How much Powder?

[ike]

:hmm: I am shooting a Golden Age Classic Flint Lock. Green Mountain .54 cal and 1 in 70 twist. I plan to take it bear hunting in Northern Minnesota. Shoot from a stand at less than 60 yds. Load is .535 Round Ball with .014 Pillow Ticking Patch. With 75 Grains Goes 2f I have a 1 1/2 group of a rest at 50 yds. At 80n Grains Goex the group opens to 3 inches off same rest. At 90 Grains I have a 5 inch group. This is the basic question. How much Goex do I need to take a bear of 250 Lbs shooting from a stand with a rest for my rifle? Thanks in advance for your input. This is my first time bear hunting.

 

[Mike Brooks]

I would use the most accurate load. Shot placement is far more important than velocity.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I agree with Mike. At the short distance you describe, accuracy is more important than velocity. You have more than enough velocity to kill a bear that size with the more accurate load. YOu might try casting some ball with Wheelweights, and see how accurate they will be. If they are okay in the gun, the harder ball will give you more penetration but less expansion than a ball made of pure lead. Either one should work well, however, on a 250 lb. bear.

Do you mind telling us the length of the barrel? And, have you tried using thicker patching?

 

[roundball]

I'll bet lunch if you buy a bag of Oxyoke prelubed wads, and use one as an overpowder wad, those groups will tighten up...and with the smaller groups I'd stay with 90-100grns...get the best of both worlds...power & accuracy

 

[Mike Brooks]

I'd also try a .530 ball and .018 - .020 patch too.

 

[ike]

The barrel is 36 inches. I have not tried the over the powder wad. I do have some of those. I also have some .018 pillow ticking that I can try. It will be a hard start as the .014 pillow ticking takes a good hand smack now. I did examine the patches I shot today and the patches showed cuts on the top of the lands but they were not frayed. This is a gun I built last winter and I have less than 400 rounds shot out of it. I think the barrel is getting smoother by the look of todays patches. Thanks for the suggestions. Keep them comming.

 

I would use the most accurate load. Shot placement is far more important than velocity.

Absolute! (btw, 75gr. of Goex is plenty for your purpose)

Ike,
took me about 400 rounds to shoot in my bbl.- .45 Douglas 42" - kept cutting patches just like yours, but once shot in, accuracy is amazing.
cheers,
:v

 

[Kentuckywindage]

Try this.

Pour the powder down the bore, Take a .014 PT patch then push that down on top of the powder and then load your ball wrapped in a patch. My rifle loves this set up.

I use a .015 patch but its still to thin and burns up with just a single patch and accuracy goes to manure. Using this double patch gives me an average 2" group @ 100 yards using the Double patch, 80gr Pyrodex RS and .530 homemade round ball.

To me, it sounds like your patch is burning up and when you up the charge, accuracy gets worse.

 

[Bobcat]

I have a 36" .54 GM barrel on my rifle, My best load is pure lead .535 ball .020 patch lubed with bore butter and 90 grains of Goex 3f. No burn through and very accurate. This barrel cut group size by almost half just by switching from 2f to 3f. On a good day from the bench 5 shot 50 yard groups will be 1.5 - 2 inches without wiping between shots.

Bob

 

[Emet Huntsman]

I found an overpowder felt wad did miracles for my .54 Lyman GPR. 70 gr 2F .490 RB .015 patch BoreButter lube.

 

[Ethan]

I agree with the others about stuffing a wad over the powder. To shoot the load you want you need to keep the patch from cooking.