Well I have devoted 2015 to black powder. I always have shot BP but never got serious with it. So I have a rifle that is stamped .437 ball on the barrel. Never gave it much thought on its caliber but to hunt with it on Fort Stewart it needs to be a 44 cal or larger. So what size of ball is that. I'm going to build me a load for this rifle I want to be able to shoot squirrels/ small hogs. So I think I'm going to start with 40 grains and see where that takes me. Any thoughts or suggestions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-
Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.
We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.
Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103
Working a Rifle Load
- Thread starter Poynor
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
Well, Hornady sells .44cal balls from .443 to .451, and .45cal balls from .440 to .457.
If you set them on a table, you need to look REALLY close to tell them apart. The caliber you call it and the size of the ball are loosely associated to any but devoted fans without a plug gage. If they have a gage just cone the muzzle and recrown.
If you set them on a table, you need to look REALLY close to tell them apart. The caliber you call it and the size of the ball are loosely associated to any but devoted fans without a plug gage. If they have a gage just cone the muzzle and recrown.
Just work up a load with .440 balls. Not that much difference. You can go with slightly thinner cloth or may even be able to use the same size.
There is another member on here (2_tall) that ran into that problem on a military base down there somewhere. I think it is the same caliber problem he had, and he got a ticket and fought it and won . There is a big write up somewhere on the forum about it < may have to search for it , but do the research before hand , if you dont want trouble.( seeing it is military base they can hit you real hard and cause a problem that will haunt you a long time)DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE HAND............
When a law specifies some caliber like ".44 caliber minimum" or ".45 caliber minimum" it is always talking about the bore size of the barrel.
If your gun was made for a .437 diameter ball it has undoubtedly got a .45 caliber barrel.
Typically, a roundball will be .010 smaller than the bore it is shot in.
Patches can range from .010 to .020 thick and because the patch exists on both sides of the ball the uncompressed patch will add .020 to .040 to the ball size.
As for a .437 ball, that is only .003 ( one human hair thickness) smaller than a .440 ball.
Smaller balls may load easier and still shoot accurately but something like a .440 ball is a lot more common making it easier to find.
If your gun was made for a .437 diameter ball it has undoubtedly got a .45 caliber barrel.
Typically, a roundball will be .010 smaller than the bore it is shot in.
Patches can range from .010 to .020 thick and because the patch exists on both sides of the ball the uncompressed patch will add .020 to .040 to the ball size.
As for a .437 ball, that is only .003 ( one human hair thickness) smaller than a .440 ball.
Smaller balls may load easier and still shoot accurately but something like a .440 ball is a lot more common making it easier to find.
10_point said:
X2 take yer gun and GO ASK. Document it. Have fun!
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2013
- Messages
- 20,091
- Reaction score
- 1,023
A .44 mag handgun or rifle is called a .44 but the bullet diameter is .429 same difference. there are many other such examples.
Caliber usually refers to bore diameter especially when concerning muzzleloaders ....but not always.
But regardless I would get some clarification from the Base.
Caliber usually refers to bore diameter especially when concerning muzzleloaders ....but not always.
But regardless I would get some clarification from the Base.
longcruise
70 Cal.
Especially since the barrel is marked with a specific ball size rather than a caliber.
Since the folks have addressed the bullet diameter, I will address the load.
An old and good rule is to start with the rifle's caliber and use a volume measure for the charge. In your case a .45 caliber rifle would start with 45 grains of 3Fg.
You said you'd start with a 40 grain charge...that's fine, only 5 grains under the old rule so no worries. A bit heavy to shoot a squirrel unless you're doing head shots, and probably good for "small" hogs. The most important point...make sure it's accurate at the range that you will shoot it at the animals, and closer.
You may also check with Georgia State Natural Resources or Fish & Game (or whatever they call it there) and see if hogs are considered "big game" and what the minimum load is. It's possible that the base uses the state game laws.
For example, using the old rule, I should've started with a 50 grain load in my .50 caliber rifle...but since I bought it to hunt deer, and the minimum powder load for a ML rifle when hunting deer in my state is 60 grains, I started with that. So it pays to double check.
LD
Col. Batguano
75 Cal.
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2011
- Messages
- 5,038
- Reaction score
- 1,416
I've heard of minimum caliber restrictions before, but never minimum specified load. Interesting. Of course, by that same token, I can't imagine a Game Warden asking you to pull a ball and weighing your charge to check you.
Black Jaque Janaviac
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2009
- Messages
- 535
- Reaction score
- 73
What if your muzzle loader is labeled "53 balls to the pound"? :rotf:
I have several 19th century bullet molds that are labeled in balls to the pound. The one I use in my 20 gauge is marked 21.
So you have a 53 to the pound ball of 132 grains or (IIRC) a 45 caliber rifle or a ball of 0.445" diameter.
So you have a 53 to the pound ball of 132 grains or (IIRC) a 45 caliber rifle or a ball of 0.445" diameter.
Billnpatti
Cannon
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2008
- Messages
- 7,340
- Reaction score
- 44
You actually have a .45 caliber rifle. But, because of the ball size specification on the barrel, I'd make sure that the powers that be understand that what you have is a .45 caliber rifle not a .435 caliber. Take it to Security or whomever is the "powers that be" on base and get an agreement that you have a .45 caliber rifle. I'd get it in writing just to be sure that you have covered your a$$. It would be a good idea to get a black powder handbook that shows the ball sizes for each caliber of rifle. It will shot that a .45 caliber rifle will shoot a ball that may be .430, .435, .440, etc. and yet it is a .45 caliber rifle. Not everyone understands this and you may have to educate them.
