaves about 35 to 40 yds away. When we got to the deer my son pointed to a spot about 1" away from the bullet hole and said"I was holding right here" The bullet went through both shoulders and was just under the hide and perfectly mushroomed. He was 11yrs old at the time and has killed 10 more deer all with one shot! I still have that bullet.
Longball 58
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