Loading down for a .62 flinter

I have a beautiful .62 flintlock built by Steve Zihn. The object was elk hunting, and it has been in the woods with me but has not made meat. I also have a shoulder that got a pretty extensive rebuild in November (just hooking things back up, no implant). The combination of a hunting load in the .62 and my shoulder is a bad one, so I am trying to bring this down to a trailwalk/target load that I can tolerate.

I am admittedly short-cutting the range time part of the equation, but am wondering what your experience is with lighter loads in large calibers. If I can get down to something that will work for me out to about 100 yards, I can do most of what I want to.

Figuring if I can't get it loaded down and accurate, then I will likely sell this rifle and get something in a .40, smaller pill, less powder, much less recoil. After dealing with my father in law's stuff after he passed, I don't need expensive wall hangers.

BTW - as delivered years back, the recommended hunting load from the builder is 140gr of 2F.

Your advice/wisdom/suggestions are appreciated.

David
NM

You could try a load of 70 to 85 grains of powder. You will have quite a bit of trajectory over a 100 yard range with the lighter loads. Plan on limiting the hunting ranges to 50 to 70 yards. Often large caliber rifles will have two sweet spots in the powder charge that are accurate.

david58 said:

I have a beautiful .62 flintlock built by Steve Zihn. The object was elk hunting, and it has been in the woods with me but has not made meat. I also have a shoulder that got a pretty extensive rebuild in November (just hooking things back up, no implant). The combination of a hunting load in the .62 and my shoulder is a bad one, so I am trying to bring this down to a trailwalk/target load that I can tolerate.

I am admittedly short-cutting the range time part of the equation, but am wondering what your experience is with lighter loads in large calibers. If I can get down to something that will work for me out to about 100 yards, I can do most of what I want to.

Figuring if I can't get it loaded down and accurate, then I will likely sell this rifle and get something in a .40, smaller pill, less powder, much less recoil. After dealing with my father in law's stuff after he passed, I don't need expensive wall hangers.

BTW - as delivered years back, the recommended hunting load from the builder is 140gr of 2F.

Your advice/wisdom/suggestions are appreciated.

David
NM

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1st off as full disclosure, my two .62 guns are smoothbore and I have no 100 yard hunting desires or opportunities. But maybe given the increased accuracy of the rifled bore, some of the smoothbore load data will prove helpful, at least as a starting point. (Also there are a lot more folks shooting smoothbores in those big bores than rifles, so it widens the pool of responses)

Some questions to help folks answer your question. What size ball and what thickness patch are you shooting now? Do you know the rate of twist? You mention replacing it with a .40, is hunting now not a consideration, just target/trail walk targets?

A suggestion on testing.
Have a friend shoot the gun. Have that person shoot a few shots with your current load, then have them shoot the 1st test shots with new loads, at least the ones that haven't greatly reduced the charge. They can then tell you if there is a significant difference in felt recoil.
I mention this testing suggestion 1st because I'm not sure how much my 1st load change will effect felt recoil.

Maybe try your current load, but use 1f powder. Most if us find that coarser powder results in lower pressure and thus less recoil. Unfortunately it also often results in more or crustier fouling.

Also consider as you go lower in powder charger and/or looser in ball patch combo,,, try some type of wad or card between powder and patched ball.

I shoot 65 grains or 80 grains of 3f in my smoothrifle depending on my mission at the time. The heavier charge does not shoot well with a patch, which you obviously need but try it anyway, the 65 grain load shoots well without a patch or with a patched .595 ball (I use a .610 ball with wads when not shooting with a patch, but again that doesn't help you).
The other gun does well with 75 grains 2f or 62 grains 3f. As much as I prefer the reduced fouling of the 3f, it is a much lighter gun and I like the reduced recoil of the 2f.

Ive shot 62 cal rifles for years. Ive killed a bunch of deer with them. My standard load is 80 gns. Its accurate an has all the power I need as my shots are all close range. 50 yards or less in very thick cover. I dont shoot 62s for power. I shoot 62s for the big blood leaking holes they give you. Try 70 80 an even 90 grains an I think you will be pleased with the results.

