CAN A .45 DRIVE TACKS?

[springfield art]

a pie tin at 100 yards is my 'tack driver' results, Polecat'

A pie pan at that range is my perfect idea for a target. The guys who have the patience to pore over every detail and get clover-leaf groups have my admiration, but useful hunting accuracy such as you state is ideal for most, I think.

 

[LME]

I would never ever ever accept 9 inches at 100 yards.

Me either but each persons thought on what is accurate varies a lot. Once you have shot a real tight group that is what we think is normal but in reality it is a far cry from normal. Until we can shoot a certain group on a regular basis we must consider luck played a part in that real tight group. Been there done that!

 

[ord sgt]

Been shooting a ML for only about 2 years now. So I have several questions. I shoot a Percussion .45 TC Seneca with a .440 Hornady lead PRB (which I assume is 127 grains) and 50 grains of Goex FFg. It is accurate out to 50-55 yards. Where I live here in the East, most shots are less than 75 yards. Some folks on here say that their rifles are tack drivers at 100 yards and sometimes beyond. #1 If I was able to get my .45 accurate to100 yards, would a 50 grain load of FFg pack enough punch to kill a Whitetail at that distance? #2 The TC handbook says that I should only use FFg from .50 to .90 grains maximum. When I was working up a load and shot .60 grains the accuracy fell way off so I didn't increase the powder charge anymore figuring it would be the same with 70,80 and 90 grains. Am I correct on this? #3 Having shot center fire rifles all my life with fine iron sights, how the heck do some shoot 100 yards with tack driver accuracy with the somewhat "chunky" open factory sights that I have seen on most Muzzleloaders including mine? Thanks all. Flashpoint!

I don't know about you, but I can't see a tack at 100 yards. I have seen a tack hit at shorter distances. Matchsticks, aspirins, and playing cards turned on edge, all hit.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

My days of 2” groups at 100 yrds, with open sights are, sadly, behind me.

These days, my guns shoot way more accurately than I can shoot.

6” groups at 100 yrds…that’s a good day.

 

[Flintlock]

50 grains of FFG seems like a pretty wimpy load at 100 yards, accuracy and bullet placement are very important but deer "move" perfect shots are not always made so a little extra energy is nice to break through bone are penetrate that thick layer of tallow. We owe it to the game to make good clean kills.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

My favorite rifle is a 36" .45 flintlock. It's much more accurate than I am and always hits where it's aimed. My go-to deer rifle.

So you’re the one that’s been shooting my gun, when I’m not around

 

[Rock Home Isle]

50 grains of FFG seems like a pretty wimpy load at 100 yards, accuracy and bullet placement are very important but deer "move" perfect shots are not always made so a little extra energy is nice to break through bone are penetrate that thick layer of tallow. We owe it to the game to make good clean kills.

I would say…not a bad load in a .40 calibre, light target load for a .45 calibre…wimpy load in a .50 calibre, voice of experience on the .50 calibre

 

[Buckskinquin]

Been shooting a ML for only about 2 years now. So I have several questions. I shoot a Percussion .45 TC Seneca with a .440 Hornady lead PRB (which I assume is 127 grains) and 50 grains of Goex FFg. It is accurate out to 50-55 yards. Where I live here in the East, most shots are less than 75 yards. Some folks on here say that their rifles are tack drivers at 100 yards and sometimes beyond. #1 If I was able to get my .45 accurate to100 yards, would a 50 grain load of FFg pack enough punch to kill a Whitetail at that distance? #2 The TC handbook says that I should only use FFg from .50 to .90 grains maximum. When I was working up a load and shot .60 grains the accuracy fell way off so I didn't increase the powder charge anymore figuring it would be the same with 70,80 and 90 grains. Am I correct on this? #3 Having shot center fire rifles all my life with fine iron sights, how the heck do some shoot 100 yards with tack driver accuracy with the somewhat "chunky" open factory sights that I have seen on most Muzzleloaders including mine? Thanks all. Flashpoint!

