Swiss in small bores

[Siringo]

I recently finished a Kibler SMR in 36 caliber. This is my first small bore muzzleloader. I began working up my load using Swiss 3F. The load that seemed the most consistent (at 50 yards) was 30 grains. I used .015, .018 and .020 patches. The Swiss destroyed the .015 patches and burned holes in the other two thicknesses. The barrel is coned so the patches are not torn. Anyone else have experience with Swiss in small bores?

 

[Dwight Rutherford]

What is the size of the balls?

 

[SDSmlf]

Anyone else have experience with Swiss in small bores?

I have burned pounds of 3F and 4F Swiss in 32 caliber guns. 12 to 15 grains typical powder charge.

 

[hanshi]

My .32 flintlock reall loves Swiss 3F. Not that I won't stop experimenting with loads. So far the best accuracy was with 20 grains.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

I get excellent accuracy in .36 and .40 rifles with Swiss 3f.

 

[Bassdog1]

Get really good accuracy with Swiss in 32 and 36. But have never needed anything over 25 grains for my shooting.

 

[Yewbender]

3F Swiss works great in my .36 longrifle. My load is 35gr .018 pillow ticking lubed with mink oil, Frontiers Lube with bear oil, or just plain ole spit and no problems at all.

 

[david w]

I find 20 to 25 gr. Swiss 3f with a .350 ball, and .023" pocket drill lubed with moose milk to be very accurate in my .36 SMR.

 

[Yewbender]

Ha ha, i forgot the ball size of .350 to my load.

 

[Daryl Crawford]

I'm using 22gr of 3f in my 32 lately. Seems to work well. May be a dumb question but are your patches well lubed? Had some purchased patches that were "pre-lubed" and really weren't. Added my olive oil and bees wax lub and had no issues.

 

[Bob McBride]

Swiss 3f for me. Different charges for different guns/scenarios but I find less than 36g ideal for me in all situations. Usually more like 20-30g. Thicker patches always did me better than thin.

 

[Siringo]

What is the size of the balls?

0.350. As far as I know that is the only size commercially available. It’s a rice barrel.

 

[Siringo]

I

I'm using 22gr of 3f in my 32 lately. Seems to work well. May be a dumb question but are your patches well lubed? Had some purchased patches that were "pre-lubed" and really weren't. Added my olive oil and bees wax lub and had no issues.

I have used a variety of patches and thicknesses. As a habit I wipe every shot, so the bore condition is consistent. My best group so far was using Old Eynsford. It is not as hot as Swiss, but I don’t want to settle on this because my supply is not infinite. 30 grains of 3f OE shoots to the exact point of impact at 50 yards as 35 grains of 2F OE. The nod goes to the 2F. Best accuracy with any load comes with the usage of a tight weave 0.020 patch.

I want my go to powder to be Swiss. Seems I might have to explore lighter charges.

 

[Siringo]

Swiss 3f for me. Different charges for different guns/scenarios but I find less than 36g ideal for me in all situations. Usually more like 20-30g. Thicker patches always did me better than thin.

Thanks Bob for the info. Part of my issue that I resolved was benching the Kibler SMR. More specifically related to the light swamped barrel. The harmonics are way different than a straight barrel profile. So I hold onto the forearm and rest my hand on the sandbag. Also making sure I don’t impart a bending force from the butt to where I am holding. I tried to make the hold similar to what I would do freehand. Back a year or so ago you where testing a Kibler 36 and the groups pretty much mimicked mine.

I switched also to a thicker patch and using Old Eyensford in 3f and 2F (30 grains and 35 grains respectively ) I got this group at 50 yards last week. Same point of impact. Wiped between shots.

 

[user 34300]

I have burned a fair amount of Swiss 3F in a 32 lately. IT does not seem any different than Goex. There are more important factors.

Powder brand does not seem to matter much. A major factor seems to be how the barrel is rifled. My 32 has deep narrow grooves with wide lands. The accuracy potential has been limited.

 

[Rodd Boyer]

I use 20-30 gr of Swiss fffg in my Tip Curtis .36 and .018 pillow ticking, lubed with beeswax and lamb tallow.
Balls are .350 and group exceptionally well... well enough to pull the top off a squirrel head at 40 yards!

 

[Rodd Boyer]

First pic is sighting in... first 3 shots on the left, tap the rear sight, 2 shots to the right... tap back and there you have the results in the 2nd pic. Squares are 1/4" and the dot is 1/2". Range was 25 yards.

 

[Siringo]

Thanks Bob for the info. Part of my issue that I resolved was benching the Kibler SMR. More specifically related to the light swamped barrel. The harmonics are way different than a straight barrel profile. So I hold onto the forearm and rest my hand on the sandbag. Also making sure I don’t impart a bending force from the butt to where I am holding. I tried to make the hold similar to what I would do freehand. Back a year or so ago you where testing a Kibler 36 and the groups pretty much mimicked mine.

I switched also to a thicker patch and using Old Eyensford in 3f and 2F (30 grains and 35 grains respectively ) I got this group at 50 yards last week. Same point of impact. Wiped between shots.

Yesterday I shot again using Swiss 3f. I used a 0.350 ball and a 0.020 wonderlube patch (I have a bunch I bought at a sale). The ball patch combo is tight and it shoots better than any other thickness. However the Swiss (20,25 and 30 grs) did not group they way I wanted.

So I went to Old Enysford 3f (30 grains) and 2f (35 grains). The 3f grouped better than the Swiss, but the 2f gave me what I wanted. Velocity of that charge is 1650 fps.

Here is a photo of my three shot group at 50 yards:

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

A rifle is a lot like a wife. She likes what she likes. By the time you figure our exactly what she likes, it changes. Marriage and flintlock shooting have a lot in common...something as simple as a change in the weather can have a big impact!

ADK Bigfoot

 

[TFoley]

A rifle is a lot like a wife. She likes what she likes. By the time you figure our exactly what she likes, it changes. Marriage and flintlock shooting have a lot in common...something as simple as a change in the weather can have a big impact!

ADK Bigfoot

There are also going to be times when, just like the missus, your rifle is just not going to 'talk to you'. That's the time to pack up and go home.