.54 patches

[beartrap]

i am blowing out the patches{pillow ticking blue striped}in my GPR flinter with 100 gr. ffg goex and i have lapped the barrel with steel wool and i am wondering if this is too hot of a load, it is 2"high at 50 yards and groups about 3". At 100 yards it is about 3" low and groups about 5-6" is this considered good accuracy? is it comparable to the knock down power of any modern smokeless powder guns such as the 30-30 if so at what distance? i am hopeing someone can help me as i am all alone up here when it comes to shooting flintlocks or any blackpowder gun for that matter.

 

[roundball]

i am blowing out the patches{pillow ticking blue striped}in my GPR flinter with 100 gr. ffg goex and i have lapped the barrel with steel wool and i am wondering if this is too hot of a load, it is 2"high at 50 yards and groups about 3". At 100 yards it is about 3" low and groups about 5-6" is this considered good accuracy? is it comparable to the knock down power of any modern smokeless powder guns such as the 30-30 if so at what distance? i am hopeing someone can help me as i am all alone up here when it comes to shooting flintlocks or any blackpowder gun for that matter.

FWIW, I use 90grns Goex 3F, with an Oxyoke wonderwad over the powder...to provide some of the effects of using "wasp nests material" back in the old days.

Oxyoke prelubed wonderwads provide several benefits: a firewall, more lube in the bore to reduce fouling...also supposed to increase velocity & improve shot-to-shot consistency due to improving the seal behind the ball, etc...you'll be able to pick your patches up and reuse them if you wanted to.

 

[jtmattison]

I shoot .018 pillow ticking patched roundball and 100 grains of Goex 2f out of my .54 GPR and my patches could just about be used again. I lube them with Bore Butter.
When the rifle was new the patches were cutting but a light lapping cured that.

Huntin

 

[more powder]

Newhouse I use 80grains of 3f in my 54 31inch colrain barrel and it will shoot through a deer.i have shoot 120 grains of 2f in it,but it shot the same p.o.i plus it starts kicking like a mule.Some barrels will shoot more powder than others if you are blowing patches try lowering your charge l'll bet your group will improve.I am the worlds worst for trying more powder in some of my guns all you get is more smoke and sore shoulder.But it sure is fun

 

[Birddog6]

You didn't say what size ball or patch thickness or lube, so we don't have enough info. However, having owned several .54 GPR's and shot a dozen of them or so, based on what I have found I would do this.
Back to load off to about 75-85 grains of FF & use a .535 ball & a .017-.018 pillow ticking & see what that does. (I mic that compressed, not loose like Oxjoke does. If you mic it loose you may want to go to .020) My GPR shoots the most accurate with 65-75 grains of FF.

Remember the hotter the load the tighter the ball/patch combo sometimes needs to be to keep it from blowing thru.
Also if you are not shooting off a bench & sand bagging the rifle, you actually don't know if it is the rifle or you. Get the rifle to shoot first & grouping & then work on you.
On a real hot load I would use a grease patch rather than a dry one or liquid lube.


:results:

 

[Stumpkiller]

"Knockdown Power" is a deceptive term. A 30-30 has maybe 1,800 ft lbs at the muzzle and 1,200 ft lbs of energy at 100 yards. The .54 roundball at your 100 gr FFg is maybe 1,600 ft lbs at the muzzle and 900 ft lbs at 100 yards. It's also as big around as an expanded .30-30 bullet to begin with. I've had deer collapse where they stood with a round ball, so I guess that counts as ideal knockdown power. I've also had them put 100 yards behind 'em with half their heart blown away. The same as with a 1 oz. 12 ga. rifled slug with a ton of muzzle energy. I've had deer die in 15 yards with a broadhead through the lungs that only carries 45 ft lbs of energy. A bullet passes through an animal without knocking it down. High velocity rounds kill with hydrostatic shock, you don't have that with a round ball. Smack a deer in the spine with anything and it will drop like a rock. A round, lead ball also has a great deal of penetration. I've only ever recovered one from a deer, and that was a front-on shot and the ball lodged under the skin on the back of the deer's thigh, about 32" of penetration! I's rate the .54 a better killer than a .30-30 on large game under 120 yards, mostly because or that. A round ball never fails to perform from deformation or lack of expansion. It is what it is.

