This is for all of you people who are just getting interested in Muzzle Loading.
Some of you are somewhat amazed that we muzzleloaders shoot .50, .54, .58, .62 and even .75 caliber bullets without needing a sling for our arm for the rest of the week.
Some of you think the reason is because those old blackpowder guns don't have enough power to even get the bullet/ball down range, let alone kick hard. This of course is not true.
The fact is our muzzleloading guns do kick, however, it is the WAY they kick that is different from a modern smokeless firearms.
IMO because pressure determines the speed at which Smokeless powder burns and in burning it builds up its pressure very fast, it burns very fast. The pressure goes from zero to its peak in an extremely short period of time. This very high pressure drives the bullet at a very high INITIAL rate of acceleration.
Physics being what it is, the rifle also accelerates into your shoulder at an equally high INITIAL rate of acceleration which gives it its' characteristic fast slap or kick to your shoulder. That SLAP can raise bruises and take the fun out of sending a lot of bullets down-range.
Black Powder is an explosive but its burning rate is slower than most smokeless powders. Because it burns at a slower but at a more uniform rate than smokeless powder, it accelerates the bullet in a more uniform manner.
The net result of all of this is the velocity or energy of the bullet/ball may be the same with either powder but the Black Powder gun feels more like a mighty push or shove rather than a slap or kick.
Don't get me wrong, shooting a 400 or 500 grain bullet loaded over a charge of black powder will give a "kick" that is hard to forget but here again, it doesn't feel like the kick from smokeless powder pushing the same bullet to the same speed.
The bottom like is: do not be intimidated by the caliber and don't think for an instant that black powder guns don't have any power.
Their just a lot easier on your shoulder which makes them more fun to shoot a lot.
Some of you are somewhat amazed that we muzzleloaders shoot .50, .54, .58, .62 and even .75 caliber bullets without needing a sling for our arm for the rest of the week.
Some of you think the reason is because those old blackpowder guns don't have enough power to even get the bullet/ball down range, let alone kick hard. This of course is not true.
The fact is our muzzleloading guns do kick, however, it is the WAY they kick that is different from a modern smokeless firearms.
IMO because pressure determines the speed at which Smokeless powder burns and in burning it builds up its pressure very fast, it burns very fast. The pressure goes from zero to its peak in an extremely short period of time. This very high pressure drives the bullet at a very high INITIAL rate of acceleration.
Physics being what it is, the rifle also accelerates into your shoulder at an equally high INITIAL rate of acceleration which gives it its' characteristic fast slap or kick to your shoulder. That SLAP can raise bruises and take the fun out of sending a lot of bullets down-range.
Black Powder is an explosive but its burning rate is slower than most smokeless powders. Because it burns at a slower but at a more uniform rate than smokeless powder, it accelerates the bullet in a more uniform manner.
The net result of all of this is the velocity or energy of the bullet/ball may be the same with either powder but the Black Powder gun feels more like a mighty push or shove rather than a slap or kick.
Don't get me wrong, shooting a 400 or 500 grain bullet loaded over a charge of black powder will give a "kick" that is hard to forget but here again, it doesn't feel like the kick from smokeless powder pushing the same bullet to the same speed.
The bottom like is: do not be intimidated by the caliber and don't think for an instant that black powder guns don't have any power.
Their just a lot easier on your shoulder which makes them more fun to shoot a lot.
