Minimum powder charge in a .50 cal rifle?

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gcebulka

40 Cal.
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Hello All,
My 11 year old niece want's to try shooting my 50 cal, flintlock with me. Gotta love this kid :thumbsup:
I usually shoot target at 50yds with, 50gr 3f, .490/.15 ball/patch combo. This works fine for me, but, then again, I'm 6ft tall at 200+ lbs.
I want to show her how to load and fire the rifle at 25yards. So my questions is does anybody have any recomendations on what the minimum powder charge I can use with a .490 RB, .10 patch combo that will give reasonable accuracy at 25yds and won't knock her around too much?
My goal with this is to teach some basics, let her experience the "smoke and glory" and leave her wanting to try it again.

Thanks,
George
 
GeorgeC said:
Hello All,
My 11 year old niece want's to try shooting my 50 cal, flintlock with me. Gotta love this kid :thumbsup:
I usually shoot target at 50yds with, 50gr 3f, .490/.15 ball/patch combo. This works fine for me, but, then again, I'm 6ft tall at 200+ lbs.
I want to show her how to load and fire the rifle at 25yards. So my questions is does anybody have any recomendations on what the minimum powder charge I can use with a .490 RB, .10 patch combo that will give reasonable accuracy at 25yds and won't knock her around too much?
My goal with this is to teach some basics, let her experience the "smoke and glory" and leave her wanting to try it again.
Thanks,
George
Don't know what you're shooting but as one reference I personally know that 20-30grns Goex 3F is a powder puff charge and accurate in .50cal TC Hawken...
 
I recently started a new shooter off with 40 gr ffg. Did it more to eliminate a flinch before it started.
Regards,
Pletch
 
roundball said:
Don't know what you're shooting but as one reference I personally know that 20-30grns Goex 3F is a powder puff charge and accurate in .50cal TC Hawken...

I've got a Hawken and a Renegade. I was thinking of having her use the Renegade as it is a bit lighter and smaller with simpler sights. I was thinking about starting her from a seated, bench position with a front rest. Don't get me wrong, When she was 9, I watched her don a pair of work gloves, pickup a crowbar and start tearing off siding during a remodeling job I was helping her dad with... But, I do want to stack the deck a bit in her favor when it come to hitting the target... What can I say, I'm a doting uncle :redface:
 
Stumpkiller said:
I like that suggestion. 25 or 30 gr. You want enough "oompf" that you know it went off (not a misfire). Too little with a flinter and it may all jet out the vent and leave the ball mid-barrel.

Answers like this is why I love this forum. I never would have considered that.

Thanks for the headsup

PS,
Now, can you tell me how I can explain to her where "Moose Snot" comes from and how one goes about collecting it? :rotf: With luck, I'll be able to get a picture of her....Her disgust/ick type expressions are priceless...
 
My 14 yr old daughter enjoys 50 gr charge behind a PRB in my .50 flintlock. You might start with 25 and work up. We use the 50 gr because it is more accurate in that gun than 25 but I think learning technique is more important than true accuracy as long as the load will provide confirmation of a hit. Hole in target or tin can topples over. Once the basics are learned move to the most accurate loads to refine the lessons.
 
I would agree that 25-35 gr of powder would make a real pleasant load with just a bit of gun movement, certainly not recoil of objectoinal or at all unpleasant levels. I use 35 gr of powder for youth field day events in .45 cal rifles as light as 6 lbs. Even the smallest of the kids can't wait to shoot again. Only occaisionally did I have a reluctant kid, out of 100 kids at the event, and usually managed to get him-her to try a shot or two. I can't think of one that tried a shot or two that didn't come up with a grin. :grin:
 
I know that you where looking at 50 cal, but my .45 cal target load out to 100 yards is 25 grains of 3F with PRB which is very accurate and comfortable. One of the locals here uses 30 grains in his .50 for target shoots.
 
Use a nice BIG target pretty close, and put an orange sticky in the middle. I did this with my grandson and he lit up like a christmas tree when he put the first one into the ten ring. Hasnt stopped since, it warms the heart, good smoke, ron in FL
 
Even better put a box in center so just hitting it first time is a rush. ( it works on real young ones) Fred :hatsoff:
 
Most of the load info above seems like a good starting place for you. Also agree that targets that give a "show" can be greatly entertaining for younger shooters. In the state sponsered shoot I am blessed to be a part of, we start them out shooting at clay targets hung below the target board. One year we even policed up a case of pop that had been perculating in a tin shed all through a hot South Texas summer. I stood them on top of the target board after a good shake and were rewarded with some Olympic grade explosions. Couldn't keep them away from the muzzleloading station after the word got out! Good luck.
 
Hey George C, :hatsoff:

I picked up my 10 year old son a 50 cal CVA Youth Muzzleloader Caplock on Gunbroker last year about this time. It's a short little gun, 40 inches maybe? with a shock absorbing butt plate. So far I've had him loading a .490 ball with a .010 patch (it has a really tight barrel), and 30 grain of Goex 3f. He is still getting the sighting set in his head, but when he connects, the s--t eating grin is what makes it the fun that it is.
We go out shooting with the cousins every now and then and usually take some 2 liter bottles with food colored water as some fun targets. We also hang clay birds from the tree branches.
Good luck and have fun!! :hatsoff:

grumpy bear
 
I had an old friend tell me once that he only used 25 grains of powder in his flintlock when he shot targets at 100 yards. I remembered that for sevral years until I decided to try it myself. In a fast twist barrel it seems to work. I've started shooting 25 grains at 25 yards and 35 at 100 yards. It works fine.
 
I've had kids start out with 18grs of FFFg in my 50 cal Jeager, then let them work up to a load that's comfortable for them.
You can shoot accurately at 25yds with 25gr.
Cheers Teach.
 
In our YHEC group, we used 50 grains of 2f for young shooters without trouble. It is not a punishing round. For some of the smaller kids, we loaded down to 35 grains. Recoil never seemed to be an issue. In fact, they loved the push of the ML over the crack of the .22. The smoke was popular too.

I would think that you would want to focus more on the prime since that is the bigger concern when learning a flintlock.

CS
 
That's a good point CS.When my grandson Jared asked to shoot my rifle for the first time,and knowing he was leary of recoil .I let him "flash the pan" to be accustomed to it.
JaredJeager001.jpg


For his first shot I just loaded powder and a patch, to gain his confidence.As you can see he didn't have any problem.
JaredJeager003.jpg

He now has a .32cal CVA squirrel rifle and a .45 cal T/C Cherokee,as well as a couple of .22.
Cheers Teach.
 
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