As buttstock says, 3-F burns cleaner and fouls your bore less than 2-F. It also produces more pressure for the same muzzle velocity than does 2-F. Try both to see which your rifle likes best. My roundball .50 shoots a lot tighter groups with 2-F, but has to be wiped after EVERY shot, whereas 3-F lets me shoot several rounds before I have to wipe the bore.

Take a look at a Lyman Blackpowder handbook. It dramatically illustrates the pressure differences resulting from the two different granule sizes with the same bullets and powder charge weights in the same barrels!

Guys I'm new at BP guns so here is my question. Today I purchased a Traditions flintlock model deer hunter. The gun shop gave me 3f vs 2f BP to use to load, when I questioned him about this he said most of the guys are using 3f now instead of 2f but gave me no reason as to why.



I do see that Traditions manual does give a load for each, with 3f about 5 gr. below 2f across the board. Before I take it back what are the pro's and con's of 3f vs 2f if any.....Bob

i shot well with that same gun last weekend with 70 grains 2fg and 65 grains 3fg .. both groups were in the same height about 2 1/2 inches at 50 yards.. it was a good load becouse the width of the group 8 rounds or so, was about 3/4 inch.. the barrel is short so you will probably get more power with the 3f.. and i wasnt gettign fouling problems.. use very consistent wipe, tight wipe patch on jag, and use same exact amougnt of wipe, not too much to wet powder, and not too little to not get all fouling down so ball wont go past a fouling spot without grooving ball and get blow by.. 2fg could possibley be better if you are going to shoot without wiping for a second shot as fouling can be worse with 3f, but it depends on amount of powder, temperature, humidity, and time between loadings.. everything matters, and it will take time to get used to this. . goodluck dave..

Buffalo, I would hesitate to say most guys are using 3fg - in fact, I'd bet against it heavily. That said, 3fg will work just fine. Give it a try.

More important is what granulation you are using in your flashpan. 3fg is a good bit too course there, and 4fg is better. I'm wondering if he tried to pawn off one powder for both.

Brent

Bob



I have the Deer-Hunter also.... use FFF exclusively (777). The guy gave you the powder size (FFF) that performs best with synthetic powders of today.. which now outsells real Black by a wide margin due to rising insurance rates to Ma & Pa gun stores... forcing them to switch to synthetics. He also knows a thing or two about Traditions rifles -- which have two 90 degree turns for the powder to travel inside your bore. FFF also gives you more bang for your buck.... helps firing the gun in moist weather too. You may want to get some FFFF for the pan.

Thanks guys for the good info and yes he did sell me some 4fg for the flash pan, sorry I forgot to mention that. I think I will try the 3fg than and I will be paying alot more visits to this site from now on, I spend most of my time in the African & Handloading forums.........Bob

Bob, 3f and 2f are still the same powder, the 3f is just a little finer grind, I prefer 3f myself.

I've used both FFg and FFFg in my .54 and .62 flintlocks. My .54 Lyman GPR doesn't care one way or the other, but the .62 Tulle Fusil de Chasse smoothbore groups a little tighter, is easier to load for subsequent shots, and is quicker to clean when using FFFg. Good hunting!

I use FFFFg in my flashpan, however, FFg works just fine as a priming powder.

I have been using 3F for everything , get a wooden boll and pestol at a flee market grind your own 4F from 3F ! I have also mixed 2to1 mix of 3F =1 to 2F=2 mix for cartridges burns very clean and great velocity groups ! used it in .58 flint down to .44 percussion and flint ,the 2to1 mix is great for all calibers .