As with all weapons, shot placement is the most important thing.

Iron sights are ideal for a muzzleloader, because the range you can see to use the sights works out to about as far as you should expect the ball to carry with deadly force. 120 yards is a long shot. You're getting normal accuracy. That's about all I ever hope for with iron sights.

 

[Bob J]

.017-.018 pillow ticking & see what that does. (I mic that compressed, not loose like Oxjoke does. If you mic it loose you may want to go to .020) My GPR shoots the most accurate with 65-75 grains of FF.
:results:

I notice that even with a .535 ball and pillow ticking, the combo slides down the GPR's bore fairly easily. Where can one find .020 pillow ticking?

 

[Rocky Johnson]

Newhouse I like Stumpy's answer on comparing the 30 30 to a BP 54.I shot a lot of deer with a 32 win. sp.and I think a 50 cal RB is just as effective. :winking: Rocky

 

[Birddog6]

BobJ: I have found it at JoAnne Fabrics & at Hancock Fabrics & at Friendship. Never have found it at Wal-Mart as theirs it alway cheaper thinner material. It will work OK on some rifles, all depends on the barrel & ball/patch combo.
But you really need to take a dial caliber or a micrometer with ya to mic the material ya buy. Otherwise it ia a real shot in the dark. I have bought it off a bolt & go back 2 weeks later & the new bolt have the same SKU# on it & there be a dif from .020 down to .016 So don't take it for granted it will be the same & don't guess at the thickness. When you find it buy all you even think you will ever use, as you will not find it as such again for a while, or at least that is how I do it. I buy material once ever 5 years or so, as when I buy it I buy the whole bolt & then I know I have what I need for a long time. Plus it saves the trip to the places & for me that is a 70 mile trip each time & with the price of gasoline, that can get to be some expensive patch material if ya make several trips.

:results:

 

[MikeChapin]

I notice that even with a .535 ball and pillow ticking, the combo slides down the GPR's bore fairly easily. Where can one find .020 pillow ticking?

Try your local fabric store. If you cannot find pillow ticking, look at light 100% cotton denim. Usually 5.6 oz. runs about .020 to .022.

 

[connerm]

I use 65 gr. fff goex in my .54 1803. .018 patch and Lehigh Valley lube. I could reuse every patch. As discussed accurately above, shot placement is key. Did I mention that shot placement is key? I've discovered that I don't get more accurate with more powder, just lower on powder. For me, 65 gr. does the job on paper and deer. 100% pass-throughs. No shots past 85 yards.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I mic that compressed, not loose like Oxjoke does.

I've got a question on that. When measuring compressed, do you first take an "empty" micrometer and twist it the same tension to get a tare value which you use to adjust the compressed patch thickness? Or do you re-zero the micrometer for a hard twist? I can get my micrometer to read -0.008" without much effort if I ignore the built in clutch and just turn it hard past the usual zero setting. It's metal and it bends that much across the bow.

 

[connerm]

I wouldn't worry too much about accurately measuring cloth with your micrometer until you find some cloth that actually works in your gun. Then take that material and your micrometer to the fabric store or Wal-mart and find something that matches. Try ticking, denim, etc. Skip synthetic stuff.

Respectfully submitted.

 

[Birddog6]

I should have stated that differently. I keep a 6" dial caliper in the truck with me to measure it with & I use that & compress it as much as my thumb with slide it tight. If I use a mic & the slip knob, depending on the fluffyness of the material, it usually measures .002 thicker much of the time. and if I gently snug it & don't use the slip knob I am back where the dial caliper is.

I guess it really doesn't matter, as long as you know what you want & can use a consistant method of measurement & acquire what ya need .

:results: