Swiss 3F or 2F in 50 Caliber flintlocks?

[stickbow59]

I have two 50 Calibers, one with a 38" Getz Swamped barrel and the other is a Kibler Colonial with Rice Barrel, I think it's 43" or close. I've been using the Swiss 3F with good results but am curious if 2F may do great. I'm close to needing to place an order so that's the reason for my question? Thank You

 

[bldtrailer]

The top 2 targets are 70grns swiss 3f 50 and 100yrds bench green mnt 36 in .50
the lower are 44inch gezt barrel swiss 2 f and 3f at 50yrds bench
all else is the same .490 ball .020 patch and tallow lube

 

[Boston Bill]

From what I have read on this forum you can experiment with either to find out which performs best in your smoke poles.

 

[Spikebuck]

What Boston Bill said. And you may find that the same granulation in different brands or grades shoots differently.

 

[Magungo1066]

Like said above. Likely 3f but both will work honestly.

 

[deermanok]

An old friend gifted me several pounds of Goex 3f powder a few years ago. I always used 2f powder but when I started running low on the 2f, I started using the 3f and have used 3f ever since.
I use less powder and I think it shoots just as good and seems cleaner burning.
I recently bought some Swiss and Old Ensyford, just to try something different than Goex.
I really like the Swiss powder, with the Old Ensyford a close second.

 

[bldtrailer]

Swiss seems cleaner/less fouling with no crud ring and faster in my guns / less powder used and very consistent shot to shot and lot to lot

 

[stickbow59]

I'll be sticking with the Swiss 3F from what everyone has said. It works well for me so won't be changing, I'll just be ordering more. Thanks everyone for the information!

 

[olskool]

i am a goex man. my 54 likes 2f ol eynsford. my 62s like 3 or 2f, plain goex. my 40 gets 3f,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[blackhorse]

How is it that there were supposed to be great sharpshooters in the olden days when I would speculate that black powder could have been less consistent than it is today. Just thinking out loud

 

[Grenadier1758]

Ah, @blackhorse , the tales we tell are often at odds with the facts.

 

[Hawken]

How is it that there were supposed to be great sharpshooters in the olden days when I would speculate that black powder could have been less consistent than it is today. Just thinking out loud

I've wondered about that. But then had different grades of blackpowder then, just like today. The best powder was said to be French, perhaps. Expensive, no doubt. Good blackpowder was available then, but mostly had to be imported.

They would save up to buy the good stuff if they could, at any rate. The dirty, smoky lesser powders were used for less important tasks, shotguns, cannon, swivel guns. And like Golf, it ain't the clubs. They were good shots with what they had to work with.

 

[olskool]

i am a member of a cowboy gun forum. some on there have dissembled original BP cartridge's, they claim the BP is a better quality than what we have today. i have no idea if this is true, but they think so,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Ben Meyer]

In my rifle, 70gr of 3f Swiss and 80gr of 2f Swiss shoots just about the same. I use 2f, prime with 4f.

 

[tenngun]

To get the same velocities you can use less three f then two. However you get a lower breech pressure per velocity with two.
Lyman did test with CH three one used to be able to get here in US. Their three f made for low velocity but note in a .50 loaded with GO vs CH in a 28” barrel
70 grains GO produced a velocity of 1587 fps compared to 70 grains CH’s 1490.
One had to go to 80 grains CH to get 1589..... but breech pressure was 9400 lup for the Go compared to 6700lup for the CH
Ch three preformed very close to GO two, you shoot about 10% more to get same velocity, but your pressures remain lower
I don’t think in a modern steel barrel loaded with reasonable charges that’s a problem, but something to think about if you have a thinner barrel

 

[stickbow59]

Thanks

 

[user 48679]

I use FFFg in my .50 A&H flintlock for both main charge & prime, and never had an issue.

If it ain't broke, don't "fix" it...……

 

[Bob McBride]

Odds are one or the other will give a slightly superior group in a given gun and if recoil and or muzzle velocity is a factor, depending on what you're doing, you have that consideration as well. I like to try them both in .45-.54 to see what it looks like. Any excuse to shoot more is an excuse worth using....

 

[Grenadier1758]

How is it that there were supposed to be great sharpshooters in the olden days when I would speculate that black powder could have been less consistent than it is today. Just thinking out loud

Ah, @blackhorse , the tales we tell are often at odds with the facts.

And when the facts are long forgotten, all that's left are the tales.

 

[brotherlloyd]

shoot it and see what it likes. i cut my teeth with 3f but after years of trial i like 2f for lower pressure and shoots very good. deer don't complain