You might try the "PAST" recoil pad/shield as well. It can be worn under a jacket or shirt and will provide some cushion for your tender shoulder at least until it heals completely.

I’ve not seen ballistic data on a .62 rifle, but looking at data on a .58, I doubt you get much payoff from big charges down range.
A minnie will outperform ball so a cross check won’t help per se. But service loads for a 460 grain minnie was 60-75 grains.
I would venture that an 80-90 grain charge would carry through and through an elk at a hundred yards
Service load for a bess could be that big or bigger, but in general we see lighter charges used in the old days then many try to run today.
We hear powder is better today, but the oldest ballistic test from eighteenth century show loads getting in the ballpark of todays powder back then.

140 gr in a .62 would be a serious shoulder thumper. Smaller caliber and lighter loads will, indeed, be kinder on the shoulder. But, we can never have enough guns, can we? You might want to consider keeping that big bore for hunting use only as, if you get a good shot, you will be shooting only once and, I'm sure, not thinking about your shoulder. And, a second rifle for small game and paper punching will keep you in the game. But, as I well know, the time will come when you must give up the big guns and accept that your activities loved in the past are now behind you.

Blackpowder doesn't have recoil anyway......just a shove...not violent like say a 300 Win Mag! Load 120 grains 2F and smile when she lights up!

david58 said:

I have a beautiful .62 flintlock built by Steve Zihn. The object was elk hunting, and it has been in the woods with me but has not made meat. I also have a shoulder that got a pretty extensive rebuild in November (just hooking things back up, no implant). The combination of a hunting load in the .62 and my shoulder is a bad one, so I am trying to bring this down to a trailwalk/target load that I can tolerate.

I am admittedly short-cutting the range time part of the equation, but am wondering what your experience is with lighter loads in large calibers. If I can get down to something that will work for me out to about 100 yards, I can do most of what I want to.

Figuring if I can't get it loaded down and accurate, then I will likely sell this rifle and get something in a .40, smaller pill, less powder, much less recoil. After dealing with my father in law's stuff after he passed, I don't need expensive wall hangers.

BTW - as delivered years back, the recommended hunting load from the builder is 140gr of 2F.

Your advice/wisdom/suggestions are appreciated.

David
NM

Click to expand...

Howdy from down in Los Lunas. No way would I use anything over 100 gr for target shooting. Just too much recoil only to put a hole in paper or clang steel. Use just enough to get the ball downrange with decent accuracy.

I find that 45-80 grains works in everything I have, from .45 through .58 military muskets. But, I don't hunt so max ballistic energy isn't a priority for me.

Get well soon!

david58 said:

I have a beautiful .62 flintlock built by Steve Zihn. The object was elk hunting, and it has been in the woods with me but has not made meat. I also have a shoulder that got a pretty extensive rebuild in November (just hooking things back up, no implant). The combination of a hunting load in the .62 and my shoulder is a bad one, so I am trying to bring this down to a trailwalk/target load that I can tolerate.

I am admittedly short-cutting the range time part of the equation, but am wondering what your experience is with lighter loads in large calibers. If I can get down to something that will work for me out to about 100 yards, I can do most of what I want to.

Figuring if I can't get it loaded down and accurate, then I will likely sell this rifle and get something in a .40, smaller pill, less powder, much less recoil. After dealing with my father in law's stuff after he passed, I don't need expensive wall hangers.

BTW - as delivered years back, the recommended hunting load from the builder is 140gr of 2F.

Your advice/wisdom/suggestions are appreciated.

David
NM

Click to expand...

I have a 62 caliber smoothbore. For target shooting I have used 60 grains of FF with good results. I don't know how well that would work for hunting.

try shooting from the other shoulder. don't know if you are a righty or lefty but when i need to heal i switched to my left shoulder. actually shot more accurately switch hitting! now natural so have gone back to the right bet its an option.
for a softer load match grains of powder with bore size.

