rifles and such

[Duane]

let's talk about rifle's loads, loose ball, tight ball powder charge etc.

[TurkeyCreek]

Sounds good to me Duane.

My load for my .54 flinter, which is my hunting gun, is a .530 rb with a pillow ticking patch over 110 gr. of 2f Goex. This is a pretty tight patch/ball combo and a pretty hefty charge but the fired patches look really good with no tears or burn throughs and this gun has always liked that load really well. Back when I had younger eyes she would keep 3 shots in under an inch at 100 yards.  Now she will shoot as good as my eyes will do. LOL...

[Duane]

I shoot a .54 JJ Henry Lancaster close enough for me copy, I use .526 ball and a ticking patch, my charger holds 50 grain of FFFg so I fill the charger twice for my hunting load, I think I will try palming some powder just to see what kind of accuracy I can get.

[Jon]

I'm shooting a .490 ball with spit and pillow ticking patch on about a 100 gr. 2f goex powder. I pour from my buffalo horn into an antler tip measure that's about 100 gr. or so. Not real accurate measuring I know but I seem to be some what consistent with it. It seems pretty tight but I don't use a starter. I've got my .50 cal. Lyman Great Plains percussion which has been a fine rifle but I'm wanting one of those "close enough for me copy", to quote Duane, JJ Henry .54 flinter real bad. I've been thinking about coning the muzzle of that Lyman but haven't decided yet.

Jon

[Duane]

I have a .50 GPR myself very good rifles.

[teakmtn]

My main carry rifle is a 54 cal flintlock Wheeler Trade Rifle, 44 inch Colraine barrel, also an "Almost Close enough for me copy". I think after replacing the trigger guard and butt plate she'll be real close to ideal. The load she likes is 90 grain of 3f and red pillow ticking wrapped around a 530 ball.
On the days when I go too a simple shooting match with some "percussed" shooting buddies, I shoot my 50 cal GPR. Now this rifle is the most accurate muzzle loader I currently own and is a hoot to shoot. I bought it used off a blanket for $200.00 and it's obvious it was put together by someone who knew what he was doing! She's won a ton of matches for me and my grand daughters. The load I use for trail walks as well for hunting is 70 grain 3f, 10thousandths precut patches and 490 ball. For the grand daughters I use 35 grains 3f and she's just as accurate.

For both rifles when plinking, trail walks etc, I use Hoppe's black powder solvent and lube. With the GPR I can load and shoot 50 rounds with out swabbing or cleaning of any sort.
For hunting I have been experimenting with Mink Oil from Track of the Wolf. Took a nice Mule Deer this past fall with the Mink Oil load, but was only about 75 yards. Realized after the shot, that the jag had spun off the ramrod and I shot the buck with both the jag and round ball! One funny looking entry hole that was a puzzle for a bit. The buck dropped in his tracks.

I used the GPR to take the buck because, I had taken a bad fall a couple of days before and smashed up the the Wheeler and knocked the rear sight, so went to the GPR as back up. But, dang, really wanted to let the Wheeler take her first meat. Anyway, maybe next season.

Cheers,
Doug T.

[Duane]

sounds like you had a good time Doug, that Wheeler sure is a beauty

[Snakebite]

My first rifle was a .54 Hawken made by Davey Boultinghouse back in 1979. It has a Douglas XX barrel, Ron Long triggers and lock. I normally shoot a .535 roundball with pillow ticking lubed with mink oil. My hunting load is 110grs of Goex 2F. For target shooting I use 60 grs at 25yrds, 75 grs at 50yrds and 110 at 100+ yrds. All gives me pretty flat trajectory.