FFFg in 50 Cal Hawkin?

[Center_shot]

Is it ok to shoot FFFg in a 50 cal? I typically shoot FFg but am about out and a local shop has a couple jugs of FFF? Curious if it is too fine and increases pressures or if it can be loaded like FFg? Thanks.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The use of 3f in your 50 will generate a higher pressure at the same volume of powder. You will be safe by reducing the charge about 10%.

 

[CapPopper]

fffg is fine in about anything. You need a little less for the same velocity. I was shooting some in my .58 the other day just to see how it hit. Put one in the same whole the 90grs of ffg was so that's all I needed to know

 

[dave951]

3F is fine, just cut the load a bit. Depending on what brand of 3f you might be pleasantly surprised. I use it in everything including my 69cal.

 

[ord sgt]

I use fffg in all of my .50 calibre rifles. .45 and .58 calibres too. I keep the ffg for my .69 calibre smoothbore.

 

[david w]

I use 3Fg in my .62 with no problems. Reduce your load by 10~15%. Actually, I would reduce the load by 20% and work up, especially if you're using Swiss.

 

[Center_shot]

Great thanks. I bought all 4 bottles that he had.........for $60. Couldn't pass it up for that. It's Goex in the plastic containers so can't be really old.

 

[Gtrubicon]

Great thanks. I bought all 4 bottles that he had.........for $60. Couldn't pass it up for that. It's Goex in the plastic containers so can't be really old.

That’s a score!

 

[stikshooter]

Is it ok to shoot FFFg in a 50 cal? I typically shoot FFg but am about out and a local shop has a couple jugs of FFF? Curious if it is too fine and increases pressures or if it can be loaded like FFg? Thanks.

My load is 90 by weight of OE 3F in my hunting load under a Lyman Plains and 80 gr again weighted under a 50 gr Lyman Plains all shot from 2 TC Renegades 1-48 twist It kills most anything I will shoot within 200 yds

 

[david w]

Great thanks. I bought all 4 bottles that he had.........for $60. Couldn't pass it up for that. It's Goex in the plastic containers so can't be really old.

The age doesn't matter, even if it came in the metal cans. I have a couple pounds that is over 40 years old, and still good. They were stored in a non-controlled environment for many years.
$15 bucks a pound is great in these days! Good score!

 

[Togo]

I put 3F in everything, 58 cal down to 36. BTW, great score on the GOEX!

 

[BFJ]

Center Shot
You asked a good question. I was wondering the same.

 

[ElkStalker]

My 50’s shoot best with 3f powder. 80gr in the TC’s with PRB, 90 in the Lyman GPR.

 

[Bobby MacAlphin]

Is it ok to shoot FFFg in a 50 cal? I typically shoot FFg but am about out and a local shop has a couple jugs of FFF? Curious if it is too fine and increases pressures or if it can be loaded like FFg? Thanks.

Been shooting 3f in my .50 cal. Flintlock , main charge and priming the pan for 30 years now , 60 grns in main charge !

 

[Montgomery]

I have only ever used 3F in ALL MY bp FIREARMS, .50,54 & .62, ??!!

 

[Joemolf]

3F is fine, just cut the load a bit. Depending on what brand of 3f you might be pleasantly surprised. I use it in everything including my 69cal.

This month’s issue of “Muzzle Blasts “ talks about hunting and some of the loads used. I don’t recall the numbers off hand I’m guessing 100 grains of 3F. Yeah just double checked getting 1750 fps with a .54 incredible. What do think? I’ve read recently here gents using 60. Good Grief that is a big difference. Are the 60 grain users getting pass through kills?

 

[Bobby MacAlphin]

This month’s issue of “Muzzle Blasts “ talks about hunting and some of the loads used. I don’t recall the numbers off hand I’m guessing 100 grains of 3F. Yeah just double checked getting 1750 fps with a .54 incredible. What do think? I’ve read recently here gents using 60. Good Grief that is a big difference. Are the 60 grain users getting pass through kills?

Use 60 grains in my 50 cal. most all deer dropped in their tracks , usually 30 to 50 or 60 yards where I hunt , usually find the ball under hide on opposite side of deer where they were shot !

 

[mtsage]

Like most of the posts above, 3F with reduced about 10% from 2F should work fine. My hawken .50 with prb just did not shoot 2F with any accuracy for me. It likes 3F. 60 grains of Schutzen or Swiss it eats. Of course your results may differ.

 

[APG]

I was using 2Fg in my two .50 caliber rifles and 2Fg in my .58 reproduction 1861 Springfield until I could only get 3Fg. It worked great in all of my rifles. Now I only use the 3Fg in my rifles and my cap andball revolvers too.

 

[dave951]

This month’s issue of “Muzzle Blasts “ talks about hunting and some of the loads used. I don’t recall the numbers off hand I’m guessing 100 grains of 3F. Yeah just double checked getting 1750 fps with a .54 incredible. What do think? I’ve read recently here gents using 60. Good Grief that is a big difference. Are the 60 grain users getting pass through kills?

It's a common misconception that you need gobs of powder for "hunting" loads. Let's do a quick comparison. A mundane "powder puff" load used by us N-SSA shooters is about 45g 3f and a 500gr bullet. Translate the 2/3f thing and that's about 50g of 2f. Couple in Swiss being the hottest powder you can get and suddenly you're at about 53g equivalent to a service load. Next, that pokey fat 500gr soft lead minie is trucking along at about 1100fps. Now do the maths and you'll find that's darn near 44mag territory. If a musket with a "powder puff" load is too light, then the 44mag is as well.

The real issue is the horrible ballistic coefficient of a round ball. That entire concept is based around the round ball being the absolute worst bullet design out there. It sheds velocity faster than probably any other shape. That said, it's put game on many tables through the years.

So do you "really" need gobs of powder? I think being able to shoot accurately is far more important, even with a round ball