how much 3F for .50 cal

[Barrows]

Hi. My Dad passed on his muzzleloader to me. It was made by Ted Fellowes, and is a 50 caliber, 1:66 twist Beaver Lodge. I shoot traditional muzzleloaders regularly, and know what my own muzzleloaders prefer, but I don't know the preferences and limits for the Beaver Lodge. He bought it in the 1970s from Ted. I know he used 3F Goex, but don't know how much. Does anyone have any information on this rifle? Thanks.

 

[Pete44ru]

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My slo-twist .50cal liked 80gr FFFg Holy black with a PRB, but YMMV.

I would start around 60-70 gr, and work my way up to a max load of 90-100gr, until I found an accurate load before calling it good.


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[William O.]

Start with 50 grains of 3f and work up an accurate load from there. Shoot three times aiming at the same place on the target, increase by 5 grains and repeat until your groups are nice and tight. I recommend that you swab the bore after every shot while you are sighting in.

 

[Ron_T.]

All 3 of my .50 caliber rifles... 2 Hawken cap-locks and a flinter Long Rifle all like 47 grains of FFFg real black powder (either Swiss or Goex) for target shooting and my older CVA cap-lock Hawken-Hunter Carbine (24" barrel, 6½ lbs) likes 70 grains of FFFg Swiss Black Powder.

Both of these powder loads stack one round ball's hole on top of another if I do my job.

Incidentally, that 70 grain load shoots through BOTH sides of a deer if the ball is placed in the deer's "kill-zone" (just behind the shoulder).

Hope these loads work out for you.

Jus' my 2 ¢... :wink:


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

 

[jamesthomas]

For hunting, I use 70grns. of 3fff Goex in my Green Mountain .50 cal. 1/72 inch twist, 33 inch barrel.

 

[hanshi]

My hunting load for my flint EL .50 is 70 grains of 3F. Actually 60 grains would do as well. I've used as much as 100 grains of 3F in various .50s and that did fine as well.

 

[Idaho Elk Hunter]

Just remember that FFFG builds a lot more pressure in barrel than FFG. Load accordingly. Happy and safe shooting...my thoughts are longer the barrel maybe you don't need FFF and I lean towards FF on the longer barrel guns...you don't need the higher pressure on long barrel like you do on short barrel, that is why they originally used it for pistols etc.

 

[hanshi]

That load gave me well over 2000fps and was super accurate. I stopped using that much powder in my .50s in part because it simply wasn't needed. 60 to 70 grains is accurate and powerful enough for deer.

 

[Ron_T.]

My very accurate hunting load (for deer) in my older, .50 caliber, caplock CVA Hawken Hunter-Carbine (24" barrel/6½ lbs) is 70 grains of Swiss Black Powder behind a .490" Hornady swagged rifle ball with a .016" denim patch cut at the barrel lubed with a mixture of bee's wax and liquid Crisco.

This load will generally shoot through both sides of a deer if hit in the "kill zone" just behind the shoulder.

A very accurate paper-punching load is 47 grains of either Swiss or Goex with the above components in any of my three .50 caliber black powder, muzzle-loading rifles (2 caplock Hawkens and a flinter Long Rifle).

Either load will print all 3 mostly "touching" bullet holes in the X-ring (most of the time) if the shooter does his/her job.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

 

[Lyness1215]

I shoot a CVA PLAINSMAN 70 grains of 777 3f .490 PRB .015 patch very accurate I can't find any real black powder down here in Florida

 

[hanshi]

While a bit counterintuitive, my .50 is a one-hole group shooter at 25 yards with 30 grains of 2F. That load would make a fine small game load but I use small calibers for small critters, .32 and .36.

 

[dave951]

Geez guys, do some load development. Start at 45gr fire a 5 shoot group. Go up 5gr, repeat. Do this till you see the group tighten up. Then try 2gr either side of that load. I found my CVA prefers 67gr 3f.

 

[tom_in_vt]

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My slo-twist .50cal liked 80gr FFFg Holy black with a PRB, but YMMV.

I would start around 60-70 gr, and work my way up to a max load of 90-100gr, until I found an accurate load before calling it good.

.

I would do exactly this. Try .490/.495 balls, .015/.018 patches, etc.