Light charges better or not?

[BigBoreBLR]

I have been using lighter charges whenever I can with my muzzleloaders. 55grs on a 54 cal and 40grs on a 45 cal.

MY theory is less powder fouls less on the gun.

However, I would like to challenge my theory by using more stout charges, like 55grs on the 45 and 75 grs on the 54 cal. Does the higher charges equate to hotter combustion temperature, which will make for a cleaner bore and flash hole?

I do notice less is better with the priming pan, but is it the opposite with the barrel.

I use FFFg goex. My Lyman GPR flintlock in 54 cal starts to act up after 10 rounds. No fire of the barrel, but the pan lights fine. The best solution I have seen is to pour some 4f over the flashhole, dig it in and out a few times, then make a clear channel in the hole with the pick. Having a relatively full pan helps a lot too, like 3/4's full. Flash hole is stock, but enlarged with a 1/16th drill bit.

Just gets a bit annoying and I have problems finishing a blanket shoot. Even more so because I am left handed and wait for the area to bit a bit more clear to fire.

 

[Turtle Creek]

I've always shot a hunting load of 90-95 grains in my .54. Habit I guess.
I never wipe between shots and my last string of 20 loaded the same from 1st to last.
I never use oil in the bore, just barricade as a final swipe. After water and solvent (Hoppes #9) finish with WD40 to remove moisture and finish with the barricade.
Since I've started that deal never had a hard to load/fowled bore.
Hoppes #9 for patch lube for quick shots...mink oil for hunting.

 

[tenngun]

I think humiity has a lot to do with it. When I lived in New Mexico and Wyoming I found little or no change through a string of up to 10 shots tween wippng. Here in the ozarks I like to wipe between shots. Three or four shots starts to get tight.
Balisticly a ball performs so poor and has such a suuden loss of velocity I donk know that large charges help. I hunt with 70 grains in my .50 and 80 in my .62s, most game hear is taken at 25-50 yards.

 

[Richard Brinkman]

I would determine what load is the most accurate and shot that?

RB

 

[Rifleman1776]

Your objective is puzzling.
What are you trying to achieve? Best accuracy? Or hunting killing power? Or neither?
Most ml'ers work up a load (ball size/lube/patch/charge) that gives top accuracy and stick with that. For hunting an increase in charge can be done with very minimal changes in accuracy in most cases.
The old rule of thumb to start with bore size for a start charge and work up from there is still good advice. You need time at the range shooting from the bench to get your accuracy load. The other factors you mention are not relevant. BP shooting is dirty that is just part of the package.

 

[BigBoreBLR]

This is a casual target shooting target load.

I only hunt with the 54 cal. When I do, I bring it up to 90 grains FFFg.

I haven't shot at paper on the bench in almost 2 years with my guns. I shoot woodswalks and a 6" gong at 70 yards in my backyard.

MY hopes were to keep the bore cleaner running and to enjoy more shooting per lb of powder. IT's hard to find by me in NY, but I can still have it sent to my home.

I was wondering if more power means more fouling. Or, is it a bit like the woodstove, the stovepipe is cleaner the hotter you run it.

 

[tenngun]

if it shoots how you want its good for you

 

[mr.flintlock]

Opinions vary on these issues and powder charges are a personal thing and What works best for you is what you should use. If you are hitting your target and are making clean kills on game then your loads should be fine. I have seen no evidence to suggest that lighter loads cause more fowling. Now, if I understand your problem with misfires, Your rifle works fine up to about ten shots and then you begin to have flashes in the pan but the main charge fails to ignite. This has to do with fowling around the touch hole liner area. As fowling builds from the inside, it begins to block off the main charge from the prime pan and the fire cannot reach the main charge. I build my own rifles and use touch hole liners that I make for myself. I use 1/4 inch allen set screws 1/4 inch long. I drill them with 1/16 inch bit and use an 82 degree counter sink to cone the allen screw from the inside. This gets the main charge close to the prime pan and I always get good and fast ignition. If you can, remove your touch hole liner and examine it. See if it is coned out on the inside. If not look at the possibility of coning it out a little from the inside. There may be some aftermarket touch hole liners for your rifle on the market that will improve ignition.

 

[Turtle Creek]

Even during our rainy season (we've had 4" rain Jan/Feb) which is high for us I've had no issue.
I think it has more to do with mixing bore oil and powder.
If I oil the bore It loads hard here too and I have to swipe every few shots.
Try no oil. Barricade instead.
In a dry climate the residue dries out quicker and that should make it worse not better.

 

[hanshi]

Mostly my larger caliber rifles are fired with hunting loads that have proven accurate. I don't hunt small game with them, just deer. For economical shooting I shoot my little bores (.32, .36, .40) with squirrel loads. I did work up a deer load in my .40 just in case the itch starts up.

 

[thecapgunkid]

Go for the group.

 

[mooman76]

I generally shoot light charges in all mine. I just shoot for fun and plinking so no need for heavy charges.

 

[tenngun]

It's been my experience that even the fouling in the pan and down the barrel is worse in the humidity, that I never had in the west. Shooting in the rain or mist it becomes worse . I like barricade, and also use lard or mink oil.
Moving to the ozarks introduced me to problems I never had out west. My flinters needed s lot more attention to give regular firerings. :idunno:

 

[Tinker2]

I shoot the lightest charges that do what I need them to.

My loads are mostly lower than most and that works for me.



