FF or FFF?

[flashpoint]

I have been shooting 2F Goex in my .45 Seneca percussion. 3F seems to be dirtier. Been wanting to try Swiss. I know I should buy both, but because of price should I purchase 2F or 3F to start?
Thanks.
Flashpoint

 

[Rató:rats]

A lot of our friends on here prefer 3f to 2f because 3F cleans up easier and leaves less fouling. There’s even a limey lurking around here who bangs off 4f in the bore with awesome results. If you’re liking 2f Goex I’d vote for buying 2f Swiss first and seeing how it compares to Goex

 

[French Colonial]

3F Swiss

 

[64Springer]

3F Swiss.

Because they don't rape you on price.

 

[tenngun]

Small calibers often work better with fine. But there is no absolutes in ml , little science, because there are too many variables.
Get several pounds 2 and 3 and graft as well as Swiss and test for your self

 

[dave951]

3f Swiss. Be happy and quit worrying

 

[TDM]

Hard to beat 3F Swiss, especially for your .45

 

[ronaldrothb49]

Of all the rifles I have had over the years I have only had one that liked 2f. I am primarily a target shooter so my thing is always the tightest group. I have shot everything from .32 to .54 and only had one .45 out of several that liked 2f. Even the larger calibers shot better with 3f.

 

[wiscoaster]

3F for .45 cal. Swiss for cleanest. Graf's has Swiss.

 

[Brokennock]

3f.
Start your testing with a little less powder than you are using with 2f

Something seems amiss if your getting more fouling from 2f than 3f.

 

[tenngun]

3f.
Start your testing with a little less powder than you are using with 2f

Something seems amiss if you’re getting more fouling from 2f than 3f.

I normally wipe between shots. And so don’t notice a difference between fouling, even with very dirty powders.
Two should foul more than three, but you can get around that.
The Ozarks high humidity fouls much more then the Rockies low for sure
I bet most that read the op wondered at stated less with two then three,

 

[Eterry]

I used 2ff for decades, then Dave France recommended 3fff for muskets. It cleans easier and you use about 10-15% less. That's all I use, except my 10 bore, I have lots of 2ff left.

The Lyman Blackpowder Handbook also verifies this. I think click and clack, the Bevel Brothers, did some tests as well.

 

[Eterry]

Yes...I know who Click And Clack were...I miss them.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

45 cal handgun, 45 cal rifle. All 3f here.

 

[Samuel Blakley]

I use both swiss and Goex 3FF in my rifles. I have developed loads for both. Longer shots swiss seems to group better in my 40 cal. 50 seems to be better with Goex. I wipe between shots. I feel like the patch material makes a bigger difference once you develop a load. The fact is swiss seems to be cleaner when shooting Minies or not wipping between loads.

 

[Brokennock]

I normally wipe between shots. And so don’t notice a difference between fouling, even with very dirty powders.
Two should foul more than three, but you can get around that.
The Ozarks high humidity fouls much more then the Rockies low for sure
I bet most that read the op wondered at stated less with two then three,

I don't wipe between shots, and with 3f I find that if the load is right fouling feels about the same from the second or third shot on until I'm done shooting. With roundball loads the difference in rough "crunchyness" I feel when loading with 2f is less than with shot loads. 2f shot loads, especially the Skychief with no lube below the shot, get crunchy and tough to load quickly.

 

[Jay Templin]

All I use in my .45 rifles and pistols, my .44 revolvers, and my smoothbores (.50-.75) is 2Fg, mostly Goex. No trouble at all, and we’ve made a fair amount of meat over the years.
Jay

 

[hanshi]

I don't swab out the bore after every shot or even after every 50 shots. Loading pressure and accuracy stays the same throughout. I use 3F in everything from .32 to .62 My .32 really likes 3F Swiss while I normally use Goex and other brands for about everything else. Try the Swiss 3F and compare it with Goex 3F and see which one does the best. Swiss is very good but just a little bit costly.