My load is 95 gr. 3FFF. I personally wouldn't go below that for elk.

60gr. of 2f will not bounce off any animal! and the kick will be mild. people tend to think they need a ton of power to clean kill, you don't! the only drawback is you will have a limit on distance, that makes it more of a challenge, and adds fun and skill,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I have always used the bore size as a starting powder load,

deerstalkert said:

or a softer load match grains of powder with bore size.

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45cal 45 gr fffg, 50cal 50 gr and so on..

140 grains of 2f for a .62 smoothbore is crazy

PathfinderNC said:

140 grains of 2f for a .62 smoothbore is crazy

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When I got my Centermark the company said eighty to one hundred grains as recommended charge.
I went with eighty went to seventy five and groups didn’t improve, eighty five same deal no improvement.
So I stayed with eighty.
On this forum I read folks shooting sixty to sixty five, and doing real well, thought I would try it and bam, best groups I got.
So that’s my sweet range. And it puts Bambi on the table.
Howsomever
Dualist 54 did some experimenting with bare ball and big chargers, I’m thinking one twenty. And his groups got better.
I haven’t tried it, so can’t say, but a lot of folk like them big charges for smoothies and get good groups.
Feels like a waste of powder and sore cheek and shoulder to me.
But a theory is the hot gas keeps the ball centered when bare.
I like nest of tow

tenngun said:

When I got my Centermark the company said eighty to one hundred grains as recommended charge.
I went with eighty went to seventy five and groups didn’t improve, eighty five same deal no improvement.
So I stayed with eighty.
On this forum I read folks shooting sixty to sixty five, and doing real well, thought I would try it and bam, best groups I got.
So that’s my sweet range. And it puts Bambi on the table.
Howsomever
Dualist 54 did some experimenting with bare ball and big chargers, I’m thinking one twenty. And his groups got better.
I haven’t tried it, so can’t say, but a lot of folk like them big charges for smoothies and get good groups.
Feels like a waste of powder and sore cheek and shoulder to me.
But a theory is the hot gas keeps the ball centered when bare.
I like nest of tow

Click to expand...

I shoot 60-65 in smooth bores with good accuracy, but I use 3FFF.

david58 said:

I have a beautiful .62 flintlock built by Steve Zihn. The object was elk hunting, and it has been in the woods with me but has not made meat. I also have a shoulder that got a pretty extensive rebuild in November (just hooking things back up, no implant). The combination of a hunting load in the .62 and my shoulder is a bad one, so I am trying to bring this down to a trailwalk/target load that I can tolerate.

I am admittedly short-cutting the range time part of the equation, but am wondering what your experience is with lighter loads in large calibers. If I can get down to something that will work for me out to about 100 yards, I can do most of what I want to.

Figuring if I can't get it loaded down and accurate, then I will likely sell this rifle and get something in a .40, smaller pill, less powder, much less recoil. After dealing with my father in law's stuff after he passed, I don't need expensive wall hangers.

BTW - as delivered years back, the recommended hunting load from the builder is 140gr of 2F.

Your advice/wisdom/suggestions are appreciated.

David
NM

Click to expand...

I don’t see a reason to go over 90 to 100 grains for any kind of big game hunting at muzzleloader ranges of 125 yards or less. Even 80 grains will kill a lot of game.
One grain per caliber is always a good place to start. Go up and down and find a couple of loads you like.
I never understood why some people seem to think extremely heavy loads are needed unless polar bears, Cape buffalo, or elephants are on the agenda.

65Grs of 2F seems to be a sweet spot in my .62 smoothbores and rifles. Started out the 120 gr route of the conventional wisdom of the day, then bought a .62 tradegun from Rob Miller, all of 5 pounds and change, he turned me on the less is more. That lighter charge is a lot more pleasant to shoot and will go right thru a hog or a deer. Dead is dead and plenty accurate too.

140 gr. = muzzle loading magnumitis