45 cal load question

[homebrew .357]

Hi, Have re done the Hawkins barrel out to .450"cal and cast some soft lead bullets, 260 grs,loading with 70gr FFFg goex black powder. Nice kick and on at 50m. after the shot the hammer is at half cock, is it a safe load?, any one using a load like it?
I just heard that if the hammer is back after firing it`s a hot load, Thanks Guys, gals, Homebrew.357.

 

[gunner69skmc]

I have 3 Percussions in .45 and that is not a heavy load at all. I would suggest you buy a new nipple for your rifle. That may well cure the problem. No the hammer is not supposed to rebound after being fired. Good Luck.....

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have 3 Percussions in .45 and that is not a heavy load at all. I would suggest you buy a new nipple for your rifle. That may well cure the problem. No the hammer is not supposed to rebound after being fired. Good Luck.....

Agree.
But, with a heavy bullet you are raising pressures. A new nipple, especially one like the hot shot style may stop the blow-back.
Why are you using a bullet? A patched round ball will be more fun to shoot and is a great deer stopper.

 

[Toomuch51]

I have not seen this problem with "side lock arms", I suspect the weapon in question is an :barf: "inline" where this is a recurring problem. 70 gr. of 3f is a rather stout charge for a .45 cal. also this could be a question of too hot of caps/primers or a too large opening in the nipple.

Toomuch
------------
Shoot Flint

 

[hanshi]

I have a .45 percussion in addition to one in flint. The little percussion really dotes on 60 or 65 grans of 3F. It's a light, small rifle so I shoot 60 grains with a prb. It is so accurate I may even take it hunting one day. No conicals will ever soil that bore, either.

 

[Zonie]

....
I just heard that if the hammer is back after firing it`s a hot load, Thanks Guys, gals, Homebrew.357.

Well, it's one indication of a hot load but not the only one.

As the others mentioned, if the hole thru the nipple on your gun is erroded, the higher gas pressure caused by a slug can blow the hammer back to half cock.

Another thing that can cause this is a weak mainspring in the lock.

As for your powder/bullet load, the Lyman "Black Powder Handbook & Loading Manual" shows loads for a .45 using up to 245 grain slugs with GOEX 3Fg powder.
It does not show GOEX 3Fg powder loads for slugs heavier than this. The heavier slugs shown are all using GOEX 2Fg or similar slower burning powder.

While looking at the breech pressures Lyman found, slugs in a .45 do create some impressive numbers.
Your GOEX 3Fg load of 70 grains under a 200 grain Buffalo Ball-et created 16,600 psi.
The same powder with the same bullet at a 90 grain powder load created a breech pressure of 20,100 psi.

For a point of reference, a .440 diameter roundball with a 90 grain load of GOEX 3Fg produced 16,200 psi.

 

[homebrew .357]

]Link[/url] Thanks for the replies,a few more facts, The Hawkinish rifle is in , The gun builders bench, my post. The hole in the nipple is 0.088'I D. and yes the main spring was a bit weak, getting miss fires, so packed it up a bit, now works good.
I made this gun for hunting, it`s only 7 lbs 12oz and the rifling is 1 in 33" twist for a bullet so it`s a bit fast for a P/Ball with a heavey load and also a .440' lead ball is only 130grs. I like hunting with a much heaver bullet, (Our red deer are huge and need some stopping!) Weighing my bullets on my powder scale, 268/269grs. So I`m thinking keep the fffG FOR p/ball and get some FFg for the 270gr bullets, or a Lee REAL bullet mould at 200grs. :hmm: The thing is with a muzzle loader yuo have one shot only!, I think I have some pics, Homebrew 357 ]Link[/url]

 

[Zonie]

Looks like your having fun.

We aren't talking about the .088 diameter of the nipple being worn.

If you look thru it you should find that between the top of the nipple cone and the bottom of the nipple the hole decreases to about .028"-.030" diameter.

That tiny little .028-.030 hole is all a percussion gun needs for a cap to fire it and it's small size keeps most of the high pressure gas in the barrel where it belongs.

