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Powder charge at 25 yards
- Thread starter Sharpie44
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Welp 50 grains sounds like a nice even number to me.
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:rotf: Me too but you did say just 25 yards practice.
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Lonegun1894
54 Cal.
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i used to load my CVA .50 with 20grs of 3f goex too let small kids shoot it. Kicks about as much as a .22 magnum out of a modern rifle. Kids loved it. I have used it on rabbits, but have since picked up a .32 that is more appropriate for the task.
Blizzard of '93
Cannon
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ditto buford but I use a 30-30 case of 3f in my .50 (around 46-48 gr or little more.
paulvallandigham
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My brother met a man who was using 27 grains of 3Fg powder to shoot bullseye targets off-hand at 25 yds. Almost no muzzle report to be heard. When my brother asked him why such a light load, the man said, I only have to push that .50 cal. lead ball through a sheet of paper to score, don't I???
Actually , he had sighted his rifle in at 100 yds with his Hunting load, then moved back to 75, 50, and finally 25 yards, and reduced his powder charges so that he used the same sight picture at each distance to hit dead center. The light load he used at 25 yds just happened to be what he needed to hit dead center with his sights set up to hit dead center with his larger, Hunting load.
I share that with you , because you are starting out, and you may just want to follow his example. There is NO need for even medium loads when you are shooting at 25 yds and less. That 180 grain lead ball Hurts even at low velocity at that range. Its more than enough to kill rabbits and squirrels. He had a business card taped to his stock that gave the loads for each distance, BTW. Peter said the light load was certainly sub-sonic, which is just fine for plinking. :hatsoff:
Actually , he had sighted his rifle in at 100 yds with his Hunting load, then moved back to 75, 50, and finally 25 yards, and reduced his powder charges so that he used the same sight picture at each distance to hit dead center. The light load he used at 25 yds just happened to be what he needed to hit dead center with his sights set up to hit dead center with his larger, Hunting load.
I share that with you , because you are starting out, and you may just want to follow his example. There is NO need for even medium loads when you are shooting at 25 yds and less. That 180 grain lead ball Hurts even at low velocity at that range. Its more than enough to kill rabbits and squirrels. He had a business card taped to his stock that gave the loads for each distance, BTW. Peter said the light load was certainly sub-sonic, which is just fine for plinking. :hatsoff:
Skychief
69 Cal.
I shot a match this weekend with my percussion .50 loaded with 40 grains of 3f. I came home with some prizes and a few quarters in my pocket. It shot plenty tight at 25 yard bulls :thumbsup: . Good luck!
Mine likes 65 grn and have killed deer with that load. 70 grns will give you 100 shots per pound which will burn up a store bought box of .490 roundballs. :v
smo said:
Yeah, but a 35 gr load will push 2 boxes of store bought balls through a paper target. :grin: :v
Might need to center the target on a sheet of newsprint to see how low the POI is from POA, then adjust from there.
God bless
tnlonghunter
40 Cal.
I know my .50 will put .490s in the same hole at about 15 yards with 45 grains 3f, but has to be upped to about 55 gr to be very tight at much more than 30 yards. I'd just start around 30-35 grains, shoot 3-4 shots, clean your rifle, and start over with 5 more grains. Keep going until your groups stop tightening and start opening back up and go back to that tightest load.
For me, powder charge ended up being the only critical variable for most off-hand shooting. Maybe your rifle is different and could need adjustments in ball or patch size, lube, powder compression, or how often you swab. Just do it slowly and only change one thing at a time until it all lines up. Also, make sure you hold your mouth right - sometimes that makes all the difference! :grin:
For me, powder charge ended up being the only critical variable for most off-hand shooting. Maybe your rifle is different and could need adjustments in ball or patch size, lube, powder compression, or how often you swab. Just do it slowly and only change one thing at a time until it all lines up. Also, make sure you hold your mouth right - sometimes that makes all the difference! :grin:
Well I never realy knew what i was doing when i hunted white tail deer.
My hunting load is 120gr of 2F with a round ball.
