.69 Load

[smoothbore69]

The U.S. Military load was 110 grains of medium powder for a .69 smoothbore. I have shot this in modern guns. I do believe that it is a bit of overkill for most shooting.

Chris Quattlebaum

 

[smoothbore69]

Sorry folks! I meant to post this as a reply in the .69 smoothbore thread.

Chris Quattlebaum

 

[Wes/Tex]

Think you'll find about 80 grains of FFg will be much more comfortable to shoot for a musket.

 

[B. Miller]

I got this from a recent N-SSA thread on smoothbore competition. For accuracy N-SSA shooters are shooting between 60 and 70 grains. these are caplocks with a few approved flinters. The use of 2f and 3f seemed to vary with the shooter. Then they go into tripple dipped round balls, hard lead vs soft lead and a few other things.

Bruce

 

[smoothbore69]

Yes,
I wasn't making an reference to comfort, just what was prescribed in the Ordinance Manual.

Chris

 

[jdstrang]

N-SSA secret combo: 80 gr 2f under a thrice-dipped-in-lube, aluminum-foil-patched roundball. Out of an Armi Sport '42 Springfield I've seen it produce sub-two-inch groups at 25 yards, sub-4-inchers at 50. Can't beat that with a stick.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Hey Pappa! What diameter is that ball? I've been using a .672 ball in a well lubed .012 patch over 80 grains of FFg GOEX in my '42 with good results, but would like to try the foil patch too.
Thanks.

 

[jdstrang]

Lyman 678. Comes out at 468 grains. I shoot with the sprue forward. Lord, I love that smooothie!! :grin: :thumbsup:

 

[Leatherbark]

N-SSA secret combo: 80 gr 2f under a thrice-dipped-in-lube, aluminum-foil-patched roundball. Out of an Armi Sport '42 Springfield I've seen it produce sub-two-inch groups at 25 yards, sub-4-inchers at 50. Can't beat that with a stick.

I wonder if they wrap the ball with foil and then thrice dip it?................Might be intersting thing to try in my fowler....................Bob

 

[ord sgt]

I wrap the .678 ball in aluminum foil and make a small tail, so
i can hold the ball while dipping in a combo of beeswax and crisco.

 

[paulvallandigham]

So, you are lubricating the foil, and not the ball? Just curious.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Thanks, I'll give it a try. I love my '42, too. I like its balance and heft and I think it is a handsome piece as well. Its versatility is a welcome virtue too.

 

[jdstrang]

Right - lube the foil.

Take a 2 1/2-inch square of heavy-duty aluminum foil, roll the ball in the center and twist the ends like a candy-wrapper. Dip the package in lube.

Experiment with the width of the foil to find what fits your muzzle semi-snugly when lubed up. I find about twice around does it for my Armi Sport '42. I use about 50/50 Crisco and beeswax, with a spoon of extra-virgin olive oil. The foil separates about 5 - 10 feet from the muzzle.

The bore can go from 12 to 20 shots or so before fouling presents any loading problems - important when you're shooting 10 rounds for score in 20 minutes with no brushing allowed on the line.

 

[Timothy Gregory]

Remember that on a flintlock, some of that 110gr from a "paper cartridge" would have been for the priming pan.

 

[smoothbore69]

That is true, but even after the introduction of the M1842 caplock musket, the Ordinance Manual still specified 110 grains of powder.

Chris

 

[Timothy Gregory]

Sounds like typical military snafu, changed guns, but didn't update manuals :rotf: All joking aside though, man that's a hefty load! I run 90 grains of 3f in my Charleville and that rings my bell pretty good. Wasn't paying attention once :nono: and "double charged" it. Pretty much knocked myself out standing. Stupid thing to do, suprised that the barrel didn't split or worse. Hurt like heck. Lesson learned; pay attention to what you are doing.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Keep in mind that the 19th century ordnance load was 110 grains of the period "Musket" grade powder, not modern FFg.

 

[paulvallandigham]

If you use current Fg powder in that gun, you can probably replicate the velocities and recoil of those old loads of 110 grains.

 

[Tumblernotch]

But remember, when that Ordnance Manual was published, there were millions of rounds of smoothbore ammunition in store. They were not going to take the time to break up any cartidges just to remove part of the powder charge. They only broke up ammunition when it became unserviceable. Even in the 1862 manual, 110 grs. was still specified as the charge.

And musket powder was a little coarser than ffg, somewhere around the equivalent of fg and a half or fg. I wouldn't be fooling around with a 110 gr. charge of fffg, that's for sure. My .69 shoots best with 80 grs. of ffg and a bare ball.

 

[smoothbore69]

That is true. I have shot 110 gr. of 2f in my M1842 as an experiment, but I think it is excessive as far as shooting goes. Personally, in my musket, I don't consider it dangerous, just overkill. I use 80 grains of 2f as my typical charge.Modern powder and Victorian era musket powder is different. Really, the powder used in the Civil War was better than what we are using now. Modern Goex is not tailored for shooters.

Chris Quattlebaum