I am all set to work up some loads in a couple of weeks in my .54 renegade , i have a pound of 2f but have 3 pounds of 3f and was wondering if anyone used 3f in there .54 for hunting and what loads you were using. Is it safe to use ,as i know its the same powder thats just a little finer but i do beleive it gives higher pressures then 2f .

Back in the old days, 3F was all there was, so we used it in everything- pistols, rifles, cannons...

My dads buddy had a 58 caliber Zouave that he used 3F in exclusively. I don't think you'll notice any difference.

3F is all I used to use, the Renegade is a good rifle, should be no problem. I know, most if not all reference material calls for 2F.

Use patched round balls to work up you loads, in the beginning. The patch condition after shooting (look out about 15 feet from the muzzle after shooting) can tell a lot about your rifle and load, burning thru the patch is not good. Go to a thicker patch, and/or a tighter balls, or better lube.

On some replacement barrels, nonTC, stick with the 2F. Personally I never had a problem with 3F, and found it to be easier to reload before cleaning was needed. For practice, try experimenting with patch lubes, for hunting, stick with Crisco/Bore Butter etc.

Patch shootthru is a sure sign that you need to do something, don't overlook it as being OK, it isn't.

Main thing is to have fun, which comes naturally with BP. If you have any concerns about the load, cut your 3F load by 10% compared to 2F load. Go for accuracy, BP will leave you amazed at the accuracy you can atain. If you need more umpph, go to a 58 or larger, more powder is probably not the answer.

Good Luck, have fun!

I load 3f for all of my cartridge shotgun loads. I get much better velocity than with 2f. my Lyman .54 GPR also gets 3f.

Hog iller

Sir: I have been using 90 grains of 3f in a .54 GRRW roundball gun for many years. As far as one can guess from published literature this load is likely 20% higher in pressure than a 2f 90 grain load would be. But the load shoots very well at 100 yards. I also know shooters who prefer 2f and one of them uses 110 of 2f. Seems like it is the velocity, pressure, patch combination that makes a good load and you can achieve the pressure either with 3f or more 2f.

I use only 3F (Pyrodex or 777) in all my 45 and 50's. I really like the 3F (black or Pyrodex, haven't tried 777 yet) in 54's because of the ease of ignition, but found accuracy and velocity to be better with the 2F. I think the burn rate varies because of the larger cross section, so I drop my 3F loads about 10 grains and it performs almost identically.

I am sorry i left out something important . I am not using roundballs i am using Hornadys great plains bullet and it weights 425 rains.

I use 3f in my flintlocks, a .54 roundball rifle and a .62 smoothbore. Both guns seems to like it better than 2f. Good hunting! mb

I think 3f is great, but it is hotter so use about 10 grains less for the load to be equivalent to a 2f load. I have always preferred it to the 2f.

I have read that a load of 3F must be about 15% lower than a load of 2F.
Everyone also says the 3F leaves less fouling making it possible to shoot more before swabbing the bore.
Jim

Back when I was still shooting BP, I used 110 gr 3f with a Lyman 420 gr minie as my hunting load. I toned down to that from 120 gr 3f as that just hit too hard on my shoulder.

I used a .54 Renegade that had been restocked more like a Hawkin, steel crescent butt and all. The 110 gr load proved to be very accurate, even out to 200 yards I kept them on a "Baby Moon" hub cap.

I may try some more BP shooting this summer, we'll just have to see what happens. I probably will back off to 90 to 100 gr, though, as my increasing age has brought with it a little more respect for recoil.

3f will work just fine in your Renegade. The rifle itself will tell you what amount to use. It should shoot 1 1/2 or less at 100 yards once you find the sweetspot combination of powder and projectile whatever that may be. My 50 cal TC Hawken for instance likes 80grs of 3f Goex behind a 370gr Lyman Maxi. and for target it likes 45grs of Pyrodex P with a .010 patch and round ball. 2f will work also except it is dirtier. I prefer 3f over 2f and Pyrodex P over both of them. Mainly because Pyrodex is cleaner yet and less expensive to shoot per shot.

I use 75 gr 777 FFF with a 405 Buffalo conical in my 58-cal Renegade. Deadly out to 125 yards.