I Just started shooting lack powder for fun after taking it out once a year to hunt for the last 4 years.
I don't even know if 120gr is a good load for this rifle. All I know is that it's the max load for this gun.
My hunting load is 120gr of 2F with a round ball.
I Just started shooting lack powder for fun after taking it out once a year to hunt for the last 4 years.
I don't even know if 120gr is a good load for this rifle. All I know is that it's the max load for this gun.
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Whats the avg distance you finding your shooting deer at?
paulvallandigham
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The Max load listed relates to products liability, not accuracy. It is the vary RARE gun that shoots a Max. charge the best. It happens, of course, but its very rare. Use the Davenport formula to determine what powder can be burned in our barrel:
11.5 grains per cubic inch of bore. ( 11.5 grains times 1/2 Bore Diameter, squared, times 3.1416,[Pi R squared] times length of barrel= maximum efficient powder charge.)
Then reduce that by 10% to look for an accuracy load.
Shooting Factory Maximum charges is just blowing off Testosterone. That's okay for teenage boys, who have an excess of testosterone, but come on. I suspect you can find better uses for your testosterone.
11.5 grains per cubic inch of bore. ( 11.5 grains times 1/2 Bore Diameter, squared, times 3.1416,[Pi R squared] times length of barrel= maximum efficient powder charge.)
Then reduce that by 10% to look for an accuracy load.
Shooting Factory Maximum charges is just blowing off Testosterone. That's okay for teenage boys, who have an excess of testosterone, but come on. I suspect you can find better uses for your testosterone.
Well the last doe I killed at ~40-45 yards and the buck before that was at about 50 maybe a little less.
I know the gun shoots a little high so i can account for that. last year I had a grate shot at a 4 point buck that might have had brow points but I completely missed at about 35-40 yards. Not a drop of blood on the ground.
I know the gun shoots a little high so i can account for that. last year I had a grate shot at a 4 point buck that might have had brow points but I completely missed at about 35-40 yards. Not a drop of blood on the ground.
lol yes that is true.
I'm only concerned about getting the deer. Like I said I know very little the proper use of black powder.
If I want to blow of testosterone I'll grab the .460 weatherby and lose the use of my right arm for a day. I'm over that kind of cheep thrills. I want to start hitting bulls eyes with my flint lock and actually know what I'm doing.
I'm only concerned about getting the deer. Like I said I know very little the proper use of black powder.
If I want to blow of testosterone I'll grab the .460 weatherby and lose the use of my right arm for a day. I'm over that kind of cheep thrills. I want to start hitting bulls eyes with my flint lock and actually know what I'm doing.
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sharpie44 said:
I honestly would work up a accurate load shooting somewhere between 80 to 100 grains of powder. I know roundball likes a stout load so hes ready for any situation so hes probably close to 100gr in his .50 but don't quote me. If your majority of shots are under say 75 yards a good accurate load between 80 and 100 should do you just fine.Remember ball placement is key, make sure its in the vitals.
I use 90gr load in my .58 and 82 gr load in my .12 smoothie and keep my shots under 75 yards. My avg shots on deer are between 40 and 50 yards so mine are real thumpers at those ranges.
Well I've only gotten two with the flint lock so far. All my others have been with my .270 and 30-30 marlin.
Out in PA where I hunt it's almost impossible to get a shot over 75 yards unless your in a tree stand over looking a field.
I always shoot right behind the shoulder or as close as I can get. That seems to drop them pretty well.
It's waiting for the right shot to present it's self that kills me.
I'll start testing loads as soon as i can get out to the farm. I can set up a target at 50 yards there and get some good range time for free.
Out in PA where I hunt it's almost impossible to get a shot over 75 yards unless your in a tree stand over looking a field.
I always shoot right behind the shoulder or as close as I can get. That seems to drop them pretty well.
It's waiting for the right shot to present it's self that kills me.
I'll start testing loads as soon as i can get out to the farm. I can set up a target at 50 yards there and get some good range time for free.
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