Occasionally, someone will have a brain fart and decide their gun is misfiring because of that little hole.
With this in mind I've seen them drill it out to 1/16 (.0625) diameter and then wonder why their hammer blows back when they fire a target load.

 

[homebrew .357]

Ha Ha, Thanks Zonie, there`s the answer!. When I said I made this gun ,I did, the lock, stock and barrel and the nipple, not having seen one, I made it from a pic in Track Of The WOLF`S Catalogue with a drilled hole right through .
So drill a small hole first, then a bit bigger one 3/4 the way down, :redface:, Thanks, I`m getting there, I have just finished redoing the barrel, bore was .440, I wanted .450' so removed breach plug, reamed to .430" and re cut the rifling0.010' to .450' bore, a good lap and polish, replaced the breach plug and now it`s good to go!. :bow: Homebrew.357.

 

[Rat Trapper]

I don't feel 70 grains to be a heavey load in a 45 if the rifle in question has 15/16 inch flats. Change your nipple to a hot shot niple. If that doesn't fix your problem you need a new hammer spring. TC Hawken rifles can use 100 grains.

 

Ugh finally another lefty. I think alot of people are more in love with the guns that fire the 45 ball than the 45 ball itself.

 

[stinkyfeet]

I have not seen this problem with "side lock arms", I suspect the weapon in question is an :barf: "inline" where this is a recurring problem. 70 gr. of 3f is a rather stout charge for a .45 cal. also this could be a question of too hot of caps/primers or a too large opening in the nipple.

Toomuch
------------
Shoot Flint

Well I have a pedersoli frontier rifle in flintlock with a 13/16 barrel and they recommend up to 90 grains of 3f. I shoot 45 grains for target shooting and hunt with 70 grains 3f schuetzen with a .440 prb. A hawkens barrel in 45 cal is 15/16 and is more than thick enough for a moderate 70 grain charge all the way to 90 grains if not more, especially when shooting a conical bullet. Just saying and a worn out nipple on a side lock will blow back to half cock with a worn out nipple, and conicals with a solid charge burn them out even faster..

 

[homebrew .357]

OK, There`s good and bad, first the good.15/16" is 0.937", at my breach it is 0.923", at the muzzle it is 0.885', so that`s good, this barrel is made of (AISI 1045 steel,a medium carbon, (45%) tensile steel, just down from 4140 steel.
G/Mountain barrels use 1137 type steel and the C V A ones are 12L14 STEEL, softer steels for easy machining. I can get the bullet weigh down by machining the top face of my bullet mould a bit so I get a 220/230gr bullet, great for hunting NZ deer.
The bad,having made this rifle from scratch there are no gun shop parts that would fit it, the nipple is 20 threads, I drilled it 0.088'for the flash hole right through :cursing: , have to make a new one. P/R ball is good in 1-48" twist rifle , my twist is 1-33" this is to fast for heavy loads for p/b hunting. I`m getting 2 1/2"to a 2" group at 50ms with my loads to date, I`l keep working on it.So looks like I`v solved my own problem with the heavy bullet. :thumbsup: Thanks guys for the input and help, Homebrew 357.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Our red deer are huge and need some stopping!)

Where do you live that you have huge red deer?
I can't speak to bullet or real fast twist issues for will just offer good luck.
But, I still believe a small flash hole will solve the hammer blow back problem.

 

[homebrew .357]

HI, Rifleman1776,I live in New Zealand, We just missed getting the Americas cup at yacht racing. We have Wapiti and red deer and yes they are big. And you are right, the nipple I made is wrong :nono: so I will have make a new one. :stir: I`v set my lathe up to make another barrel, so it will have to wait, :v , Cheers Homebrew357. :v

 

[Zonie]

A 1/32 inch or .75-.80mm diameter drill bit will work fine for drilling out the last 1/16-3/32 inch of material at the bottom of the nipple but be sure to buy several of them.

These tiny drill bits break if you just glare at them hard. :grin: