70 grains strong enough?

[jim gray]

You are correct, 2 steps, Ox-Yokes production equipment is being moved to Mill Hall, PA.

 

[Wehrmacht]

Your comment about the lubed pillow tick down on the powder is interesting...never thought of that,and will give it a try.

I'm kinda in a quandry,or really guess it's just frustration.I've got a new .40cal early Reading rifle that David Dodds made for me,and I'm pulling my hair out trying to arrive at the correct load combination. So far,this is what shows the most promice,but I'm not there yet.

30gr 3f GOEX
.017 denim patch,25% bees wax / 75% bear oil lube.
.45cal felt Wonder Wad on top of the powder.

Some of my four shot groups at 30yds are falling into a square of .3 inch on the sides.This is acceptable at my age with open iron sights,and I'll bust squirrels with this OK.But it's not consistant,and I think several factors are at work.Poor range conditions,hot as he** with mirrage problems,bright sun,irregular lubrication in patches,barley corn front sight I'm not fond of,etc etc.

One thing I have noticed that causes me to wonder is my inability to get the .45 felt wad down the bore without one side being cocked up.I assume that the wad levels out when the ball is put down on top of it,but then I find patches with the wad still embedded and it looks like there is blow-by occuring. Have you experienced this,or am I doing something wrong?

Circle Fly makes a felt wad that sounds like the same as Wonder Wads and I called them, but they're closed until 19 September.Aparently CF makes several diameters between .40 and .45 as well as a vedgetable wad for a 410 shotgun which will be .41cal or very close. I called TOTW and they have all of the above on backorder.So I called DixieGW and they had the felt wads in .415cal,and I promptly ordered 500 to try.It seems logical that maybe a .425 or .430 would be about perfect,and this would be just a slight compromise of your using the next cal up ie .45 in a .40,.50 in a .45 etc.Please tell me your opinion of this.

My biggest handicap right at the moment is the lack of an acceptable range.Had one,a perfect 220yd,but sold the farm where it was and have not yet built what I want here at the house.Until I take the time to build one I'll be handicapped with all of the above mentioned problems.

 

[roundball]

Yes, when I use the next caliber size wads, I use the thumb & forefinger of both hands to slightly squeeze/guide them into the muzzle so they're flat, then short start a patched ball and seat the whole thing together.

Even doing that, you will occasionally find a patch who's edges flared back so evenly at muzzle exit that the patch material captures the wad and holds it tucked in right behind itself...nothing to do with the orientation of the wad during loading because I don't seat them down unless they're flat to begin with.

A pair of lubed patches works very well as a wad...I just lay the pair across the muzzle, then use something small like the tip of a screwdriver to push in the center of the patches...this gets them into the bore with a lot of material puckered up all around the walls of the bore which is right where you want the extra sealing effect.

 

[Wiley Wynn]

Gentlemen:
If you run out of "wonderwads", procure some heavy felting,(or acquire some old heavy felt hat(s)). use an appropriate size punch, add lube and "magic", wonderwads!!!
"Adapt and ovecome"!!!

 

[olgreenhead]

I would like to here some input on shooting deer with a 40 cal i know its small but so is a 22 magnum but it works so ive been told

 

[Landngroove]

A .45/70 Gov. cartridge in the late 1800's was a .458" lead, 405 grain bullet, propelled by 70 grains of black powder. This was deadly on many buffalo. I think you will do O.K. on deer with 70 grains in your .50 with a PRB.

 

[NoJacketRequired]

A practical note here. Last fall I shot a large whitetail buck at 25 yards (when I say large, a hog tape around his ribcage gave an estimated live weight of 314lbs, so he wasn't a monster, but certainly well up into the "respectable" catagory). The shot was broadside. The load was 70gr FFg Triple7 under a Hornady .490 PRB and a CCI #11Mag cap. The ball started out weighing 175 grains. It went through the deer's heart and lodged against the skin on the far side. I recovered 168 grains of lead, a big flat slab that you'd never recognize as having been a round ball. So 70 grains of powder appears to be sufficient "oomph" to do the job at shorter ranges.

But then again, the buck I took a year earlier with the same rifle and load produced a complete pass-thru of the chest cavity... from 50 yards. I guess that's why I stuck with this load. But this year I'll play around a bit more and see if I can "warm it up a bit". Heck, I've even got FFFg powder to play with this year so there'll be lots of fun in the backyard range!

 

[KampKool]

I would like to here some input on shooting deer with a 40 cal i know its small but so is a 22 magnum but it works so ive been told

When I was young, the 'locals' in the Poconos used to poach deer in the apple orchard behind the house. Shootin' out the back window after turning on the spotlight w/ a 22lr aiming for the ear...

Unfortunately alot fo states have a .45cal min size for deer hunting...

:m2c:

 

[olgreenhead]

I hate to say this but thats not poaching its called putting meat on the table . :imo:

 

[gordy]

roundball!When useing loads above 65-70 grs.Lve had good luck with hornets nest tamped down on the powder before running the PRB downbore.With this done it stops patch burnout!By the way I learn much from Your informative posts Thanks!