Another new old guy question about powder

[87TT]

I have 3 rifles and 3 pistols. 2 .45 cal and one 50 cal rifle. I always in the past used 3f powder in everything. I have been thinking of getting a .54 cal rifle. Can I still use 3f or should I go to 2f and what would be the advantages and disadvantages? Sorry if this has been discussed repeatedly but I searched and couldn't find anything with the search function.

 

[bang]

I use 3fff equivalent of substitute in 36 and 44 revolvers including Walker and Dragoon. Also 45, 50 and 58 rifles. As with any it amounts to working up the load for each projectile used. I'm not sure when it comes to larger than 58 and shotguns.

 

[William O.]

What works in one barrel might not in another of the same caliber and model. I have a .54 Investarms barrel and through testing I found it to not achieve the same accuracy using 3F as it gets with 2F. So, I always t set both in barrels of .50 and up. Another example was a Lyman fast twist barrel in.50 I had years ago. 2F simply would not work but switching to 3F instantly tightened up the groups. I found that it would tear out a one inch group at 75 yards using a max charge of 95 grains of 3F behind a lubed fiber wad and 220 grain lead conical bullet. Those were the only extremes I've had but again, every barrel is an individual and it's best to try both from 50 on up. I don't care or measure how clean or dirty one granulation is over another and don't subscribe to the "shoot all day without swabbing the bore" school of thought either. I want the most accurate load combination I can get.

 

[Rifleman1776]

3Fg is safe to use in a .54. But any change in anything in this game requires range time to work up the best load for a particular rifle. There really is no reason to buy a different powder for your new rifle.

 

[mooman76]

I agree. Try it and if you find it satisfactory go with it. Should burn cleaner too.

 

[smo]

I shoot fffg in my .54

 

[87TT]

Thanks again guys.

 

[user 34300]

Coarser powder kicks less. It accelerates the ball more gradually. In large bores the may be an issue.

 

[87TT]

I've only shot 3f in my fifty. Didn't seem to be a problem. When I do get a .54, I may try to find some 2f to try sometime but will probably start with 3f. Thanks again.

 

[Cruzatte]

I have 3 rifles and 3 pistols. 2 .45 cal and one 50 cal rifle. I always in the past used 3f powder in everything. I have been thinking of getting a .54 cal rifle. Can I still use 3f or should I go to 2f and what would be the advantages and disadvantages? Sorry if this has been discussed repeatedly but I searched and couldn't find anything with the search function.

I also have a .54 caliber rifle. I've shot a load of 70 gr. 3fg in it for years, observing that the fouling is less than when I used to use 2fg in it. I only discovered this by experimentation.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I shoot 3Fg in my .54 flintlock rifle (prime with it as well).

But I shoot 2Fg in my .50 perc. and .66 flint smoothbore.

Use what your firearm tells you it likes best. ;-)

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I shoot 3Fg in my .54 flintlock rifle (prime with it as well).

But I shoot 2Fg in my .50 perc. and .66 flint smoothbore.

Use what your firearm tells you it likes best. ;-)

I too use 3Fg for main and for prime from .40 through .54, but 2Fg in anything larger, so in my .62, .65, and .75 smoothbores.

LD

 

[Dphar1950]

I have never shot anything but FFF in 50, 54 and the 58 I had years ago. FFF Swiss in a 58 MAY cause fouling issues based on proving a 58 barrel with fff Swiss. I shoot FF Swiss in my 16 bore rifle. But the larger bores use the powder better than the smaller bores, more efficiently I guess is a better word. If using Goex I used 100 gr of FFF Goex for years in a number of 54s and they all shot very well with it. I used to shoot 90 in 50 cals but dropped it to 70 with Swiss.

 

[dave951]

I shoot 3f Swiss in my guns. I compete with Civil War guns and use 3f Swiss in 50cal, 58cal and 69cal with no issues. YMMV, as always, start low, work up and watch for best accuracy. Some guns respond better to 2f, you'll have to experiment with your gun.

 

[hanshi]

3F is about all I use in my rifles & pistol. I use it in everything from .32 up to .62.

 

[ord sgt]

I have used fffg in every caliber up to and including .58. the .58's were reproduction Enfields, made by Parker-Hale, second generation. 44 grains fffg worked well out to 100 yards. Many ceramic tiles fell victim the .575 minie. .50 calibre flintlocks respond well, even using fffg as the prime in the pan.