Charges for a 42" barrel?

[custom smokepole]

Another question guys. I just purchased this custom rifle, it has a 42" Colerain barrel and is .54 cal. I want to use this rifle for Deer, Elk, and many other critters. I want to use enough charge that will burn effectivly, not not foul. I want the powder to burn all of what I put in her, but plenty for the game I would be hunting. All my Hawken type rifles do not have this long of a barrel, so I start thinking to much. I know som e of this will be trial and error, but maybe some of you have a great stating point?
Thanks.

 

[George T.]

I have to say that I have never seen a lot of diffrence in the barrel getting dirty in diffrent powder charges. As the barrel gets longer you can be efficient with larger charges. Your going to find that patch lube will make a diffrence as well. Geo. T.

 

[custom smokepole]

Thanks Geo T. I was thinking with that long of a barrel, that the powder would have more time to burn out. Thanks

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Well the barrel is going to foul with Black Powder. You aren't going to have residual, unburnt powder as you sometimes find with certain smokeless propellants when using non-magnum primers. I use 70 grains of 3Fg in my .54, although it's only 38" long. No worries on deer out to 100 yards.

LD

 

[Rifleman1776]

You have your priorities mixed up. This game of bp is inherently dirty. The charge you should be looking for is the one that will shoot most accurately and with enough power for the game you intend to hunt.
I can't help you with ways to shoot bp without getting dirty.

 

[custom smokepole]

Thanks LD. I appreciate you taking time to reply.

 

[custom smokepole]

Rifleman I am not worried about getting dirty. I have been shooting for over 25 years now, just wanted to get close to a charge where the powder will burn completly as possible in a 42" barrel. I have a 32" barrel on a Hawken .54 and at 85 grns, it is burnt and somewhat clean. My shoulder does not always like it, but that is a great load for that rifle. I guess what I am asking not ust because this is my first flinter, a good load start that will burn completely in a 42" barrel, and strong enough for the animals I hunt.
Thanks for your reply

 

[Robby]

Hunt, It won't hurt to work up a couple different loads. In one of my 54's, I was using 85gr's and was very happy with its accuracy and stopping power. When some new hunting ground opened up for me with ranges out to 100yds. I wanted to flatten out the ball trajectory some so I didn't have to think about elevation so much. I worked up another load that eventually fell on 110gr's of 2f. It is a very accurate and flat shooting load for my gun.
Robby

 

[Grenadier1758]

You have neglected to tell us what rate of twists these barrel have and what brand and granulation of powder you are using. Your Colerain barrel has a rate of twist of 1 in 56" from the Colerain web site. Is the Colerain barrel straight, swamped or tapered? This really doesn't amkeany signifigant difference, but we like to know.

The following information is approximate and your experiences may vary. In no way should you excede the manufacturer's maximum loads. As a very general and based on very old data from my Lyman Black Powder Handbook (1975). That Hawken load of 85 grains of 3fg powder should push that ball at about 1500 feet per second. The data for a 43" barrel gives a velocity of 1600 fps with the 85 grain load of 3fg and a higher internal pressure. So the longer barrel is more efficient with the same load you are using in the Hawken.

These loads are effective for any hunting you want to do at black powder ranges.

Now it is back to the range to determine the most accurate load. It will take a chronograph to measure velocity for any particular load and a ballistics table to determine trajectory for sighting purposes.

Enjoy your new rifle.

 

[custom smokepole]

Thanks for the input Robby. I will do that.
Thanks. Exactly what I was thinking to, I have to be very flat and staright at 100 yards.

 

[custom smokepole]

Grenadier you are correct in the rate of twist 1-56. I shoot KIK powder in 3F. Straight barrel.
Thank you for your reply.

 

[nchawkeye]

I use 80grs FFF Goex in my .54...She has a 38 inch barrel...I use to use 120 of FF, then 100 of FF but I found as I went down in charge and to the smaller granulation I had less residue and it killed just as well...

 

[custom smokepole]

Thanks for the reply NCHawkeye.

 

[Carl Fowler III]

:shocked2: Wow, 110 grs of 2f powder sounds potent! Have you ever had that load chronographed? What kind of penetration have you gotten from different angles? :hmm:

 

[Flash Pan Dan]

Someone correct me if I am wrong but isn’t black powder an explosive? As such when ignited won’t it go off pretty much in place? I can see where the resulting gases would still expand to some extent but you wouldn’t need too much barrel before you exhausted that part. I remember reading in Gunsmiths of Grenville County where Peter Alexander says that even a heavy charge of BP will burn off in 26 inch barrel. As I think about it, he might of even said 24 inches.

 

[Robby]

Kodiak, No on the chronograph. I have only shot two deer with this load at my self imposed maximum, 100-110 yds.. One broadside thru and thru, and one quartering away, through the liver,lungs, broke offside shoulder. never found the ball.
It is a Rice barrel, configured like an early barrel so its a bit stout, and I'm not sure they even make it anymore. Its all about architecture, and mine is good for the bench, off hand, or any odd angle you might find yourself in while hunting. It's in the photo forum, under .54.
Robby

 

[Col. Batguano]

In theory, the longer the barrel the more efficient larger grain powder would be, because it takes longer to burn. BUt it's as much a function of peak pressures as anything else. Just a guess. If you shot cannon powder through your gun, you would need to use more of it to reach the same velocity as 3F. But, if you loaded to the same maximum pressure, you would get greater velocity out of the cannon powder.

With ML'ers we are not constrained by case capacity, unlike the cartridge folks.