Powder charge for deer hunting using Swiss 2F

[David G]

Greetings, I'm new to this site and have really enjoyed reading all the information that is shared here. I have a Southern Mountain Flintlock by TVM (Matt Avance). It has a 42 inch swamped .50 cal barrel with the round grove rifling and 1 in 56 inch twist. I'm working up the most accurate load for the rifle and have found it. Let me first say, I have done a good deal of experimenting with various brands and granulation sizes of powder, various sizes of round balls, different thicknesses of patching,etc.. So to make a long story well... longer- What it likes the best is 66 grs of Swiss 2F with a .495 RB, the patching material is around .015. The question is do you guys think the 66 grs is sufficient enough to take Whitetail deer out to 75 yds? I like to hunt in and around pretty thick cover so the majority of my shots are 30 to 40 yds or less. But one never knows when a longer shot may present itself. I'm one of the guys that would prefer a pass through shot to get as much blood out of the deer as possible for tracking. I also understand there is no given answer or result of what a ball will do when it strikes a deer. I just want to be sure that it's packing plenty of punch. Any opinions would be appreciated and I've also heard that Swiss powder yields higher velocities.

 

[rabjr]

Not a .50 but I do know a .12 ga smoothie shooting a .715 ball on top of 82 gr of Swiss 2F has a sledge hammer effect at 75 yards. Someone might be able to do some fancy math here....

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I figure you have a good load. :thumbsup:

 

[jethro224]

The biggest buck I ever shot in my life (check my avatar, went over 200 lbs dressed) was killed with one shot from a .50 GPR at 100 yards with .490 round ball over 70 grains of 2F Goex. Got a double lung pass-thru. YMMV.

 

[blueridger]

I've killed two deer with 72 grains of 3f in a .50 with rpb. One was 50 yards, and the other was 90 yards. Both killed with one shot

 

[David G]

Swamp Rat, I bet that one is a thumper.

 

[rabjr]

It is! :grin:
[url] http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/213432/[/url]
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[David G]

Nice deer Swamp Rat and a perty smoothie to boot!

 

[Herb]

David- yes, that is a powerful load. I chronographed .490 cast round balls with Swiss 2F in three .50's I built. First is a 32" caplock J. H. Johnston (Great Western Gun Works, Pittsburgh): 50 gr Swiss 2F, 1489 fps for 5. 90 grains, 1982 and 1987, 5 each. Next, a Jacob Wigle (Westmoreland Co., PA flint, 38"): 50 gr, 1523 fps/5, 80 gr 1857/5. Then a Joel Ferree 38" flint, 80 gr Swiss 2F 1938/7 and 1922 for 5. With a quick graph, 66 grains would probably do about 1700 fps. That is a powerful load, equal to about 70 grains of Goex 3F or 75 grains of Goex 2F. Aim for the heart/lung area and not the neck, and sharpen you skinning knife before you go!

 

[David G]

Herb, thanks for the info!