Too Hot?

[NHmsj]

Anyone have any insight as to if an 80gn fffg load for a .50 cal. PRB out of a 1:48 twist might be a bit too hot for consistent accuracy?

msj

 

[Blizzard of '93]

In my .50 with that twist groups begin to open up with more than 70gr 3F, useing a felt overpowder.

 

[marwat06]

Don't know what type of gun you have so assuming that amount of BP is safe for you gun, I use a filler (Grits) instead of a wad when I load above 65 grains. If you are going to shoot heavy loads I would recommend a filler or wad.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Without knowing the length of the barrel, or the maker, Its hard to give you advice. Have you tried 80 grains of FFg powder? That should give you about 1700 fps, using an OP wad, or any kind of filler between the powder and your PRB. The longer your barrel, the more powder it can burn effectively, so some heavy charges just don't work well with some of the shorter barreled rifles we see people buying these days.

 

[54mountain]

my 28" .54 likes 60g ffg and my 42" .50 shoots best with 80g ffg. Barrel length has alot to do with the amount of powder a gun can burn.

 

[Tumblernotch]

I once thought so, but I've been using a chunk gun with a short Douglas .50 cal. barrel and the only load that will group like it should is 75 grs. of fffg under a .500 ball and .018 pillow ticking. I was told by the builder that he got his best groups with it. I figured that with 1 in 48 rifling this short barrel would do better with between 55 and 65 grs. I tried everything from 55 up and it will group only with 75 grs. It's a puzzle to me. I even talked to one of the only employees at Douglas who was there when they still made ML barrels and he agreed that it should do its best with about 60 - 65 grs. and that 75 grs. seemed a bit heavy considering its length and rate of twist, but sometimes these things do happen. :hmm:

 

[Vaino]

On my first elk hunt I used 105 grs. fffg w/ a PRB in a TC "Hawken" w/ a 1:48 twist. It yielded OK groups at 100 yds {all shots in a 12" bull} which was good enough for elk. Had to use linen patches w/ this load because of shredding w/ cotton patches. No longer use this load having switched to conicals.....Fred

 

[BrownBear]

Anyone have any insight as to if an 80gn fffg load for a .50 cal. PRB out of a 1:48 twist might be a bit too hot for consistent accuracy?

msj

I'm sure it boils down to the individual gun, along with choice of patching and lube.

But in mine that's the most accurate load by a bunch over 70 or 90 grains.

 

[Little Wattsy]

I shoot a T/C Renegade and 75 grains was the most I could get groups with...

 

[Lonegun1894]

my .50 with a 28" 1:48 shoots best with 70grs of fff too, so i dont see why yours couldn't. Some guns just like the heavier loads, while others like em light. Just go shoot and experiment and see what your gun likes. Hands on with YOUR gun will tell you more than anything else. We can all give suggestions and tell you what works in ours, but you are the only one with your gun in hand. Go make some smoke and tell us what you find...

 

[NHmsj]

Thanks to everyone for the replys regards an 80gn load of fffg.

To clarify things a bit, I am (was) using that 80gn load in a T/C Renegade .50 cal 1:48 28" (or is it 27") barrel w/PRB. Incidentally, T/C recommends a max load for the Renegade with a .50 cal RB @ 110gn ffg. I figured I was safe enough with 80gn fffg. I went back out to the range last Satuday and started out all over again at 50gn fffg. I got some very good groups - not consistent groups, but many three shot groups with two rounds on top of one another and the third shot out to lunch. I have to surmize that I am just not holding a good spot weld and have to work on my basic marksmanship skills. Anyway, I'm still working up the load for this rifle, and perhaps I'll just go back to ffg. However, I really like how less fouling fffg seems to be.

msj