Thread: Muzzle Loading

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

Attachment 196014
Traditions 50cal.
Got this little critter this evening.

Bit serious with a flintlock, good fun though! I used to shoot hares with a 54 cal, if you missed, the hare would be confused with the hole that had just appeared, sometimes giving you enough time for another shot.

Originally Posted by XR500

Good to see a front stuffer being used to drop a couple of quality stags:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kspbN9HnGc&t=111s

Amazing how long the smoke hangs in the air all the way from the shooter to the stag

That gun looks identical to mine but with a percussion lock.
Did he say two hundred grains of powder?
I'm using ninety for about 1700 fps with a ball.

Originally Posted by XR500

Good to see a front stuffer being used to drop a couple of quality stags:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kspbN9HnGc&t=111s

Amazing how long the smoke hangs in the air all the way from the shooter to the stag

Yeh my son was about a mile from where I shot the 4 pointer pictured in this thread. He said he heard an almighty BooM and looked in my direction , could see the smoke cloud from where He was . Said to me later you were easy to spot.

Just watched the Video . 200 grains of powder is a hell of a lot for a 50cal. A lot of it won`t ignite until its blown out of the barrel, makes plenty of smoke but dosn`t help much. 100 grains is heaps for a 50cal 70-90 grains is plenty. I use 120 grains in the 58cal and thats way more than necessary though its what produces the tightest groups. As the powder I make costs about $2 a kilo I don`t need to scrimp though still wouldn`t bother with 200 grains in anything.

Originally Posted by XR500

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kspbN9HnGc&t=111s

Looks like triple7 or pyrodex pellets with a saboted pistol bullet so a load designed for an modern inline muzzleloader.
I would have thought that seems pretty iffy combination to use in a traditional reproduction rifle.

Recovered the projectile.
Went in front on through shoulder, through top of lungs and stopped in opposite hind quarter. About two inches under skin.
Started at 177.6 grains. Now weighs 177.0 grains

Nice, round balls for whatever reason seem to need more powder than a mine or slug does.
Put a ball in the flat palm of your hand and pour powder over it till it's covered. That's pretty much the ideal charge.
Don't know about the 200 grains in that video. I wonder if he is getting weight and volume confused with a shotgun the load should be equal VOLUMES of powder and shot. 1 oz of shot is 438 grains but the same volume is 80 grains of ffg

Got the other half into it a while ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5mrRRp23ZU

Yeah been into black powder for about 14 years
All patched round ball stuff until about 5 years ago when I got heavy into black powder cartridge rifles and Specifically shooting them long range out to 1000y

I have
3 muzzle loaders
40cal
45 cal
50 cal

2 38-50 Hepburn’s
2 50-70govt
And currently building a 45-90 just sold my 45-70 to help fund it

Originally Posted by Barefoot

Looks like triple7 or pyrodex pellets with a saboted pistol bullet so a load designed for an modern inline muzzleloader.
I would have thought that seems pretty iffy combination to use in a traditional reproduction rifle.

Yes very much so
Not really the right ammo and 200gns Jesus that’s like a 120% over charge 80gns would be considered a stout hunting load in a 50cal
Not dangerous to load them right up but your just wasteing powder as most of it is burning outside the barrel

Plus i hate to break it to you but Pirodex is not black powder it’s a modern equivalent

Sacked the deer though well done
Any deer shot with a muzzle loader and open sights is a good Achievement regardless of load

I have a modern in line stainless steel 50 cal conical muzzleloader I would sell is someone wants to get into it cheap
Brought it to try 50 cal conicals in a fast twist barrel so I could convince Vulcan barrels to get a fast twist button for his 50 cal
This is fast twist muzzleloader and not normal 50 BMG fast twist

Money would go into a 577 project

Ive shot muzzloaders for about 25 years.
Currently I shoot an original 577 two band Enfield,a 45 cal NZ made hawkins,a Snider and an original 16 bore fowler made in 1830.
Black powder had a real following Im told back in the 70's and 80's,then seemed to wane a bit after that. There still seems to be plenty still shoot them but I dont know if the clubs are as strong as they used to be.
Rotorua and Taumarunui still have good shoots Im told. I guess covid hasn't helped any either. Black was expensive compared to smokeless too though thats changed I guess now,and I think a few are making it here too. Id like to see a blackpowder forum but I guess it would remain to be seen how many would post in it.

@7mmwsm next time it’s snowing at your place, load up a fire it over the white snow, any I burnt powder will show on the snow. You can back off the load until it’s gone, perfect load no I burnt waste. No snow on the mountains as a drove through yesterday, so maybe about August.