ammunition choices

[deermanok]

thanks very much. i was also wondering what powder you recommend for a 50 cal and what load? 50 grains 90 grains or somewhere in between?

Real black powder if you can get it. 2f granulation. Pyrodex RS if not. A lot of shooters like triple 7.
I'd recommend starting at 50 grains with a .490 round ball with a .15 patch. Work your way up with the powder charge until you find your "sweet spot". You should end up at somewhere in the 70 to 90 grain area.

 

[Carbon 6]

Pellets are designed for modern inlines, NOT traditional sidelocks.
No manufacturer of pellets recommends them for traditional sidelocks.

I't's like talking bout using diesel in a Indy car.

 

[SDSmlf]

I'm looking at Traditions and Lyman and Thompson Center primarily. Pedersoli seems a bit pricey for me. I've seen something called Investment Arms but I question the quality. To answer your question, the muzzleloader will be for target shooting only. thanks.

Welcome to the forum from North Carolina. Your profile doesn’t say what part of the world you are from. You might be near someone or a club that could assist you.

50 caliber is likely the most popular caliber that you will find in used TCs, Lymans and Traditions. For target shooting you may want to consider a 45 or even a 40 caliber if you luck into one. Nothing wrong with a 50 or 54, just slinging more lead. If you go used, suggest staying away from places like Gun Broker, as it can be dicey as far as what you get. You need to ask about and try to get pictures of the guns bore. A lot of pretty guns out there with sewer pipe bores because they weren’t properly cleaned after being shot.

 

[mooman76]

Lead RBs or conicals can get costly real fast when shooting allot. It's a good idea to get into casting your own lead to save $.

 

[lenl349]

Real black powder if you can get it. 2f granulation. Pyrodex RS if not. A lot of shooters like triple 7.
I'd recommend starting at 50 grains with a .490 round ball with a .15 patch. Work your way up with the powder charge until you find your "sweet spot". You should end up at somewhere in the 70 to 90 grain area.

thanks a lot. very helpful. assumed you're talking about lubed patches. correct?

 

[deermanok]

thanks a lot. very helpful. assumed you're talking about lubed patches. correct?

Indeed, some type of lubricant.
I've used dry patches that I lubed with spit. Hence the term spit patch.
You can buy prelubed or dry patches and use whatever you want for a lubricant.
Like I said, start with a .15 patch.
You'll have to experiment. Your rifle might like a thicker or thinner patch.
That's the neat thing about the old side hammer guns. No two are exactly the same. They're all kinda quirky in their own way. Once you find what you're gun likes it can be a tack driver for sure.

 

[erhunter]

thanks a lot. very helpful. assumed you're talking about lubed patches. correct?

What state are you located in? I'm in eastern Pa. and if your close I'll take you to my gun club and let you shoot my Lyman Trade rifle. Dixon's Muzzleloading shop is 30 minutes away to try on different rifles.

 

[Eterry]

Welcome to the forum from north Texas.

I'd definitely recommend a percussion to start with. I've never spent a penny for lube, always put a few cut patches in my mouth, like chewing tobacco, and used them one by one. I started by using store bought round balls, then got into casting my own.

If you go with fffg instead of ffg, you can use less powder and get more shots per pound. Also it will foul the bore less.

You can get a copy of Lyman Black powder Handbook, it covers loading, cleaning, disassembly, velocity and trajectory charts.

Welcome to the Addiction.

 

[Dibbuk]

Welcome from California. I would suggest you check around for the nearest muzzleloading club, and visit them at their next shoot. There may well be one or two people with an extra rifle they would part with to help a new shooter. They should also be able to answer just about any questions you might have.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@deermanct is providing some basic information. He really means for you to find 15 thousandths of an inch thick patching or 0.015" thick. Most of us know what is meant. Do get unlubricated patches. Packaged lubricated patches age poorly on the store shelf and deteriorate making accurate shooting impossible.

Get a volumetric powder measure and use loose powder. I prefer any brand of black powder over any brand of substitute black powder. I also understand that finding real black powder is nearly impossible in some communities. In that case Triple Se7en or Pyrodex is generally available. Be aware that the substitutes have less of the sooty fouling, but that fouling is very corrosive and it is very important to thoroughly clean the gun after firing it, even one shot.

 

[lenl349]

What state are you located in? I'm in eastern Pa. and if your close I'll take you to my gun club and let you shoot my Lyman Trade rifle. Dixon's Muzzleloading shop is 30 minutes away to try on different rifles.

Thanks very much. But I'm in Arizona. There are a few black powder shooters around so I'm looking forward to my continued education.

 

[Col. Batguano]

I'll take a slightly different position in that I think the in-lines and pelletized powder serve a function. A great many people get in to ML'ers as a way to extend their hunting season. The above is a relatively convenient way to do it, as the guns themselves look familiar to cartridge guns, and the loading seems to be pretty foolproof. Same with the sabot stuff. Move from the familiar to the new in increments. The above is beyond the scope of what we talk about here (it has to be limited) but it serves a purpose---to help create more traditional ML'er shooters / advocates. After a while, many find that the romance of the traditional guns (usually starting with cap guns and then move to flint) is quite alluring, and the other stuff gets left behind. They may even move in to building, but they got their start like most do, a little bit at a time.

 

[Zonie]

Forum rule
7: We do not discuss modern (in-line) muzzleloading firearms.
Early historic breech loading guns that do not use primed metallic or semi-metallic cartridges and meet the requirements of rule #1 are permitted for discussion.
See special rules at the bottom for posts about breech loading firearms.