Suggestions for patch material/load development

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

My .62 cal rifle likes 127 gr. FFG GOEX, .613" pure lead ball from a .610" Lyman mould, .022" denim patch with mink oil for hunting.  Here's a six shot group at 100 meters (110 yds) a composite of two targets superposed.  For trail shooting and close targets, I use 86 gr. FFg.

[hanshi]

Stretchman, I have a .62 but it is a smoothbore and, of course, requires a different loading approach.  The best load, which has killed deer, is a .600" lead ball over 70 grains of 3F Goex's JBP.  My chronograph records are from years ago and not very complete.  Still at least one entry shows that with a .015" patch this load gives an ave. of 1368 fps with an ES of 46 fps.  At 50 yards - the farthest I've fired the gun - consistent groups of 3" for 3-shots are the norm.  The gun also likely weighs at least 1/3 less than your rifle so recoil is noticeable.

The largest bore rifle I own is a .54 US M1841.  I have used 110 grains of 3F on deer for 1720 fps and fine accuracy.  ES of this load is only 18 fps.  As I no longer hunt with this rifle I now load 60 grains of 3F for, IIRC, 1150 fps.  This load is also very accurate and thinner material - same as the smoothbore - is used.  These are the only two guns I own that do not get my usual heavy canvas patch.  Here, I believe this .54 is simply one of those accurate rifles that one comes across from time to time.  I had to special order it to get it in .54 but the wait was fairly reasonable.

[stretchman]

I was finally able to chronograph the 62 with 200 grains of FF Goex.  I was a little disappointed in that they averaged 1760 fps.  I was thinking velocity would have been higher, but I guess the 32” barrel doesn’t help.  I have included a picture of my 15 year old son firing the rifle with the above mentioned load.  After he shot it 4 or 5 times I asked him if the recoil was bad.  He said no, the only thing that bothered him was the flash in the pan.

[Daryl]

Back in the day (mid 1970's, Taylor's built his first S. Hawken rifle, also a .62. He started with 200gr. of 2f GOEX or Go or whatever it was. Might have been Dupont 2F, even. We shot what
we could find. Anyway, the recoil was only bad, from prone. He likley remembers that hooked butt plate resting on his collar bone! He yelled "OUCH" after every shot.
That was a blast from the past.
At a rendezvous, the lads needed a new hole for the rod welded onto the back of axe blade for the split the ball, break 2 clay bird event. They found Taylor and with his .62, he bored a new hole
for them, through the chunk of wood they had for that purpose.
Sometimes, it takes a bit more powder to 'git 'er done'.
Seems to me, he was the only one to hit the 200 yard gong.

[LH]

This place sells "Army Duck" which is a very tough weave that measures about .022 before washing and about .024 after washing.  That is measured with a mic.  A caliper usually measures about .002 more.  The "Sunforger" is treated with a water proofing.  The plain is just called 10.10oz Army Duck.  It is a different weave than the regular .020" canvas.  Much tighter and more dense.   
https://www.bigduckcanvas.com/army-duck-canvas-shelter-duck/