Correct Load

[two snakes]

I have been shooting on my own for a couple of years now, but I am still learning, and have a lot more to learn.  When I was a teen (mid 1960's), my hunting and shooting partner told me that the best load equaled the cal; that is .50cal = 50gr powder. This was a good starting point.  If this is accurate, my loads are a little hot.  I know it depends if you are shooting ff or fff. and I have been going by the manufacrtures booklet which is 70 grs fff.  A good friend of mine said I may want to cut back to 50 - 55 grs.  Any input from the group?

[Snowshoe]

If it's accurate stay with it. I shoot 70 or 80g of Pyrodex in my .50 cal, with a round ball, and have used 90g with a 245g sabot. I use 50g of ffg for starting kids shooting.

[flintlock]

It really depends on the intended use...and what projectile and type barrel is on your rifle...both of my flinters have slow twist deep grooves...
I use 35 grs in my .40 for targets and squirrels under 50 yards...usually go to 60 gr when longer ranges or hunting groundhogs, etc...
In my .54...I shoot .50 grs ff for target work and squirrels...My deer hunting load is 80 grs ff...I shoot roundballs in both...I have shot up to 120 grs ff in the .54...I just found that you don't need that much to kill a deer with...

For deer hunting with a roundball gun from .45 to .54 caliber...from 75 to 100 grains is all thats needed...for target shooting cut that in half....

[lostid]

well two snakes,,if you was a teenager in the 60's it ain't yer fault ya don't remember,,
 I'm thinkin your ole' huntin partner likley told ya ;; 1.5 tymes the bore diameter was a good starting point,,
 .50 cal= 75 grains of powder   .

Yup,,that's it man :wink:  been there done that.
 
 So if ya want accurate,,you'll need ta step'r up a notch.

[Ramrod]

Another oldtimer "rule" was powder charge = half the weight of the ball.

[simonkenton]

Ramrod I like that rule
A fifty caliber ball weighs 175 grains, so 88 grains of powder.
I use 80 or 90 grains in my .50 Mountain Rifle. With a patched round ball both loads shoot to the same point, never had a problem killing a deer or hog with that load.

[Longcruise]

Then there was the old "put a ball in your outstretched palm and pour powder over it till it covers the ball"

Never tried that but wonder what a .50 cal charge would weigh using that method??

[dlemaster]

Actually two snakes is correct when he says that back in the sixties (I was a teenager too) when I started shooting and building muzzleloaders, the advice for the starting load for muzzleloaders was grains of powder equal to the caliber ie. 50grains for a .50 caliber rifle. This was supposed to get you close for a target load, you would then move the charge down then up to see if groups tightened. Hunting loads were anywhere from 1/2 again to twice as much powder as the starting target load. This was printed for many years in the Dixie Gun Works catalog and other sources for muzzleloaders.
Lostid, now you have me feeling like I'm an "Old Fart" lol.
You know it just doesn't seem like the sixties was all that long ago.

Regards, Dave

[crow_feather]

When I tell my grandchildren about "The Supremes", they ask if it's state or federal court.

C F

[simonkenton]

I started shooting in the 60's. Those were the days.
A buddy of mine had some blackpowder guns he had bought from Dixie Gun Works. He brought one to high school one day to sell to me. It was a .36 Navy Colt.
I thought it was the most beautiful gun I had ever seen. I had no idea someone was making replicas of the old guns, that were good shooters. I spent a couple weeks bagboy pay for that gun and never regretted it.
Sweet Mother of God, he sold me a gun inside a high school! Today, that is 3 or 4 Federal Felonies.
Back then, somehow, nobody cared.