I have been using a load of 80 gr of fffg in my 50 caliber hunting rifles for quite a few years now.How many muzzleloader hunters here use the finer granulation of either blackpowder or a substitute?

Question:
What granulation of powder do you use in your 50 cal hunting rifle?

Choices:
ffg
fffg
rs
p
other

 

me first

Actually I'm a bit shocked that many people use FFFg powder on .50 calibers. It just burns too fast/hot for good ballistics. That's hardly saying it WON'T work. As an instructor for the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association, we teach the following:

FFFFg - Flash powder only

FFFg - Calibers up to and including .45

FFg - Shoulder mounted firearms from .50 up

Fg - Cannon powder

it would seem a majority of responders use fffg for 50 caliber.This would jive with my experience from a few years ago on a traditional muzzleloader website where the vast majority used fffg also,istead of ffg.I found fffg to be much cleaner with less fouling.I have actually gotten chunks of wood out of my barrel when cleaning it while using ffg.I havent chronographed it,but I like to think I am getting equal or better velocity ,while using a smaller powder charge.Sure cant fault the accuracy.

jb, to each his own, but why would you find "chunks of wood" in your barrel? Are you making your own black powder? Your FFFg burns "cleaner" (if you could ever say black powder burns clean) simply because it's hotter. With a muzzleloader, energy is created by extending the burn inside the barrel as the projectile is moved down it. FFg creates more energy on the larger diameter bullet simply because of that phenomenon (Greater surface area, heavier bullet -requires more energy to attain equal speed). In most hunting situations, it's inconsequential, but from the purist point of view it's important. Now with the numbers and the quality of "propellants" available and being used, black powder with it's intrinsic baggage is slowing fading away except in those purist circles. It's sure made us change our teaching methods as we've had to include in-lines, scopes, and improved cleaning methods to cover "crud rings" and other changes in the sport.

Hell, I use 3f in my .54 caliber Mortimer flintlock...2" groups @ 100 yards using Remington Golden round balls.

In general I use FFG, but to be honest I've shot a bunch of FFF in my life and haven't ever noticed that much of a difference, even when shooting FF in 45 caliber rifles.

I suspect this rule of thumb was a bit more valid 150 years ago than it is today, but like the 4'8.5" railroad tracks it keeps persisting.

quote:

Originally posted by george roof:
jb, to each his own, but why would you find "chunks of wood" in your barrel? Are you making your own black powder?

No,just ffg goex blackpowder.I would identify small pieces of wood(charcoal) when cleaning the barrel.

Y I B, that's interesting. Thanx.

I use FFFg in my Gonic Arms and FFg in my TC Contenders. Have to say that the FFFg leaves less crud at the breech plug when running the swab down.

I'm sure everyone has had different experiences

I've come to prefer 3F in my .62 smoothbore and .54 rifle - both flintlocks. In the smoothbore it seems to foul less and is easier to wipe between shots. I was a little surprised to find that my Encore 209x50 barrel likes 3F just fine too, and shot better than with Pyrodex or 777 pellets.

i usually use 3f Goex in all my guns,from .32 to .54,and 2f in a smoothbore.

I typically use FFFG in 45, 50, and 54.

I have one load of FFG for the 45 with Minie ball.

I shot 110 gr. of ffg in my 54 cal. Santa Fe Hawken for years,shooting about 2 lbs. per month, hunting and in competition, Then I bought a Chronograph and chrono'd 110 gr. and then 100 grs.The difference in velocity by reducing the load 10 grs? 18 fps!Just think of all the powder I wasted over those many years.

Juckett

90 grains of FFFG with a PRB work well inmy two 54s.

I use 3f in my flintlock because I can use it for both the priming and the main charge. It's simpler than carrying another little pan charger in the field. I just tap a little bit out of my horn into the pan.

In my caplock I mostly use 2f, but I haven't noticed much difference in performance between 2f and 3f.

I only really shoot my MLs (they're all tradional guns with iron sights) off of a bench to sight them in. I can't honestly say that I've really noticed that the powder makes a big difference. As long as I can put all my shots into a 6" bullseye at 75-80 yards (my self-imposed range limit), I'm happy.