.45 caliber Seneca

[bronko220002]

I took my .45 Seneca put today. First outing since I got it. Whoever had it before already had it dialed in or I just got lucky. My first 3 shot group at 25 yards (lower target) went almost into the same hole! Just a tad liw and to the right. I moved the target out to 50 yards and moved the rear sight 2 clicks left. My 1st shot at the upper target hit at 9 o'clock- wow I didn't think it would move that far! I moved it back to wher it was and my 2nd shot just riight of the bull same as the 1st target. I raised the sight up 2 clicks and shot 3 more. The first 2 again were touching then I had that "flyer". Three shots at 50 yards at
1 1/8" open partridge sights - I'll take that any day of the week. I think to fine tune it to hit 12 o'clock may require tapping the front sight.load was 75 gr of Goex FFFg, cardboard overwad and my own cast maxiballs. I tried 50 gr and at 25 yards they shot a 1" group.

 

[64Springer]

Partridge is a bird.

Patridge is a sight.

 

[bronko220002]

Partridge is a bird.

Patridge is a sight.

LOL thanks for clearing that up!

 

[Dobegrant]

Good shooting and a very accurate rifle.

 

[ORBushman]

I took my .45 Seneca put today. First outing since I got it. Whoever had it before already had it dialed in or I just got lucky. My first 3 shot group at 25 yards (lower target) went almost into the same hole! Just a tad liw and to the right. I moved the target out to 50 yards and moved the rear sight 2 clicks left. My 1st shot at the upper target hit at 9 o'clock- wow I didn't think it would move that far! I moved it back to wher it was and my 2nd shot just riight of the bull same as the 1st target. I raised the sight up 2 clicks and shot 3 more. The first 2 again were touching then I had that "flyer". Three shots at 50 yards at
1 1/8" open partridge sights - I'll take that any day of the week. I think to fine tune it to hit 12 o'clock may require tapping the front sight.load was 75 gr of Goex FFFg, cardboard overwad and my own cast maxiballs. I tried 50 gr and at 25 yards they shot a 1" group.

Sounds and looks like you got a keeper! How do you make the cardboard overpowder wads and do you shoot them dry?

 

[bronko220002]

Bushman I call them cardboard wads but they're actually veggie wads.

 

[GregK]

I shoot my 45 Seneca with a PRB. I just acquired a 36 Seneca. Haven't fired it yet.

 

[bronko220002]

I shoot my 45 Seneca with a PRB. I just acquired a 36 Seneca. Haven't fired it yet.

I did just the opposite. I had the .36 and then got the .45. My .36 shots 30 gr of FFFg under a .350 ball the best. But it also shoots .36 Maxiballs extremely well. With the PRBs I tried 20, 25, 30 and 35 gr of FFFg and 30 was the most accurate.
See this: .36 Seneca today

 

[sqqy14]

75 grains with a maxiball is a pretty hot load for a Seneca...don't crack the stock.

 

[Rifleman1776]

75 grains with a maxiball is a pretty hot load for a Seneca...don't crack the stock.

Beat me to it. He would be very happy with a prb and about 45-55 gr. 3Fg.

 

[bronko220002]

75 grains with a maxiball is a pretty hot load for a Seneca...don't crack the stock.

Beat me to it. He would be very happy with a prb and about 45-55 gr. 3Fg.

I'm pretty much right at max according to the T/C manual. They list 80 gr of FFg as max. My 75 gr of FFFg is right there. I am however going to be running some PRBs down the pipe.

 

[bronko220002]

I just weighed 5 pours of both FFFg and FFg at 75 gr volume. The average weight for both powders is just under 69 grains by wt. My load should be fine but for safety's sake I'll drop it down to 70 gr.

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

I realize no one likes to hear this, but grains are a unit of weight and should not be confused with volume. "Science is real" - and important.

 

[bronko220002]

I know Jim. I was just being curious as to how each granular size compared in volume to weight. At 75 grains there is no difference.
As noted above for my weight Maxiball 80 gr volume of FFg is the maximum charge. So dropping down 10% which would be 72 gr volume. I'll go down to 70 just to be safe. I don't think my accuracy will suffer all that much by losing 5 gr volume.
What really surprised me is the fact that the T/C load data used FFg for the .45. I was under the assumption that for the .45 and down FFFg would be the powder of choice and FFg for .50 and up.

 

[mtfishn]

I know Jim. I was just being curious as to how each granular size compared in volume to weight. At 75 grains there is no difference.
As noted above for my weight Maxiball 80 gr volume of FFg is the maximum charge. So dropping down 10% which would be 72 gr volume. I'll go down to 70 just to be safe. I don't think my accuracy will suffer all that much by losing 5 gr volume.
What really surprised me is the fact that the T/C load data used FFg for the .45. I was under the assumption that for the .45 and down FFFg would be the powder of choice and FFg for .50 and up.

I believe the difference is because the table is for bullets and the FFg makes sense to me. Shooting PRB I prefer FFF....Still, I have had PRBs splatter on bones with 80grains....One ball hit mid ribs and I found 3 seperate wound channels through the lungs of a WTail buck. all stopped under the hide on the off-side. Deer was maybe 45yds. Just sayin' 80 grains is plenty in a .45.

 

[Nobade]

My own Cherokee shoots balls great with 60 grains 3F, as small as that barrel is it seems like plenty. I did finally figure out that the shallow rifling likes the balls to be bigger. Never worked all that great with .440 but came alive with .445.

 

[Indy Durtdigger]

I realize no one likes to hear this, but grains are a unit of weight and should not be confused with volume. "Science is real" - and important.

This can get into some pretty serious hair splitting and I'm not trying to start an argument but. Whereas black powder charges are concerned. Unless specified, black powder charges are in volume referred to as grains not by weight. In the front of that load data section TC shows their volumetric measures they offered in grains, not sets of scales. Nor does it specify weight in the powder charge column.
Here's where the hair splitting comes in as witnessed by the OPs post about weighing his measured volumetric charges. If the powders density is correct in 3f the volume should equal or be close by tenths to the weight of the charge, 2f is really close too. This can vary wildly though and be off in either direction. His charges could easily have been a tad heavier not lighter but most likely not by such a margin.

 

[Gun Tramp]

This can get into some pretty serious hair splitting

Unless specified, black powder charges are in volume referred to as grains not by weight.

No. There's no hair-splitting involved. Weight is weight, period. For our use, expressed in grains avoirdupois.

 

[Indy Durtdigger]

No. There's no hair-splitting involved. Weight is weight, period. For our use, expressed in grains avoirdupois.

Geez. Guess we'd all best throw away our volumetric measures and pack beam scales everywhere we go.

 

[QuinnTheEskimo]

Thank goodness there’s a pedant to save us from ourselves.