Standard(?) loads for smaller calibers?

[Kurt]

What are the loads worked up to for 36 and 40-caliber rifles that members here use as their standard in their rifles  Thanks, Kurt.

I edited this to hopefully make it more understandable of what I am asking. Thank you.

[smylee grouch]

I have never heard that. Most shooters I know start working up loads at one grain of powder per cal. It seems that most go up in charge weight for final accuracy load. 

[Kurt]

To put it another way, what is the load people worked up to for their various 36 and 40-caliber rifles?

[smylee grouch]

Seems like I got the best groups with 55 or 60 grs. Of 3 f Swiss in my 3 GM 40 cal.  And 45 gr of 3 f Swiss  in my 36 GM.

[Daryl]

I am currently using 40gr. 3F GOEX or Old Enysford in my .36 Rice barrel, with a .021" denim patch & .350" ball & water based lube. 45gr. with LHV lube.
In my .40 Goodoien barrel, I used 65gr. 3F GOEX and .398" ball with .021" to .0235" denim and ticking patching with water based lubed and 75gr. 3F GOEX
with the slippery  LHV or Mr. Flintlocks's lube which is similar to LHV. The slippery lube needed more powder in every gun tested with it to obtain the same
accuracy as the water based lube.
.36 and .40 muzzle crowns

[Seth Isaacson]

I generally use a .375 round ball, 40 grains of 3f GOEX, and .018 pillow ticking in my .38 caliber rifle. Admittedly, I have not sat down and shot this rifle from a rest at 50 yards to really see what groups its capable of with that load, but its worked consistently for shooting 6 inch knockdowns and pop bottles at that range.

Edit: Since twist rates were discussed below, this rifle has Hoyt .38 caliber 34 inch barrel with a 1:45 twist.

[Hungry Horse]

 All this information is useless since he didn’t mention the twist rate. I have a .40 cal. Thats 1 in 66 twist that won’t shoot worth a darn with a load for a 1 in 48” twist .40 caliber. Slow twists require more powder, and a lot more experimenting to find that sweet load, but they are better at a little longer range.

Hungry Horse

[Mike Brooks]

Completely depends on the twist.

[Daryl]

All of mine, .32, .36 and .40 were 48" ROT.

[Kurt]

It had not occurred to me that a slower twist barrel might require more powder, but it makes sense.

[Hungry Horse]

 Also Kurt, The slower the twist the more finicky the gun will be about that sweet spot muzzleloaders seem to have. The faster twists ( within reason) are more likely to perform reasonably well with a wider range of powder charges, up until the charge makes the ball slip over the rifling.
 I think the slow twist makes the ball spin slower, and lose accuracy the minute the velocity drops below a certain speed which of course would depend on the powder charge, and the range. Good Luck.

Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

In larger calibers, the tendency is for 48" twists to he more finicky than slower twists to get to shoot. In my experience.

[smylee grouch]

That's been my experience too Daryl. 

[Daryl]

I found the 48" ROT might be more accurate with 1 load, however the slower twists shot well with a wider range of loads,
but perhaps not quite as accurately as that ONE load with a 48" ROT.
Taylor's Joseph Lang rifle of 1853 shoots reasonably well with just 85gr. 2f GOEX with it's 48" ROT. I'm thinking it might shoot
better with a little more powder and shoot to the sights better as well. However, the rifle is 171years old, and in deference to
it's age, the soft load of about 3 drams is good enough. With that load, it still shoots into 2 1/2" square at 100 meters.

[beagle74]

I've found 20 gr 3f to be plenty accurate and more than powerful enough for squirrels in my old Tip Curtis .36.  Still havent shot my Kibler SMR yet, but will start with the same.

[Daryl]

If shooting sub about 35 yards, yes 20gr. would work well in a 48" (or faster) R.O.T. 36.