Feedback on powder charge
- Thread starter Poboy
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What caliber rifle?
What ball diameter?
What patch material and thickness?
What lubrication?
What is the purpose of the load?
What ball diameter?
What patch material and thickness?
What lubrication?
What is the purpose of the load?
IMO that is pretty stiff. If its accurate however, thats fine, I personally shoot 70gr 3fg in my traditions kentucky.
I may be missing something but how do you get a .490 ball in a .45 caliber barrel??
Dave
Dave
.440 round ball you mean?
90gr 3fg is a LOT for that little ball lol. I'd cut it back down to around 60gr, thats normally a sweet spot in my 45's.
Good short starter and a big hammer. That's if the lead is pure and soft. I do something like that when I want to measure a bore. I do think he meant 0.440".
What's the lubrication?
Now then, what's the purpose?
I do think his suggested load is more than a bit stout. It's what I used in my 0.45" Hawken for knocking down 200 yard silhouette bear targets.
I think most would start at the 60gr. mark and go up from there. As many others have stated 90 3f is pretty stiff and usually max the manufacturers recommended load. Seems most .45's give best accuracy between 60-75 for me. In my .45. 90gr. 3F gives 2114fps average.
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I recall when i got my 45 cal cva Kentucky rifle kit in 1979 the manual listed a maximum load as 70grs fffg. I decided on a charge of 60grs as my all around load.
I think 90 grs is a TON of powder for that rifle... but your mileage may vary.
I think 90 grs is a TON of powder for that rifle... but your mileage may vary.
Brokennock
Cannon
I was shooting about 60 grains 3f in my .45, might have tried 70 and found no advantage. I did have a second light load of 45 or 50 grains that was very accurate at 25 yards but accuracy fell off very quickly past that distance.
DOUBLEDEUCE 1
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If your rifle shoots the .440 ball, start with approximately 40 gr FFFG. Bump up your charge 5 gr at a time. I don’t shoot over 65 gr. I use pillow ticking and a good lube. I’m not one to over think things, I just know what works for me and my rifle.
Determine what distances you will be shooting. I recommend shooting from a bagged rest. That way you will partially eliminated the shooter error. Shoot groups of at least five rounds before making adjustments to anything. Most of all, be consistent throughout the loading and shooting process. Don’t let yourself get distracted.
Determine what distances you will be shooting. I recommend shooting from a bagged rest. That way you will partially eliminated the shooter error. Shoot groups of at least five rounds before making adjustments to anything. Most of all, be consistent throughout the loading and shooting process. Don’t let yourself get distracted.
Sidney Smith
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Maybe he meant .50 caliber. I'd think even then 90grains 3fg would be a bit much.
Just ballparking it a little I'd say my .45's like 60 grains of 3Fg powder. My .50's like 70 grains of 3Fg powder and my .54's like 80 grains of 3Fg powder.
With more powder than that, the velocity goes up but the accuracy goes down and as we all know, accuracy is the name of the game for both target shooting and for hunting.
With more powder than that, the velocity goes up but the accuracy goes down and as we all know, accuracy is the name of the game for both target shooting and for hunting.
Well guys, yes, my powder measure is set on 60. It just seems a little weak to me. I'm sure it's. 440 and. not .490 as well. Haven't used it before, but Bore Butter and pillow ticking.
It's been like 20years, but I did work up in accurate load...( maybe 60 grains?)
Anyway, I want to kill some wild hogs, hence the quest for firepower.
For those shooting 60 grains, does it kick similar to a modern rifle, in the 30.06 range?
It's been like 20years, but I did work up in accurate load...( maybe 60 grains?)
Anyway, I want to kill some wild hogs, hence the quest for firepower.
For those shooting 60 grains, does it kick similar to a modern rifle, in the 30.06 range?
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DOUBLEDEUCE 1
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Shooting 60 gr in my .45 cal, doesn’t feel anything like my 30-06.
If you think the rifle might be .440 and .490 as well... better double check the barrel. There is quite a bit of difference between the two.
If you think the rifle might be .440 and .490 as well... better double check the barrel. There is quite a bit of difference between the two.
No kick at 60. But kick dont kill, shot placement is all you need to worry about. Many will say .45 is light on hogs....I never shot one.
Shooting 60 gr in my .45 cal, doesn’t feel anything like my 30-06.
If you think the rifle might be .440 and .490 as well... better double check the barrel. There is quite a bit of difference between the two.
I know for sure it's a .45 cal, I just misspoke on the lead size. Like I said, it's been many years. I do remember however, an old man coming by the range and saying " Boy, why don't you put some powder in there?" Which is why I think I worked up to 90. It's either 60 or 90, but I can tell you, it used to have a very healthy kick.
This is a bit off-topic, but my dad was electrocuted working under a house in the early 60's. Sooo, my grandfather had a ranch, ( approximately 120 acres), and my mom would take me there occasionally.
My grandfather bought a musket out of the back of a magazine for cheap. He would let me take it out and hunt. I was somewhere between 8 and 10. Anyway, he had this empty pistol shell and told me not to use anymore powder than that. Some old rags for patching and TBH I really don't remember how the shot was measured. Well, after awhile, I got tired of squirrels just running away after I shot them, so I doubled the powder. My kill ratio went WAY up!
I loved that gun, essentially the patchbox where I kept the nipples. Here's where the story gets sad. One day, after hunting, I decided to be nice and put the gun in the closet where grandpa kept all the guns.
Next time I got there, he was peeved. Not my fault!!!! I was a little kid, and nobody had ever told me anything about cleaning a gun!!!!
My grandfather bought a musket out of the back of a magazine for cheap. He would let me take it out and hunt. I was somewhere between 8 and 10. Anyway, he had this empty pistol shell and told me not to use anymore powder than that. Some old rags for patching and TBH I really don't remember how the shot was measured. Well, after awhile, I got tired of squirrels just running away after I shot them, so I doubled the powder. My kill ratio went WAY up!
I loved that gun, essentially the patchbox where I kept the nipples. Here's where the story gets sad. One day, after hunting, I decided to be nice and put the gun in the closet where grandpa kept all the guns.
Next time I got there, he was peeved. Not my fault!!!! I was a little kid, and nobody had ever told me anything about cleaning a gun!!!!
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I've run up and down the scale from 20 grains to 80 grains of 3f in my own 45, and it seems to have trouble picking between any of them. It just flat shoots well with all loads. Deer don't seem to know the difference between 60, 70 and 80, so I've settled on 60 for a little economy. Not coincidentally, that works out to 3 scoops with the little 20 grain measure I keep with it for measuring out my small game loads. If I got distracted and dropped 4 scoops, no harm done. I bet it would probably do fine on deer at 40 grains, too.
