FFF powder in a .62 caliber smoothie?

[Banjoman]

My first flintlock smooth bore came with about a half pound of some kind of coarse 1f or reenactment powder. I used it up cause it was my first real black powder. Found out later that 2f and then 3f was better. I’d like to try 4f sometime.

 

[JeeeperBillMI]

I have a Rice .62/20 gauge smooth barrel and FF is the recommended powder load. However, I have several pounds of FFF on hand that I bought for a smaller caliber rifle that I no longer use. Can the smaller grain FFF powder be safely used in a .62 smoothie or will that create too much pressure?

I have been shooting a .62 cal in trade gun in competitions with a group regularly. Almost everyone I shoot with loads with 3F and primes with 4F. There are some at the competitions that still use 2F for loading but they are few. I personally use 3F in all of my muzzleloaders because it cleans up so well. I get very little fouling even at the end of a match and clean up is a breeze. My thought is that the 3F burns more completely making for less fouling. I have noticed it does burn a little hotter and I do back off in my 0.50 cal rifles but I leave my trade gun load at 60 grains for round ball and 70 grains for shot.

 

[wiscoaster]

2F makes thicker BP smoke, therefore works better to obscure the sight pictures of the AR shooters on the downwind benches.

 

[PathfinderNC]

Ok, so with all the props here for FFF, this begs the question: Why use FF?

For a simple reason that some guns do better with 2f than 3f.
I’m no scientist but I can see the difference.
It is what it is.

 

[waksupi]

I've always used 3FFF.

 

[Gordoncourtney]

I have a Rice .62/20 gauge smooth barrel and FF is the recommended powder load. However, I have several pounds of FFF on hand that I bought for a smaller caliber rifle that I no longer use. Can the smaller grain FFF powder be safely used in a .62 smoothie or will that create too much pressure?

Think it was on graeme Wright book. Adjust the powder measure until the chronograph shows the correct velocity , then the powder measure will be correct Ie say 1300 ft:sec. Of course you are stuck without a chronograph.

 

[LT Joe]

3F is all I shoot in all my guns. Have done so for years. Makes things a lot simpler when you only use one type of powder.

 

[Rob M.]

The reason for different granulations ... The finer powder builds more pressure on ignition ....thats the reason but it dont know how , why it would effect me BUT ....thats the reason .... 60 gr. of 3F will cause the round ball to go faster than 60 gr. of 2F ... Is it a safety thing or a " consistent accuracy thing ? Probably a bit of both .... I shoot only 60 gr. of powder in my 20 ga. N.W. gun so it doesnt bother me . Safety wise I'm fine . I know !d!0t$ that shoot 150 gr. in their trade guns but ...thats on them . Now accuracy wise ....doesnt bother me either as I am a minute of deer kind of guy . A precision rifle shooter is going to see the difference but not me . If all my shots are hitting the steel or are on the paper plate ....I'm good with that ....but some shooters , if that group opened up or the group moved up or down two inches ... they'll be having at fit !! My homemade BP ....even after granulating it , its a mix of 2F , 3F and 4 F .... I dont seperate it ....doesnt bother me any ....