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RANGE TEST: 4F main charge in .58cal Flintlock

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roundball

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Conducted experiments this morning using 4F as main charges for target/plinking loads in my .58cal Flintlock, .015" patch, Remington .570's.

30grns 4F was actually unuseable, sounded like an air gun...PHFFFTTTTT-BLOOP...even had one instance where the ball did not exit the barrel;

40grns 4F was very useable, mild, the rifle sounded like a rifle, but no recoil / rifle movement;

50grns 4F acted like a real powder charge, had a good report to it, got a little recoil and rifle movement;
(10.5lb rifle)

Had to plug the vent with a pipe cleaner each time to prevent the fine powder from blowing out the vent when seating the ball, but it's a good way to use up that left over can of Elephant 4F I had and save a can of good Goex in the process.....more importantly I got some real first hand knowledge about using 4F powder as main powder charges, at least those amounts in the big bore of a .58cal...40/50grns is an excellent plinking charge.

Will try the remaining 4F in a smaller caliber next...smaller bore volume as far as pressure goes, but at the same time a smaller/lighter ball...so I'll step up through the same increments of 30/40/50grns and see how it comes along.
 
And the purpose of these "experiments" would be? Is there any chance after all these years of persons shooting black powder that it has been determined that 4F works best in the priming pan? :hmm:
 
1776Patriot said:
And the purpose of these "experiments" would be? Is there any chance after all these years of persons shooting black powder that it has been determined that 4F works best in the priming pan? :hmm:

Reread my post:

".....it's a good way to use up that left over can of Elephant 4F I had and save a can of good Goex in the process....."
 
roundball said:
".....it's a good way to use up that left over can of Elephant 4F I had and save a can of good Goex in the process....."

I have an old Lyman BP Handbook (1975) that gives load data for both .31 and .36 cal revolvers using FFFFg, though the pressure increases in the .36 were quite dramatic. 15 gr. of FFFg behind a 150 gr. .375 ball produced around 8,500 LUP (lead units of pressure), while 15 gr. of FFFFg with the same ball put out 11,200 LUP. :shocked2: The little .31's seemed to work great with it. Course, they were only loading 10-12 gr.
I'm not suggesting anybody go out and buy a .31 revolver just to use up their Elephant FFFFg, but if you already have one, it would be a good and fun way to burn the stuff off. :grin: :hatsoff:
 
My apologies. I missed that about the Elephant powder. Good experimenting. We'll await the full report. :hatsoff:
 
Musketeer Von Blunderbuss "...a 150 gr. .375 ball..." [/quote said:
:hmm: does the Lyman manual list a .375dia ball at 150grns?
A .440 ball only weighs 128grns...
 
roundball said:
:hmm: does the Lyman manual list a .375dia ball at 150grns?
A .440 ball only weighs 128grns...

Sorry, my mistake. The 150 gr. .375 projectile was a conical. :redface: The .375 RB is listed as 81 gr. :shake: Come to think of it, the .454 balls I use in my 1860 are only around 140 gr. My mind musta bin wanderin'... :haha:
 
Musketeer Von Blunderbuss said:
roundball said:
:hmm: does the Lyman manual list a .375dia ball at 150grns?
A .440 ball only weighs 128grns...

Sorry, my mistake. The 150 gr. .375 projectile was a conical. :redface: The .375 RB is listed as 81 gr. :shake: Come to think of it, the .454 balls I use in my 1860 are only around 140 gr. My mind musta bin wanderin'... :haha:

Iffin its like me ... its all that turkey n dressin comin out my ears today! :snore:

Davy
 
Davy said:
Iffin its like me ... its all that turkey n dressin comin out my ears today! :snore:

Davy
Phwew! Is that what that stuff comin' outta my ears is? Man, fer a second I thought it was brains... :rotf: :blah:
 
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