powder qty question.......

[DarryH]

I am looking at an old, original .54 caliber smoothbore with a
barrel just over 54 inches long.
The seller says it is very accurate with a 60 grain load
of 3f and .018 pillow ticking.
I have zero reason to disbelieve him, but I am curious.
I have shot other .54 guns, mostly Hawken style cap locks.
We always loaded about 90 grains of 3f, or 100 -120 grains of 2f.
This was also in much shorter barrels.

I am looking at shooting deer out to about 35 yards, and then
some informal match shooting.
Since this gun was made in the mid to early 1800's, and since it is old and light weight (just over 7 pounds) what do you think of his load ?

Thanks
Good Shootin!!
DarryH
Nebraska

[Dave K]

Well, It is a smoothbore. So I can only assume, since I have not shot round ball out of a smooth bore, that less load then you are used to, may very well be more accurate in a smooth bore. Each to their own experience, I never have used more than 90gr. of powder in a rifle. My guns just never seemed to like that much powder and neither did my shoulder. But, your experience and your guns my very well like that much powder. My biggest guns are 50cal.s and the most powder that they grp. with is 80gr. of 2F Goex or 70gr. of 2F Swiss. I do find that in my experience, there are many shooters that use more powder than is really needed. Again though, your testing and experience may vary.

[Daryl]

80gr. of GOEX 2F will produce in the neighbourhood of 1,400fps - give or take a few fps.  This will take deer quite well - however - you need to shoot the gun to see what load it likes the best.  65gr. of 3F should produce about 1,400fps and may or may not be more accurate - again, shooting and developng a load is the only way to find 'the' load.
 I-too prefer more powder for hunting, but the gun will tell you what it needs.  Since the smoothie is a relatively close range weapon, 60 through 780gr. is probably more than enough.  The smothbores usually show poorer accuracy with heavier loads - some show reverse tendencies, though.

[northmn]

At 35 yards 60 grains should be plenty.  That would be about like shooting a heavier charge at 75 or so, whcih many do without reservation.

DP

[JohnnyM]

My 'go-to' load in the my .54 is 65 gr.  Very accurate and has punched a 50 cent piece size hole out of two deer so far (out to 50 yds.)  Each gun is an individual and one should treat it as such.  Other's mileage may vary.

[roundball]

An original almost a couple hundred years old...other than to officially christen it at the range, another option might be to clean & lube it up and hang it over the mantle as a still working piece of real history, not a repro 

[chuck-ia]

Just my experiance but, 2 years ago I shot a doe that was slightly quartering towards me at 35 yards, well, maybe a little more  than slightly. Ball entered behind front leg and broke the back leg, I had to track the deer about 150 yards, but found it. The gun was a .62 cal. smoothbore fowler with a 44" barrel, .590 patched round ball, 65 gr. 3f goex. I think most people use more powder than needed. Just my oppinion. chuck

[Daryl]

You're right chuck- piddly little charges will still kill.  More powder merely gives a flat trajectory eliminating hold-over problems and range gurssing within a rifle's effective range.  I shoot 65gr. 3f with LHV lubed .395's in the winter time in my .40.  Yes it's a heavy charge for a .40. I'm just target shooting, but I cannot reduce the charge and have confidence in where the gun will shoot. Less powder just doens't shoot as well.  I am quite firm in my conviction that a man or women shood shoot the 'accuracy' load their rifles 'wants', not an arbitray reduced load that 'it shoots OK but I've never benched it' type of load.
 Just because X grains of powder will kill a deer, doesn't men it's a good load for all guns. That load might not shoot well in many of them.  I really don't understand why everyone doesn't test shoot and work up a load- experimentation is what I'm talking about - different patches, different charges, different lubes - maybe even different ball sizes. But - maybe that's just me.  for a lot fo folks, 'good enough' is OK.  For me, it has to be the best.(to make up for some of my poor shooting)

[Roger Fisher]

You stated she is an original!  Thats great to have and to hold and preserve.

As far as shooting her and this is only my opinion I would not do so.

[Dphariss]

Shooting old barrels is chancy.
As a professional I always told people not to.
It is impossible to proof an old barrel and be sure it is safe to shoot. The act of proving can set up a future failure.
So people who shoot old barrels must assess the risk and decide for themselves if they want to take the risk.
The thinner the barrel the greater the risk.

Dan

[frontier gander]

i believe he is asking about my .54 smoothbore i have for sale.  Rifle has maybe 50 to 70 shots on it total. That includes when it came off the line back in the day. When i bought it, there was barely a mark on the face of the frizzen.

I shot roughly 30 shots myself with the rifle, my brother i KNOW fired 15 shots as i had to cast more balls when i went to shoot my other rifle 

60gr 3f goex was 3" high @ 75 yards with a .018 pillow ticking patch and a 4 1/2"  3 shot group.  That IMO is excellent for a smooth bore.

It is an original but in great condition INSIDE & OUT.  I just cant shoot my flinters anymore due to me never being able to keep Goex on hand 

60gr 3f will take down any deer on this planet.

[Daryl]

IF you can hit him right.