When you say “out East”, where? In the northeast there are many BP clubs to entertain your need to shoot. Any club I ever went to had targets at 25, 50 and 100 yds. Offhand and bench aggregates. Search one out, plan to go for 2-3 days and you’ll learn a lot about your gun, yourself and the skills of shooters competing.

 

[senseisugarbear]

The Old Timers that taught me a LONG time ago weren't much on ballistic tables ,or what cal. used what loads.they said that the rifle will tell you what it wants. We started out low.45 gr. in a .45cal.shoot a group of 5. move up 5 gr. shoot a group or 5. ETC.YOUR group should shrink.keep it up until the group starts to OPEN up. BACK OFF 5 gr. and listen to the rifle, it should CRACK like a whip. that's your load. ALL my guns are accurate using this method.With the price and availability of components, It's not the CHEAPEST WAY,,,,But I haven't found a better way...Be Safe....Wally

 

[SamTex1949]

Ive never tried shooting tacks out of any of my ML's just dont see the advantage in it !

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Ive never tried shooting tacks out of any of my ML's just dont see the advantage in it !

I never tried shooting tacks with my muzzleloader, because I just can’t see the tacks…

 

[ronaldrothb49]

A 45 caliber at 100 yards.

 

[wojciste]

Nothing less than the size of a clay bird at 100 yards

 

[SPQR70AD]

I would never ever ever accept 9 inches at 100 yards.

I bet no woman ever said that

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

A few years back, I got a Pedersoli "Kentucky Rifle" in .45. It had been the demo at Pedersoli's set-up at various gun shows for a few years, but had never been fired. Got all the stuff together and headed for my clay pit-range.
Shooting from prone, at 100 yards, the first shot was in the X-ring, but at 9 o'clock. Second shot obliterated the "X". Third and final shot was overlapping #2 shot. Decided I did NOT need to adjust the sights.

Three days later, I took a nice buck white tail at 110 yards, D.R.T. Needless to say, I was impressed with my $350, never-been-fired Pedersoli!

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I use a 42 inch Rice swamped barrel, .440 ball, .15 patch. cotton most of the time, silk and others for longer shots.
The hardest to hit target at rondy is a 1 foot long 1 inch square rebar hanging at 100 yards.
I ring it every year, some times several times a year.

Load is easy, using the Davenport formula, 74.5 grains is the max that will burn in the barrel.
I use that load for over 100 yards, and my best group load for close in. The 54.5 gr seems to be a good group maker.
Dont think Ive bench shot it, or ran it thru the chorny since I built it in 05.

Im happy with a 45 cal

 

[hanshi]

Driving tacks is easy peasy as long as you have a computer or typewriter and a comfy armchair.

 

[gunpa]

I don't know if that 2 year old thread will come back to life or not!

 

[pmccoywss]

When I was working up a load and shot .60 grains the accuracy fell way off so I didn't increase the powder charge anymore figuring it would be the same with 70,80 and 90 grains. Am I correct on this?

No. The barrel vibrates in all directions when the rifle is fired.

Every rifle I've owned has had a couple of "sweet spots" (and older than me timers, and I'm 75) told me there is a third one but the load is so high that you wouldn't want to shoot it. My .45 flinter loves 45gr 3F at 25&50 yards (yes it will drive tacks at 25yards if I am having a good shooting day, never tried at 50), and my .50 cal GRRW Hawken shot best at 92 gr 2F, and again at 120gr 2F with .498 ball.

When I developed the .50 loads I started at 70gr and got good group at 90, but it began to expand. My long gone friend and builder told me "keep going", so I did and it came back into a good tight group at 120 gr. That became may hunting load. I went to 130 with groups widening, and he told me "it'll come back in", but I had no need for more velocity or recoil.

What we are doing with load variations is changing the harmonics (vibrations) of the barrel so the ball is exiting at either a high point or low point node.

 

[SPQR70AD]

if you wanna drive tacks get a tack hammer