Different powder charges for target vs. critter?

[noahmercy]

Well, assuming my sights get here tomorrow or Saturday, I shall be retiring to the range on Sunday with my newly finished GPR, a couple pounds of powder, and the rest of my "possibles" and making smoke. :RO:

My question is this; how many of you load a different powder charge for short-range target work than for hunting? I will be keeping my patch/ball combo the same for both, so I'm not concerned with that aspect...just the amount of black powder you dump down the barrel before inserting your PRB.

When I went to my first BP shoot a couple months ago, I was shooting a friend's GPR 54 cal (same bore as mine) and he had me using 35 grains of 3f for 25 yard targets. It was unbelievably consistent and accurate, mild recoiling, clean, and economical. He uses 90 or 100 grains for hunting, depending on the temperature. With that charge, the same sights that were POA/POI at 25 were dead on at 125 yards.

However, I talked to another friend tonight who shot in ML competitions back in the 70's and 80's as well as doing some serious buckskinning. He said I should forget loading differently for target vs. hunting. Said it was...welllllll, I can't use language like that on this forum. :shocking: :: Anyway, he said everyone he knew shot one load all the time for targets and hunting.

So which is it? :: It actually makes sense to me to work up a couple different loads for this gun; one for light target and small game work, and one for big stuff. (Once I get a 36 or 45, I'll have a more appropriate small game gun and may stick with one load all the time for the big gun.) And I understand the concept of having only one load to worry about, so I don't dump the wrong charge down the barrel in the throes of a brain fart. ::

Input, feedback, and generally mind-numbing statements appreciated as always!

:thumbsup:

 

[walruskid1]

110 gr 2f and a buffalo bullet get old real fast punching paper. i use a lighter load on the range in my .54, 60 gr. and a prb.

:results:

 

[Runner]

I shoot 70 grains of 3f under a 495 ball in my Mountain rifle, my Hawken, My Deerhunter, and most likely in the never yet fired 50 barrel that fits the Trapper shotgun too. It doesn't matter if I am hunting deer, shooting at squirrels, or target shooting. 70 grains is also pleasant to shoot with little recoil. The last two deer I hit tasted real good. I don't shoot past about 75 yards unless a very special setup including a rest would happen.

 

[roundball]

I think it depends on how much somebody shoots...if I only shot a couple times a year, I'd site it in for hunting with my 90-100grns Goex charges and probably use hunting loads the other time I went to the range too.

But I shoot a 40 shot session almost every weekend and would beat myself silly shooting all those full power loads, so I just use 50-60grns Goex 3F for targets...and since I mostly just shoot a 5" steel plate at 50yds for the enjoyment of shooting flintlocks, at that distance the 50-60grn load still hits so close to POI of the hunting load sight settings that I don't have to change a thing.
:thumbsup:

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Ditto, same here in my IH Lancaster, mild and deadly accurate. It is sighted in for POA at 50 yards with that load. With 80 grains of 3-F and PRB, prints dead on at 90 yds.

 

[MikeChapin]

I usually use one load for 25 and 50 yard paper punching and a little stouter load for 100 yards so I can have the same point of aim. For hunting I use the 100 yard load. For my 50s these loads will drop a muley with one shot inside 100 yards. These are about 70 grains FFFg with PRB. For the .58 it's 80 grains FFFg.

 

[OTHERN]

I'm with Mike. I use one load for 25 and 50 and a larger one for 100. I can then hold dead on for targets. I use the 100 yard load for hunting. In my 54 Harpers ferry I use 60 grs of FFg and 90 grs.

Othern

 

[Mike Brooks]

I find the load that shoots the tightest groups and use that for every thing.

 

[noahmercy]

Thanks for the replies, all! I figured it would make sense to have two loads worked out. Some of the shoots I'll be attending can go as many as 70 shots so a milder load should keep things tolerable. (I'm fairly recoil-proof for the first twenty shots...after that... )

Thanks again.

:thumbsup:

 

[pathfinderifh]

I find the load that shoots the tightest groups and use that for every thing.

I agree Mike. That question always comes up at the classes I teach, both hunter saftey and muzzleloader. My answer is, use the single most accurate load you can, the only difference is where your feet are at. If it's on the range,it's a target load, in the feild,a hunting load,same load, different location. Simplicity is the key. If you use one load and change your point of aim, you don't have to worry if you loaded the right charge. What good is a strong load if ya can't be accurate. I'm also aware that some folks like to use the 2 or 3 charge system because it seem's to make sense, and thats fine and I'll not disagree with them, as long as they can be sure of a good clean kill shot,thats what counts. :m2c:

Pathfinder ps.I like the KISS system, keep it simple stupid ::