Powder

[Captndan]

50 Cal Hawkins. 1-48 twist. FFG or FFFg?

 

[NorthFork]

Either or. I prefer ffg for 50 and larger. Others use fffg for everything.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Whichever gives acceptable accuracy. Probably about 65 grains (volume).

 

[Dibbuk]

Whichever you can find. I have shot both, but prefer 3F.

 

[Bassdog1]

I have a 54 Renegade and have been able to develop very good loads with both 2F and 3F.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Either is fine. My preference is 3Fg as it is a bit cleaner.

 

[Old Hawkeye]

Depending on the projectile & charge weight you use one may give better accuracy in your particular rifle than the other. I always try both when working up a load for a rifle. Max loads with 3f are lower weight than 2f, so load accordingly.

 

[markh]

Either one, but I use 3F

 

[tenngun]

Two will give a little slower velocity charge for charge. You have to up your charge around ten-twenty percent to get the same velocity. So seventy of three about equals eighty of two. Three is a little more economical to shoot.
Howsomever a 1600 fps load in two f produces lower breech pressure

 

[Yewbender]

I shoot 2F in my .50’s, .54, and .62 and the .36 gets 3F. Both will work, get both and see what shoots the best out of your gun.

 

[hanshi]

I use 3F in everything. But I've also used 2F with equal results; and sometimes it just depended on what was available.

 

[Grenadier1758]

2f will have slightly less recoil than a 3f load even when bumped up to the same velocity. The bad news is that it's really not much different in felt recoil.

 

[Eterry]

If you happen to have a flintlock, (you posted in flintlock rifles), then using fffg as main charge AND as priming powder means one less thing to carry, ie no priming flask needed.

According to Lyman black powder manual you can get by with up to 40% less of fffg compared to ffg.
And it's cleaner burning to boot.