.62 Rifle (not smoothbore) Load Suggestions

[SciAggie]

I have a .62 jaeger headed my way. Deer season is quickly approaching so I'll need to do load development quickly.
What I want to know is for y'all that shoot .62 rifles, what is your most accurate hunting load? I know guns are different - but maybe we'll see a pattern...

I have a .610 RB mold on the way. I have patch material in .010, .015, and .018 thickness. I'll lube with mink oil since this is a hunting load and may stay loaded for a bit. I also have some 20 gauge felt wads to use between powder and ball that I can try. I'll be using Goex 2F because that's what I have. I do have some Swiss 2F as well but not as much.

I may start with 80 grains Goex 2F, .610 RB, pillow ticking (.018) lubed with TOTW Mink Oil - anything wrong with that?

 

[Grenadier1758]

@SciAggie, nothing wrong about the load you are planning to use. You can load more powder than 80 grains, but for ranges up to about 100 yards, I doubt that more powder would make a more effective load.

 

[SciAggie]

@SciAggie, nothing wrong about the load you are planning to use. You can load more powder than 80 grains, but for ranges up to about 100 yards, I doubt that more powder would make a more effective load.

Thanks for the response. I was beginning to think I smelled bad or something, lol.
I know load work is pretty simple, but there is so much experience here on this forum I like to ask questions just to see if there is something I haven't thought about.

 

[SlidePicker]

I have a .62 jaeger headed my way. Deer season is quickly approaching so I'll need to do load development quickly.
What I want to know is for y'all that shoot .62 rifles, what is your most accurate hunting load? I know guns are different - but maybe we'll see a pattern...

I have a .610 RB mold on the way. I have patch material in .010, .015, and .018 thickness. I'll lube with mink oil since this is a hunting load and may stay loaded for a bit. I also have some 20 gauge felt wads to use between powder and ball that I can try. I'll be using Goex 2F because that's what I have. I do have some Swiss 2F as well but not as much.

I may start with 80 grains Goex 2F, .610 RB, pillow ticking (.018) lubed with TOTW Mink Oil - anything wrong with that?

80 grains is almost 3 drams (82 grains.) That's the long standard 12 gauge field load and works fine with a 69 caliber (1 1/8 oz.) ball in 12 gauge. A .60 caliber ball weighs 325 grains, 3/4 ounce, and the standard 20 gauge shotgun load is 7/8 ounce shot with 2 1/4 drams (about 62 grains) powder. You're well up in modern shotgun slug power range.

 

[rchas]

80 to 120 grains is typical for a .62. I prefer using 2f powder. My .62 likes 100 grains, a .600 ball and .015 patch. It is slightly more accurate with a .610 ball, but is hard to load.

 

[BoomStick]

80 grains 2F with .610 ball and .015 patch is my hunting load in a percussion rifle, 34" barrel. Shoots well from 50 to 75 yards, which is the distance I generally expect.

 

[david w]

I use 90 gr. 2F Goex or 75 gr. Swiss 2F in my .62 Hawken. My Hoppy Hopkins barrel ahs deep rifling, so I use a .600 ball and a .022 to .024 drill. I prefer to cut at the muzzle. I used to use a .610 ball and .018 patch, but I had to really pound to get the ball started. I also decided to cone the barrel, so now I don't need a starter.

 

[SciAggie]

Thanks y'all. Sounds like I need to find some .600 balls to try also.

 

[hanshi]

Yep, nothing wrong with with the load you posted. My only .62 is a smoothbore but I fire it with prb just like a rifle. It's very accurate at 50 yards. My load has been a prb over 60 to 75 grains of 3F. I chronographed the 70 grain load and got an average of right between 1300 fps and 1400 fps. That load has killed deer in the past.

 

[david w]

Yep, nothing wrong with with the load you posted. My only .62 is a smoothbore but I fire it with prb just like a rifle. It's very accurate at 50 yards. My load has been a prb over 60 to 75 grains of 3F. I chronographed the 70 grain load and got an average of right between 1300 fps and 1400 fps. That load has killed deer in the past.

I use 65 gr. when I'm using Swiss 3F

 

[SDSmlf]

I may start with 80 grains Goex 2F, .610 RB, pillow ticking (.018) lubed with TOTW Mink Oil - anything wrong with that?

Do you happen to know the depth of your rifling? I found that the deep radius bottom rifling found in some current Jaeger barrels require thicker patch material. The best patch material I found with the last 62 caliber Jaeger I had sporting a Rice barrel with 1-66 radius bottomed rifling that was .016” deep (it has moved on but another one is in the works) was 10 oz canvas that measured .022”, .0165” compressed, at least the way I measure it. I was using .600”roundballs. Accuracy was very good at 50 yards, basically a ragged hole, with a variety of powders and charges up to and over a 100 grains. Settled on 85 grains or so of 3F Swiss with an 85 yard zero. A few inches high between 40 and 50 yards, a few inches low at 100. With different powders I adjusted the charge to get the same zero without adjusting the sights or point of aim. Remember needing about 20 grains more of Goex for example. I did struggle a bit with .610” roundballs in the gun I had. Found it difficult to get a patch and ball combo that I could get at least a few reloads without swabbing and/or sacrificing accuracy.

I have a .62 jaeger headed my way. Deer season is quickly approaching so I'll need to do load development quickly.

As you are pressed and with little time, I would take the components you have and shoot. If you have a load that will shoot say a 4” to 6” 3 shot group (or better) at 100 yards without any swabbing or bore cleaning your are good to go for this year’s deer season. You will then have 12 months figure out how to tighten things up if you so desire.

 

[SciAggie]

@SDSmlf Thanks for the information.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

All depends on what your rifling twist is.

 

[appalichian hunter]

My .62 is a 1 in 66 twist round bottom rifling,42 in long barrel, 80 grs 3f .610 ball 15 thousands patch lubed with bees was,crisco and olive oil mix, 4f prime,very good load for whitetail out to 50-60 yards have never shot one past that but would not be afraid to go to 100 yards on the right deer.