Max Woodsrunner 54 Load

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mrfritz44

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I searched this forum and DuckDuckGo but didn't see an answer to my question regarding the max advisable load for my 54 Woodsrunner.

As a function of powder size, powder charge, and projectile weight, what's the heaviest load you've consistently shot this gun?

Maybe there's published numbers i just missed?
 
I'm considering pushing a few Minies through the gun which are quite heavy and I primarily use 3F. I'm trying to gauge when heavy may morph into unsafe.
 
Magnumitis and round balls do not go together. Moderate loads, in whatever caliber, will be absolutely effective on game, with proper shot placement. If shot placement is poor, a round ball at higher velocity will be no more effective, and will result in a wounded animal.

I currently shoot a .50, a .58, and a 24 gauge smoothbore. I have also owned a .54 in the distant past. I've never had a load that exceeded 70 grs. of 3f.

Your barrel is a round ball barrel. MInnies will shoot poorly, and raise pressures. I would recommend contacting Jim Kibler and his staff on the matter of using minnies.
 
I'm considering pushing a few Minies through the gun which are quite heavy and I primarily use 3F. I'm trying to gauge when heavy may morph into unsafe.
I asked once before some time ago about experimenting with Minie balls and was advised not to waste my lead and powder. I didn't. The twist rate of the bore on all of Kibler's rifled guns is too slow to properly spin up a conical projectile.
 
I also heard that Minies wouldn't work from a barrel with this twist but I also read this post that suggests they can be made to work well and provide extra punch:

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/pa-conical-vs-54-rb-advice.188582/#post-2758315

That said, I asked because I'm curious about max recommended load for this thin barrel given I could be shooting a 400+ grain projectile.

Maybe that kind of data hasn't been worked up for this barrel the way it was for the old TC's?
 
The twist rate of the bore on all of Kibler's rifled guns is too slow to properly spin up a conical projectile.
I also heard that Minies wouldn't work from a barrel with this twist
Many accurate rifle muskets out there shooting big conicals with 1:70" twist for 150+ years. Many satisfied users of conicals shot out of lots of things with 1:48" twist.

If you are shooting the short stubby bullets, it's more about projectile fitment to the bore and rifling profile compatibility than it is the rate of spin. This definitely changes when you move to a longer projectile that really does need a lot of spin to keep from tumbling.

As for the OP, I do believe it was answered quite nicely by @Phil Coffins.
 
If your primary objective is to deliver 400 grain projectiles with extra punch then the Woodsrunner is the wrong choice. A Civil War era rifle musket such as an Enfield Pattern 1853 or a Springfield Model 1861 is what you need. The Woodsrunner rifle was optimized to shoot only roundballs 100 years before hollow base conicals had been invented. A .45-70 trapdoor Springfield is an even better choice if you don't have to have a muzzleloader. My advice is to heed Phil Coffins' excellent recommendation.
 
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Seems a bit stout for thin skinned deer size game but that seems like a real good load for large bodied game like bear and elk.
Ohio Rusty ><>
Yeah. Just turned out that I started with that and it zeroed right where I wanted and my groups are good. Gonna stick with it.

It does pack a punch though lol.
 


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