Smoothbore Loads

[Sicilian Hunter]

I've recently come back from the range with a FdC that I bought from Veteran Arms.
Despite some things that need to be done to the out of the box weapon I'm feeling that the loads of 2F up to and including seem a bit anemic as far as killing power for big game such as deer.
Am I wrong?








Smoothbore Loads

Chart courtesy of Goex Powder[/QUOTE]

 

[No Deer]

Loads up to what seem anemic? You left out how much powder you were using. With my 20 ga. trade gun I have taken bear, deer, turkey, squirrel, rabbit, quail, chukar, and duck, and never found it "anemic". My load is 75 grains of 3f powder with either patched round ball or shot, depending on what I am shooting at.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I like 70 grains of 2Fg, and one ounce of shot, or a .590 round ball which is a little less than 3/4 of an ounce. I use paper cartridges for both loads, to hold the shot or to center the ball, instead of a patch.

LD

 

[BrownBear]

Despite some things that need to be done to the out of the box weapon I'm feeling that the loads of 2F up to and including seem a bit anemic as far as killing power for big game such as deer.
Am I wrong?

My wife is a long time deer slayer with an array of 54 caliber rifles. For her recoil sensibilities, that's best done with 60 grains of 3f, and she limits herself to lung shots to 50 yards- typical of smoothbore accuracy limits. She's never had to take a second shot. She's never trailed a deer more than about 20 yards. And we've never recovered a single ball from all the deer she's shot. Clean through-and-through penetration.

BTW- There's nothing anemic about the top loads listed on this load chart from Goex

 

[Sicilian Hunter]

Loads up to what seem anemic? You left out how much powder you were using. With my 20 ga. trade gun I have taken bear, deer, turkey, squirrel, rabbit, quail, chukar, and duck, and never found it "anemic". My load is 75 grains of 3f powder with either patched round ball or shot, depending on what I am shooting at.

No Deer,
Apologies, my loads were 60 and 70 grains of 2F using a patched .595 ball. I also tried 70 grains of 2F under 80 grains of 7 1/2 shot.
The Manufacturer/Re-builder recommends 2F only and no more than 80 grains

 

[Sicilian Hunter]

I like 70 grains of 2Fg, and one ounce of shot, or a .590 round ball which is a little less than 3/4 of an ounce. I use paper cartridges for both loads, to hold the shot or to center the ball, instead of a patch.

LD

Dave,
Just bought a Dollar store novel last night to make paper cartridges and will make the dowel next.
I suppose a cartridge box is now on the list as well!! LOL

 

[Sicilian Hunter]

My wife is a long time deer slayer with an array of 54 caliber rifles. For her recoil sensibilities, that's best done with 60 grains of 3f, and she limits herself to lung shots to 50 yards- typical of smoothbore accuracy limits. She's never had to take a second shot. She's never trailed a deer more than about 20 yards. And we've never recovered a single ball from all the deer she's shot. Clean through-and-through penetration.

BTW- There's nothing anemic about the top loads listed on this load chart from Goex

Bear,
Its the 2F load that seems to lack the snap I recall from 3F out of my .50 caliber rifle.
It may be 2 things : no rifling to cause resistance and therefor reducing perceived recoil and/or 2F burns slower, giving different recoil and report characteristics that are deceiving.
I am speculating...
My main concern is clean kills.

 

[tenngun]

With it being smooth fifty yards is about your range. That fat ball goes clean through a deer. The 58 cal military short rifles used 60 grain charges. A Minnie is more effective at using powder then a ball is, but you’ll find that It’ll do the job fine. Just put a bambi in the freezer from 65 grains under a .595 ball.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I suppose a cartridge box is now on the list as well!! LOL

Naw, I just use a leather bag with a dual pocket inside. Powder cartridges in one half, shot or ball in the other. I use the horn to prime with 3Fg, OR I use a capper if it's my SxS caplock.

LD

 

[hanshi]

My load for deer and similar size game consists of 70 grains of 3F and a patched .600" ball. The bore is a somewhat tight 20ga. They often drop DRT.

 

[Sicilian Hunter]

With it being smooth fifty yards is about your range. That fat ball goes clean through a deer. The 58 cal military short rifles used 60 grain charges. A Minnie is more effective at using powder then a ball is, but you’ll find that It’ll do the job fine. Just put a bambi in the freezer from 65 grains under a .595 ball.

Tenngun,
That's reassuring !!

 

[Sicilian Hunter]

My load for deer and similar size game consists of 70 grains of 3F and a patched .600" ball. The bore is a somewhat tight 20ga. They often drop DRT.

Hanshi,
My smoothbore has recommended loadings of 2F only but I'm wondering about the 3F through all of this however, for the time being I'll stick with the 2F.
What's DRT?

 

[Grenadier1758]

DRT: Dead Right There

 

[tenngun]

Also called BAC( buzzards are circling) ART ( assuming room temperature) I often say becoming French.... deer(English) becomes venison(French)

 

[Eterry]

If you want to use fffg in place of ffg just drop back your fffg charge about 25-30%. I use a buffalo hunter 58 cal with a 500 grain minie in front of 60grs fffg. I use fffg cause i have lbs of it and it makes small groups. The manuals show about 900fps, and that caused me great concern... until i hit a nice heavy buck at 40 yards. Complete pass thru, deer went 20 yards and piled up, exit wound was massive. Two weeks later same story with a big doe.

Will your smoothy shoot flat at 300 yards... NO. Will it slay any animal in 50 yards... YES!

 

[Sparkitoff]

I'm using a .626 ball with no patch and 70-80 grains of FFFg. Cushion wad and over card. It does 1480 FPS with the 335 grain ball and zips right through a deer or hog out to the 50 yards we've used it at. As others have said, there is nothing anemic about it.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I'm using a .626 ball with no patch and 70-80 grains of FFFg. Cushion wad and over card. It does 1480 FPS with the 335 grain ball and zips right through a deer or hog out to the 50 yards we've used it at. As others have said, there is nothing anemic about it.

That's more like it instead of women's and small children loads

 

[Sicilian Hunter]

DRT: Dead Right There

Grenadier,
Thanks for the acronym translation!
LOL

 

[toot]

does VETERN ARMS guns come with the barrel vented with a vent hole already drilled?

 

[tenngun]

That's more like it instead of women's and small children loads

I think it’s Duelist 54 on his you tube channel who found bare ball shot best groups with bigger charges. He was shooting 110 grains behind a bare .61 ball
While the deer is not more dead, you can’t kill what you can’t hit.