.62 Colerain barrel load

[David R. Pennington]

Nearing completion an .62 cal rifle with 44 inch Colrain oct.-rd. barrel round bottom rifling. Anyone have any experience with these and advice with where to start on ball/patch combo and loads?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I have a .62 Hawken with a 36" Rice barrel.  It likes 127 grains FFg GOEX, .020" denim patch spit lubed, and a .610 pure lead ball from a Lyman mold.  If Colerain's twist is close to Rice's, yours should like a similar load. 

[Daryl]

Lesser charges were simply less accurate at 200yards for Taylor and I'm sure if his shoulder was up to the punishment of that hooked butt, 140gr. 2f would be even better at 200yards.

I'd assume those barrels will shoot reasonably well closer in using less powder, however I'd personally not use less than 100gr. 2F at any range for serious work and preferrably, 110gr. to 115gr. if using 2F, GOEX. We are not normally known for adjusting the powder charge for the range we shoot, if shooting under 20 rods , however with the Gentle Lady, I must, if serious about grouping, but - I MUST also wear a shoulder protector under my shirt - she's gentle for a big bore, but quite in charge, none the less.

[D. Bowman]

I shoot a Colerain 44in .62 swamped barrel. Actually the barrel measures at .61.  The load I was shooting at first was a .600 ball and 22th pillow tick patching in front of 100gr of 2f Swiss. this was very accurate but very tight load.
Lately I have tried a combo using a .590 ball and 26th denim patch with 100gr of Swiss and found this to be easier to load and as accurate as the previous load.

Spit was used as lube on all load testing and target shooting. Hunting loads are lubed with deer tallow neatsfoot oil mixture.