How much powder to use?

[Bobwhyte]

I just purchased a used Traditions 50 cal flintlock and I no clue how much powder to start off with. Can anyone please give me some guidance on what to start out with?
Thank you for your help.
Charlie

 

[David W.]

Personally, I would start with 60 gr FFFg, and work up to about 90 gr. FFFg will work both in th bore, and the pan. The low end being target. FFg is OK to use in the bore, but not so well in the pan.

Substitutes don't work very well in a flintlock.

 

[Hans74]

I have read in the old writings on this subject. It was said put the ball in the palm of your hand and cover the ball with powder till it just covers the ball and this was the load to use.
I have found that works out pretty close.

 

[ncmtmike]

60grs FFFg is good

 

[Rifleman1776]

I am a caliber rule of thumb guy. Using real black powder, start at 50 grains. Shoot to test and work up, if needed.

 

[nchawkeye]

.50 for a target, small game load and 70-90 for a big game load...

 

[cynthialee]

I have read in the old writings on this subject. It was said put the ball in the palm of your hand and cover the ball with powder till it just covers the ball and this was the load to use.
I have found that works out pretty close.

It does work in a pinch but you get a lite charge. Last time I did some testing on it the powder charge for a .490 cal roundball in the palm of my hand is just exactly 50 grains of 3F just about every time.
Now that would work just great for the CVA rifle I have, but that charge isn't gonna give me any accuracy out of any of my other rifles.

 

[Walks with fire]

Most barrels will have 2 sweet spots but most slow twists will do well with just about any load. A couple of my TC .50 with 1/66 twist like 60 grains on the bottom and 90 grains 3f Goex at the top end. The 32" barrel will go to 110 grains of 3f and still hold accuracy.

I like 80-90 grains for my .50's for deer and 60 grains for fun shooting. Lower charges beat the pants off most of the guys I shoot against. When we shoot at the same time one of my buddy's comments are about how much faster his ball hits the target. Most times I am shooting a short carbine barrel but I never let on that it's a reduced charge too. Winner Winner chicken dinner. :haha:

 

[Rifleman1776]

Most barrels will have 2 sweet spots but most slow twists will do well with just about any load.

:nono: Hugely disagree. :shake:

 

[hanshi]

I've found MLs to be quite friendly with about any reasonable load and will shoot well with most any load you feed it. Of course it may be that I'm a lousy shot, ahem! :idunno:

Good advice to start at around 50 grains 3F and work up in 5 grain increments to where your accuracy doesn't improve. This will probably be between 60 grains and 80 grains. Also don't be afraid to find a target/plinking load below 50 grains. You don't need a blasting load for fun shooting.

 

[Hans74]

My .530 ball gets 60+- grains a little dropped from the horn with 2F and that is close to the 65 gr I use for the local matches inside 50 yards. I get a good crack report from the rifle instead a boom and not much orange coming out of the muzzle.

 

[longcruise]

My guns all shoot pretty well with anything that you might rank from light to heavy loads. For me, light in a .50 is 40 grains 3f and heavy is 80 grains 3f.

It's really about what you intend to do with it. For targets, as light as you can go with good accuracy and still penetrate the paper. :wink: Big game hunting, as heavy as you can go and still maintain adequate accuracy for hunting. Personally, I draw the line at 90 grains of 3f in a .50 since it will handle th game most often pursued with a .50. Namely deer.

 

[David W.]

Apparently, there are all too many answers. Load up yer rifle, try all the different combinations, and find what works for you! Merry Christmas everyone!!!

 

[oldwoodswalker]

i dont see anyone mentioning to use only black powder so i will good luck :thumbsup:

 

[Wes/Tex]

Apparently, there are all too many answers. Load up yer rifle, try all the different combinations, and find what works for you! Merry Christmas everyone!!!

This is about the best advise I could come up with too. Have found the powder poured over ball thing usually amounts to about the balls' diameter in grains, so those two even out. basically, you're safe with the caliber in grains, 50 in a .50 and will have to experiment with about 5 grain changes till the gun shows good results. Then it's possible to fine tune using changes in patch thickness, lube or even ball diameter. Change ONE thing at a time and don't be in hurry. Good luck.

 

[David W.]

I did.

i dont see anyone mentioning to use only black powder so i will good luck :thumbsup:

 

[nkbj]

Well, maybe start by going to Traditions and seeing if you can download a manual for your gun. Sometimes you can maximize a muzzleloaders performance by staying with the manufacturer's published data and finagling with how you load it, trying different patch thicknesses, different lubes and over powder card, paper or patch to find a way to coerce it into good accuracy. That's an approach for hunting if you do and it's what you wish to do.
For target only loads there is of course a whole different approach.

 

[nwtradegun]

use the load combo that is the most accurate in ur rifle for the intended use. ie low charge for target work. heavier for hunting. you will also need to try different diameter round balls and patches.

 

[john p. madaus]

80 gr 2f works pretty good in my traditions hawken woodsman. .490 roundball 0.015 pre lubed patches.

 

[Bobwhyte]

I would like to thank everyone that responded back to me so fast on this subject. I plan on going to the range Tuesday and try them out. At least I now have a stating point to work from. I tried looking at the charts from Traditions and could not figure them out. I am planning on going out the first day of second season here in PA. with it so I have a few days to play with it.
Thanks and Merry Christmas to all.