William Alexander

 

[Rifleman1776]

As I said before, I think your objectives are something beyond accurate, effective shooting. The best advice I can give is work up the most accurate load for your rifle, swab between every shot and don't forget saftey rules. Enjoy.

 

[BigBoreBLR]

Seems by me, there is more woodswalk shoots in the winter than summer.

When I first got this gun. I bought a few different patches, 530 and 535 balls, and only FFFg goex powder.

The 90gr charges shot well, but had an occasional flyer. Likely due to flinching.

55gr shot pretty good, was very mild on the shoulder, and my powder horn still had some left in it at the end of the day.

I may formally try out my theory here. I do need some bench time with this gun for sure though. Just don't care for bench shooting much.

 

[Billnpatti]

I must confess to being a Ballistol man. I also use other lubes and cleaners but I really do like Ballistol. When I use Ballistol as a patch lube, I use it straight with no dilution. I seem to get less fouling when I use Ballistol although I do use other lubes such as spit, Bore Butter and a few secret concoctions. I also swab between shots with a mixture of 1 part Ballistol in 10 parts water. I put it on my wiping patches such that they are only slightly damp. Between shots, I run a damp patch down my bore in one single stroke down to the breach and out with no pumping. It keeps the bore clean and absolutely consistent from shot to shot. That is important to accuracy.

Okaay, so much for keeping the fouling down and the bore consistent from shot to shot. When you load, put something in your touch hole to keep it clear. Your touch hole pick works great for this. Pick the hole before loading to make sure that it is open and clean. Leave the pick in the hole while you load. When you dump in your powder, give the barrel a couple of good taps with the heel of your hand to settle the powder into the breach. Patch your ball with a patch that is lightly lubricated with straight Ballistol and seat it firmly on top of your powder. Fill your pan with the powder of your choice using the amount that you have found to give you the best ignition. I find that a nice even distribution in my pan provides a good bed of powder for the spark to land in for a good quick ignition.

I think this should solve your fouling problems and you should have no problem finishing a blanket shoot, woods walk or any other type of match. :thumbsup:

As for just how much powder you should use for your specific rifle, this site: www.blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com will provide you with a wealth of information. If I were you, I'd order a copy of his work soon because I don't know how much longer he will be offering it. Dutch is in his 80s and getting tired of fooling with his website. I don't blame him. It is a treasure not to be missed.

 

[Artificer]

There are two different loads for each individual Muzzleloading Rifle, if not for all Muzzleloaders generally. The first is a lighter accuracy load and the second is a heavier hunting load that may not be and usually not quite as accurate as the "Accuracy Load."

Back in the 70's, I discovered the accuracy load for my .45 Caliber hand built Golden Age Flintlock rifle was EXACTLY 42 1/2 grains of FFFg powder by volume. The groups began opening up when this powder charge was off by only one grain of powder. The groups did not begin to tighten up again until I put 70-75 grains of powder for a hunting load.

NSSA shooters often use 28 to 32 grains of FFg powder for accuracy loads in their Un-Civil War vintage or reproduction Rifle Muskets, while 60 grains was the standard issue or "combat" load of the period.

I probably shot the lighter accuracy load at least 19 times out of 20 times I fired my Flintlock rifle, as I shot a whole lot more target shots than hunting shots. No need to waste the additional powder on a hunting load that was not as accurate, when shooting targets. Prior to hunting season, I did practice a fair amount with the hunting loads, though.

Gus

 

[Dphar]

I have been using lighter charges whenever I can with my muzzleloaders. 55grs on a 54 cal and 40grs on a 45 cal.

MY theory is less powder fouls less on the gun.

However, I would like to challenge my theory by using more stout charges, like 55grs on the 45 and 75 grs on the 54 cal. Does the higher charges equate to hotter combustion temperature, which will make for a cleaner bore and flash hole?

I do notice less is better with the priming pan, but is it the opposite with the barrel.

I use FFFg goex. My Lyman GPR flintlock in 54 cal starts to act up after 10 rounds. No fire of the barrel, but the pan lights fine. The best solution I have seen is to pour some 4f over the flashhole, dig it in and out a few times, then make a clear channel in the hole with the pick. Having a relatively full pan helps a lot too, like 3/4's full. Flash hole is stock, but enlarged with a 1/16th drill bit.

Just gets a bit annoying and I have problems finishing a blanket shoot. Even more so because I am left handed and wait for the area to bit a bit more clear to fire.

How is the accuracy affected? On PAPER for group size with a GOOD REST not at some hit or miss target. Compared to careful consistent wiping every shot.

Most rifles will not shoot well once fouled. Unless water based lubes are used.
Most accuracy problems people encounter with traditional MLs are the result of trying to shoot with insufficient powder.

Dan

 

[Greenjoytj]

Any weight charge of black powder only about half the charge makes the hot gas energy to launch the ball, the rest of the charge turns to fouling and half of that stays in the bore.
So a smaller charge burns down to less bore fouling but with less velocity and power.

Failure to fire after about 10 shots used to affect my GPR 54 too. My theory to the cause is during loading great flakes of fouling are being knocked off the bore and lodging in the patent breach area blocking the vent. My fix has been to dry twist a 36 cal bronze brush in the patent breach after 8 shots and then dry brush the bore. The amount of carbon dust that is brushed out doesn't seem like much but the rifle will continue to shoot another 8 shots with out problems. Every 8 shots dry brush. At home I clean at the laundry tub with the after market RMC vent removed I've seen the large flakes of fouling flush out.