Pedersoli load limits?

[Fly103]

I have been shooting my new .50cal pedersoli pennsylvania rifle and enjoying the heck out of it other than my misadventure from my other post. I have been shooting 60gr loads of 1.5f because thats all i could find, however i just scored 2lbs of 3f goex and 1lb of 2f goex, hoooray! That brings me to my next question.

The manual included with my pedersoli doesnt include any load data or limits. As I set about working up 2f and 3f loads for it, what should the maximum safe loads be? I know 3f generates higher pressures than 2f and I want to avoid accidently over doing it.

Chris

 

[Art Caputo]

You should have a good margin of safety running 70gr of 3F or 80gr of 2F.

 

[Musketeer]

Pedersoli has a download on their site that gives recommendations. No specific granule sizes are given (2f, 3f, etc.), but they give you a sort of starting load and a maximum load: https://www.davide-pedersoli.com/storage/app/uploads/public/602/248/bde/602248bde0279108526447.pdf

edit: No info given for a .50 Penn rifle, but the loads for their similar rifles in .50 are 55 and 100 grains.

 

[William Lincoln]

Art has it right. The Rifles can often handle double, but I run with 75 grains of Goex ffg in my
hunting Hawkens. Everyone wants the "maximum" which exceeds what you need to get
the job done. Sometimes I used fffg but always 60-80 grains. Use some pyrodex but keep
to the same grain loads. Pedersoli makes a very strong barrel. Having said that, I would
join in with Musketeer and cap the loads at the 100 grain limit or equal with pellets/powder.
Triple 7, 50-60 grains. The actual load you will get to by working up to with targets, so
adjust yourself based upon results. Longer ranges require heavier loads and maybe a
change in projectiles.

 

[Britsmoothy]

You wont over do anything.
If you could overdo a muzzleloader we would know about it.
Load it until you and or it are unhappy.

 

[William Lincoln]

I guess I am overly cautious. Also I get great accuracy with moderate loads vs max loads.

 

[TFoley]

I guess I am overly cautious. Also I get great accuracy with moderate loads vs max loads.

Sir, you have solved your own dilemma!

 

[Rfp10000]

I have been shooting my new .50cal pedersoli pennsylvania rifle and enjoying the heck out of it other than my misadventure from my other post. I have been shooting 60gr loads of 1.5f because thats all i could find, however i just scored 2lbs of 3f goex and 1lb of 2f goex, hoooray! That brings me to my next question.

The manual included with my pedersoli doesnt include any load data or limits. As I set about working up 2f and 3f loads for it, what should the maximum safe loads be? I know 3f generates higher pressures than 2f and I want to avoid accidently over doing it.

Chris

I have a Pedersoli Coach gun and the load recommendation is stamped into the barrel89 grains black powder , 1-1/4 oz shot. No type of powder or shot is there.

I do have a question about volume vs weight measures. I’ve seen this discussed before but if anyone has a clear answer I’d appreciate it.
The volume measure of powder while being the same will have different weight I assume due to the ability to fill air space with the finer ground powders. Similarly in a muzzle loaded shotgun the volume of smaller bird shot would likely weigh more than the same volume of 000 buck shot due to filling more air space. When I checked volume vs weight of powder I did find a difference .
My instincts are to weigh powder in grains & shot in ounces. Once the weight is set I can put it in the volume measure and note what grain amount that shows.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Because we describe loads in grain weight, we should always remember that these descriptions of weight are the volume equivalents of 2fg black powder. The density of the substitutes is considerably less than the density of black powder. 100 grains volume of 2fg black powder will weigh 100 grains on the scale. 100 grains volume of Pyrodex will weigh about 80 grains on the scale. 100 grains volume of Triple Seven will also weigh about 80 grains on the scale.

Keep in mind that all loads recommended are in grains measured by volume. This is especially true when synthetic powder loads are described. 3fg is more dense than 2fg. A 100 grain volume of 3fg will weigh about 103 to 105 grains on the scale.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I do have a question about volume vs weight measures. I’ve seen this discussed before but if anyone has a clear answer I’d appreciate it.
The volume measure of powder while being the same will have different weight I assume due to the ability to fill air space with the finer ground powders. Similarly in a muzzle loaded shotgun the volume of smaller bird shot would likely weigh more than the same volume of 000 buck shot due to filling more air space. When I checked volume vs weight of powder I did find a difference .
My instincts are to weigh powder in grains & shot in ounces. Once the weight is set I can put it in the volume measure and note what grain amount that shows.

Yes that will work.
If you're going to all that trouble, you might check the shot weight of say #4 (turkey, rabbit, and squirrel shot) thrown from your measure, vs. say #6 or #7½ (upland bird and squirrel shot) and see if there is enough of a weight difference to take notice.

The same with the powder. Weigh it see how close it comes to the measure setting. Will likely not make that much of a performance difference but you will know how accurate that measure is with that brand and granulation of powder.

LD

 

[Loyalist Dave]

As far as Pedersoli rifles go, I've shot several in .50 and .54. They all did fine with a 3Fg load in the 70-80 grain range, shooting patched round ball. Some were 1:48 twist barrels, and one was a slower twist.

You'll be fine.

LD