I need some info for loading a .45cal round ball.

The rifle is a Pedersoli Pennsylvania Dixe.
41 5/8" barrel, 8 grooves, 1:48 twist.

I have managed to read on the Dixie Gun Works site that this exact gun wants 60gn of fffg for a .440 ball.

Pedersoli supplies .445 balls but no loading info.

I read elsewhere that 1 grain per .1 inch of caliber, so; .45 - 45 grains powder.

I also found another formula that I couldn't work out: Calibre X 2 X rate of twist???
It didn't mention what units to use.

Place the ball on open hand and pour enough powder to cover it?

Can someone offer some load advice for me?

I am actually getting this for a friend who wants to start shooting and hunting, (no licence required here for muzzleloaders) so I need to look good when I teach him aye ;-) ?

Start with 45 grains by volume of FFFg under a .440 round ball and a 0.010 Wonderlube patch. Work up from there as needed. A 1:48 twist rate is a comprimise so you may not reach full power with accuracy. If you haven't read one yet, any of Sam Fadala's BP books will decrease your frustration and increase your safety.

I'm curious to know exactly what you mean by 1:48 is a compromise, does that mean that it could also shoot conical 500gn slugs?

It seems strange to me that your ammo choice goes from a 133gn round ball to a 500gn conical.

Whats with that?

A rifle twist of 1in48 will shoot Round balls and conicale and sabots , Your powder is 2Xthe caliber and that is plenty safe !

quote:

Originally posted by EXPRESS:
I need some info for loading a .45cal round ball. The rifle is a Pedersoli Pennsylvania Dixe. 41 5/8" barrel, 8 grooves, 1:48 twist.
Can someone offer some load advice for me?

I've had a similar rifle for many years. I shot it quite a bit back in the '70s. Managed numerous varmints, a couple deer and a spike elk. Moved on to a .50 cal to remain legal for elk where I hunt. However I found the .45 with a RB to be quite adequate for deer.

Suggest you start at 60 gr of FFFG and work up in 5 gr increments. I shoot 3 shot groups at 100 yards starting with a clean barrel and not cleaning between shots for a particular powder charge. Of course a good solid bench is used for this testing.

I use a .440 lead RB with a .012" pillow ticking patch or a .445 RB with a .010" patch. I pre-cut the patches. The patches are lubed with Bore Butter. The rifling at 1-48" in my rifle is pretty shallow so I use a very tight fitting RB/patch combination. My target and plinking load is 60 gr FFFG and my deer load is 90 gr FFFG. Both loads are measured by volume. The 90 gr load runs in the 1900 fps range and the 3 shots go into 3" at 100 yards.

As always, work up your loads carefully.

Larry Gibson

http://www.goexpowder.com/

Check out the LOAD CHART on the left hand side.
Reduce 10-15% for 3F loads.

Ok thanks folk, this has been a bit of a help.
I myself was going to start shooing a BP rifle, then got sidetracked by the BP cartridge rifles and took that path for a while but i think that I just might end up with my own frontstuffer after this.

I will get to learn a lot with this one, then I might get myself one too.

Thanks to all.

quote:

Originally posted by EXPRESS:
I'm curious to know exactly what you mean by 1:48 is a compromise, does that mean that it could also shoot conical 500gn slugs?

It seems strange to me that your ammo choice goes from a 133gn round ball to a 500gn conical.

Whats with that?

Typical twist rates for patched round ballare 1:62, 1:68, 1:77... S L O W.

Purpose made barrels for sabots and conicals
is usually in the 30's the longer the intended bullet the faster the twist.

AllanD