zimmerstutzen
70 Cal.
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2009
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When I started in muzzleloading, most folks shot only round ball and there were no fast twist flinters. Old line wisdom of the day was:
2fg for bores ovr 45
3fg for bores 45 and under
Target load about 1 grain per caliber (50 cal - 50 grains
Hunting load up to 2 grains per caliber (50 caliber - 100 grains.
Work from there as needed.
Now 45 years later, we have fast twist flint locks shooting elephant skinner sabots and bullets with glow in the dark plastic tips. Most of which come no where near what is required for long range accuracy. The green hill formula is good for such hybrid guns.
The Davenport formula is more a way to establish the point of diminishing returns for powder consumption of a given barrel. For many barrels that comes out around the more accurate load. By point of diminishing returns I am referring to the point at which adding more powder does not yield the same increase in velocity, as the increments before it. For instance in a 28 inch 50 caliber barrel, velocity climbs at a nearly equal amount, until we get to about 90 grains. adding 10 grains to make it 100 will normally result in higher velocity, but not by the same amount at the increase from 70 to 80 or 80 to 90. Going from 100 to 110, also increases velocity, but to an even lesser amount of increase. The theory is that at some point while increasing amounts of powder, as the ball leaves the muzzle more powder gets burned up in the muzzle flash and less of it imparts velocity to the ball. The point of diminshing returns happens to come very close to what some shooters find their barrel shoots best for accuracy. There are those who shoot very slow twists who say 130 grains in their 50 is best on deer. 1, that is minute of deer accuracy, not paper target accuracy and 2, few such shooters have fired the hundreds of shots at various charges to even knowingly make such a judgment.
There is a saying that each and every bore has a single best most accurate charge, patch ball combination. I disagree. I think there may be several such combinations. for each barrel. But such things as rifling configuration, twist and powder charge need be considered. Target shooters often fire thousands of loads through their guns. They may adjust their charge for wind and distance.
They know their gun's sights' difference between sunny days and cloudy.
All the formulas in the world will only get you an approximation of where to start. Some say Dan'l Boone and Davy never used any formulas. And that is true. But they did not design the guns they shot either. They relied on others for that.
2fg for bores ovr 45
3fg for bores 45 and under
Target load about 1 grain per caliber (50 cal - 50 grains
Hunting load up to 2 grains per caliber (50 caliber - 100 grains.
Work from there as needed.
Now 45 years later, we have fast twist flint locks shooting elephant skinner sabots and bullets with glow in the dark plastic tips. Most of which come no where near what is required for long range accuracy. The green hill formula is good for such hybrid guns.
The Davenport formula is more a way to establish the point of diminishing returns for powder consumption of a given barrel. For many barrels that comes out around the more accurate load. By point of diminishing returns I am referring to the point at which adding more powder does not yield the same increase in velocity, as the increments before it. For instance in a 28 inch 50 caliber barrel, velocity climbs at a nearly equal amount, until we get to about 90 grains. adding 10 grains to make it 100 will normally result in higher velocity, but not by the same amount at the increase from 70 to 80 or 80 to 90. Going from 100 to 110, also increases velocity, but to an even lesser amount of increase. The theory is that at some point while increasing amounts of powder, as the ball leaves the muzzle more powder gets burned up in the muzzle flash and less of it imparts velocity to the ball. The point of diminshing returns happens to come very close to what some shooters find their barrel shoots best for accuracy. There are those who shoot very slow twists who say 130 grains in their 50 is best on deer. 1, that is minute of deer accuracy, not paper target accuracy and 2, few such shooters have fired the hundreds of shots at various charges to even knowingly make such a judgment.
There is a saying that each and every bore has a single best most accurate charge, patch ball combination. I disagree. I think there may be several such combinations. for each barrel. But such things as rifling configuration, twist and powder charge need be considered. Target shooters often fire thousands of loads through their guns. They may adjust their charge for wind and distance.
They know their gun's sights' difference between sunny days and cloudy.
All the formulas in the world will only get you an approximation of where to start. Some say Dan'l Boone and Davy never used any formulas. And that is true. But they did not design the guns they shot either. They relied on others for that.
