Flintlock Light Loads?

[macentyre]

...just reduce the loads as has been suggested, you will find what you want and it will be a joy to shoot, and if you work it right you won't have to adjust the sights from the light load to the heavy hunting load.

I agree... that's a far better pursuit than a cat sneeze. Thanks!

 

[Col. Batguano]

So long as the flame can get to the powder, and ignite it reliably that's going to be the minimum usable load. Accuracy is a different matter, and needs to be worked up separately, but I would add a few grains to the minimum needed just in case the powder settled a little differently from shot to shot, or compression varied a little, too slobbery of a patch that wet the powder at the top or somewhere in the powder column. You get the idea.

 

[coloradoclyde]

They did ricochet badly, but I was protected, and I shot at a slight angle to the plywood target.

The problem with ricochets is that there is no way to predict where it is going to go. I had one come straight back and smack me square in the chest.

consider yourself warned!
Same goes for not having the ball seated on the powder charge

 

[Rhett Griffith]

I often use 30 grains of FFFg in my .50 for squirrels/plinking. If I remember right, this chronographed around 1200 fps out of a 42" barrel. But as reported here by others, point of impact is an inch or two low. This load also enables my little boys to shoot the big gun without much recoil.

A few months ago, I shot completely through a yellow pine 2x6 while clearing a dryball. :shocked2: I had trickled FFFFg into the touchhole and it couldn't have been more than 5 grains, so don't think these reduced loads can't be deadly!

 

[jrbaker90]

I have been shooting .30 grains with both my flint and my percussion to me its about like a 22 its not loud I am going down to 20 grains and try it.

 

[Kapow]

You mean like this? Never gets old... :rotf:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy3cgZhMpts

 

[Walks with fire]

That's going to leave a mark. Wow; a 20ml ball. I wonder how heavy that is and how fast it was going?

 

[Col. Batguano]

Ouch!

 

[Semisane]

Fake video. Notice the gal already has red on her hand when she approaches, the the towel already has red on it before she puts it on the guy's head.

 

[coloradoclyde]

yep! I almost posted that myself I love that guys videos.

 

[macentyre]

Fake video explained by the victim himself...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc5HUS8dLN0

 

[coloradoclyde]

Let me clarify a bit. I enjoy Jorg Spraves slingshot engineering.
Yes it’s a fake video but it does illustrate what can happen. I hope you have more luck than you do experience. :v

 

[macentyre]

I hope you have more luck than you do experience. :v

That's not a nice thing to say, especially since I haven't disputed a anything you have posted... and you don't know anything about my experience.

:idunno:

 

[coloradoclyde]

No disrespect intended. Just hope that you understand the potential consequences of operating outside of a given envelope of safety.

 

[macentyre]

:bow:

 

[macentyre]

...er, wish I could remove that last post, being as it was just plain rude!

I'm sorry, Clyde!

 

[twig]

I shoot about 1o -12 gr out of my 36...it is good to 40 yards for tree rats. at 50 it really shoots low. it leaves a nice little hole in the critters...For chucks i shoot 20 grains...kills pasture grizzly really dead. :wink:

 

[Kapow]

Well thanks a bunch for spoiling it for me! I still think it's real. Any thoughts on the easter bunny?

 

[salkehatchie]

In general, I know guys who use over 110 grains of powder for bp loads. Right. OK for them.

I used to [ have not shot a grain of bp for about a year. Health, surgery and other wise reasons. That is gonna change!] but would regularly on my .45 and .62 - use powder loads less than 35 and 60 respectively; to plink. And never at under 50 yds could tell the difference. Enough that it mattered to me or the gun from what I could tell.

Heck smokeless guys use "lighter" loads all the time for target work. And as for hunting at shorter distances, I never noticed any significant differences, other than less recoil and less noise.

There is the theory that you should use in the field what you use on the range. What my .mil buds tell me. Then again, t'ain't what they do for Uncle. But...I guess talk to a pro on that.

 

[macentyre]

So, my thinking on starting this thread was to find out if I could shoot cat sneezes... the lightest load, good for back yards. Clearly, I need a small caliber rifle for that, else the round ball is too heavy.

What ya'll are shooting are what I call Trapper loads. Trappers used to carry a 16" 30-30 with full power loads, using 150 grain bullets, just in case... but they also had cartridges with 85 grain bullets for small game. The light load had the same muzzle velocity as the heavy load, so for short range work, the sights would work for both.

I'll have a chance to give some 50 caliber light loads a try on Monday, using my lefty Lyman Deerstalker.