Tried a different powder charge, just because...

[roundball]

I've been using a mid-range powder charge of 100grns Goex 2F in my .58cal for my woods deer hunting.
Was at the range yesterday running tests on some brass balls, and since I would have the chronograph with me, I grabbed a few .570" lead ball as well.
After the brass ball tests were done I put up a fresh target at 50yds and fired a lead ball group through the chronograph using:
120grns Goex 2F
.62cal wool OP wad
.022" patch
Hornady .570 ball
MV was 1450 fps
The rifle made a distinctive crack it didn't make with only 100grns.
And it produced a single ragged hole.

It printed about an inch higher than I would have liked, but to avoid possible damage to the chronograph from a delayed fire, I was free-resting the entire forearm across the top of a flat cardboard box on the bench...so it may have jumped a little, compared to shooting it from a seated hunting position like I usually do.

Otherwise, I think the tiny group is outstanding with the open sights on my TVM Early Virginia...I'm planning to make another trip and really wring out the 120grn charge from my usual hunting positions...do any fine tuning of sights if I need to.

 

[Dausener]

Very nice group. Those are some fancy range stickets you have there too :wink:

 

[broknaero]

Nice shooting load! And I agree, Not sure why I never thought about it rather than write all my loads out. I could print out plenty for the different rifles and just circle the componant used. :thumbsup:

 

[HatchetJaque]

How did the brass balls work out?

 

[roundball]

Outstanding...and there's quite a bit to retype...if you don't mind, let me re-route you to the details:
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/270850/

 

[luieb45]

How was recoil on that? :haha: If you wanted somethin to bruise your shoulder you could just pay someone to smack you on the shoulder with a baseball bat :rotf:. Anyway I tried 100 gr. in my .50 a few years ago and I quickly found out that that was the only time I was gonna do that because it smacked me in the shoulder so hard I thought I broke my collar bone!

 

[roundball]

Gun fit, stock shape, gun weight, and an individual's body size & weight all seem to play a part in the whole recoil situation.
Plus, when shooting from a bench I think a lot of folks don't use the best 'posture' which results in recoil having a more direct rearward / amplified effect on them.

Luckily for me, muzzleloader recoil has not been a problem...my guns fit and they weigh an average of 9lbs. And on the rare occasion I even use a bench I sit as upright as possible with the gun elevated above the table top resting on something like a sturdy cardboard box with an old quilt thrown over it.

That comes close to simulating standing erect and shooting offhand from the shoulder...allowing the shoulder to rock back some and really minimizes the effects of felt recoil

 

[ihuntsnook]

I was shooting my Colt musket from the bench a few days ago with .570 patched round ball in front of 60 grains of 3f Swiss. About 20 shots was my limit. The last shot made me wince. The musket stock is simply not made for bench rest shooting. But I'm close to being sighted in, and once there it will be offhand forever. Halleluja!

 

[roundball]

But I'm close to being sighted in, and once there it will be offhand forever.

Food for thought if you're filing sights while shooting from a bench like most folks do, hunkered down / over on top of a rifle.
In that configuration, the muzzle is not able to rise from recoil as much as it can when standing erect and shooting off hand.

I found after sighting in on a bench, then standing up to shoot, the recoil arc of the muzzle was able to move up higher, throwing my POI up higher as a result.

So if you do file your sights, before you take those final sight filing actions, you might want to check the POI elevation while standing, shooting offhand. If you don't, you might find you've taken off too much for the standing / offhand shooting.

Ever since replacing my front sight and starting over again years ago, I've always done my final sight adjustments from the typical hunting position I use, which is sitting down leaning against a tree (a support post at the range)

 

[Trench]

I think that is just outstanding. I have yet to get a group like that with my .58 TVM. I may just have to start playing around with over-powder wadding.

 

[roundball]

I think that is just outstanding. I have yet to get a group like that with my .58 TVM. I may just have to start playing around with over-powder wadding.

And just so we're clear, this was from a bench rest I was using to ensure I didn't damage the chronograph