.62cal final hunting load

[roundball]

.62cal GM 1" x 33" Flint smoothbore barrel (.610 bore)

Tried 70/80/90grns Goex 2F powder charges, with and without overpowder wads and best I could get was 4" at 50yds without wads...wads actually opened the groups up a little larger.

Switched to 80grns of Goex 3F and the first 3 holes cut each other...and again, wads opened the group up instead of helping.

Final deer hunting load is:
80grns Goex 3F
.018" Oxyoke prelubed pillow ticking
Rush Creek .595 balls
Gives cloverleafs/ragged holes at 50yds

Unbelieveable how much more accurate it is with 3F compared to 2F....and I'm not sure I understand why...unless it's simply a case of getting the ball out of the barrel faster so there's less influence on group size by muzzle movement before the ball exits...dunno...but this thing shoots like a rifle at 50yds with 3F.

Hats off to GM for a fine barrel :hatsoff:

 

[Roy]

Sometimes its the powder and sometimes its the patching. I hardly get to shoot anymore, but when I was I found that even though a patch material was the same thickness but maybe a different weave or pattern it would shoot differently. I found the same results with powder.

Sounds like you have it figured and are loaded for bear, good luck and happy hunting. :v

 

[paulvallandigham]

If you factor in the probability that you are gettin g much more velocity using the 3Fg load, it probably means that you need to use more 2Fg powder to achieve the same velocity and accuracy in your gun, using wads or not. My experience is that the wad or filler seals the gases and I get an increase in velocity, and a rise in POI on the 50 yd target. Using a chronograph should help you sort this out.

 

[wtilenw]

I agree with the increased velocity theory. Try 100-110 grs. of 2F, or better yet the chronograph will tell the story.
Idaho PRB

 

[ffffg]

only the paper trial will tell for sure.. theorys are just that, and are pretty much worthless.. it still would have more barrel time with 2f, and more recoil, maybe negating any accuracy potential .. a bigger problem could be a temperature change like between hot weather and cool weather might totaly change the groups entirely.. my thoery is worth exactly what you paid for it.. nothing.. glad your getting good groups tho.. sometimes the wipe and lube has much more to do with it than the powder differences.. and this can also change quite a bit between now and hunting season..below freezing with water base lubes and or wipes give the black powder shooter plenty of work to do in the first season using a new gun... a couple good groups dont mean much in a climate where temps can vary 100 degrees from season to season.. dave..

 

[roundball]

"...groups dont mean much in a climate where temps can vary 100 degrees from season to season..."

Sure glad I don't live in a place like that :grin:

Conducted load tests and sight-in on this one the same way I have every other one for the past 15 years and know it'll be fine...hopefully I'll get a live fire test on November 4th :thumbsup:

 

[hawk]

ffff I thought you get more recoil with faster burning powder? fff burns faster than ff does it not?
round ball, is only shoting a 33 " barrel my understanding of how powder burns in a barrel is that , the same measure of powder say 70gr in a 42" barrel will produce about 200fps more than in a 30" one (.54 cal, fff)
lower the burn rate up the kick.
maybe I"m all wet?
someone help dry me off?

 

[Richard Hare.]

Hi Roundball.
Am thrilled you're getting such good groups with your smooth-bore! .....Cheaper too than using piles of 2F!
I must try some 3F in my matchlock,.........and my "Griffin 16-bore when I get it finished.
Though both have longer, light fowling-piece type barrels, so prolly wo'nt group as nicely as yours.
Thanks for the post!!

Pukka.

 

[Flintleather]

Hey Roundball what did your patches look like? Mine were burning to pieces with 75grs of 3f also tried a wonder wad over powder with both 3f an 2f and got better groops without it.75grs of 2f seems to be what mine likes all i need now is to raise my point of impact some more still about 4in low at 25yds.I guess the barrel needs another trip to the tree for regulation.

 

[roundball]

"...what did your patches look like? Mine were burning to pieces with 75grs of 3f..."

".018" Oxyoke Wonder Ticking PLUS 1000"...the lube doesn't smell like normal borebutter and is almost a white color instead of yellow/orange...appears to be outstanding

 

[ffffg]

" Mine were burning to pieces with 75grs of 3f "

i had trouble cutting AND burning patches in my .62 rifle still after a year.. last winter it was too cold to lube in the field so i prelubed them... i use tc boar butter in winter and neatsfoot oil in the summer.. but the point is when they were prelubed for a day or more they soaked into the fibers completely.. probably takes a while to get by the sizing in the cloth.. after i started pre lubing i no longer have cut patches or burn thrus.(also using a fiber wad under patched ball). be liberal with the lube, then wipe off if too much when loading..dave...

 

[Wes/Tex]

I would recommend you use a thicker lube, especially in summer. Usually put my lubed patches on a peper towel to make sure all the extra grease is off the patch itself. Have used unsalted lard as a patch lube and it works well. Other options are also out there. Good luck.

 

[ffffg]

thanks, but i sure dont want to start over trying new lubes.. im sure yours works for you, mine works for me.. dave

 

[paulvallandigham]

At the very minimum, always lube your patches at home, and then put them in the microwave, and zap them for about 10 seconds. Not enough to make them burn- that stench will make you no friends- but enough to melt the bore butter evenly and disperse it throughout the patches.

I lube my patches, lubing one side, and then putting a clean unlubed patch on top of it, then lubing that side of the clean patch facing me, then putting another clean patch on it, layering the patching until I have enough for the shooting I want to do for the next month or so. I put them in a closed tin, and let them stay that way, allowing the lube to slowly work into and through all the patches. i put a clean unlubed patch on the bottom of the tin, and another clean patch on top of them to absorb extra lube. Usually by the time I have opened the tin the next day, all the patches are fully saturated with lube.

Don't try to lube as you load. All you get is inconsistent lubrication and flyers.