More thorough load testing & comparing 2f to 3f in 58 cal.

[Harnic]

Roy, I have come to realize that I am a full-bore, total "fair weather" shooter after listening to the tales from PG & looking at pix posted from same!  I was shooting this afternoon here, 25°C, bright sunny day!  Sounds like Ross should have been shooting that flint Hawken!  That mix of snow & old wet bush does make for challenging light!  I suspect after my chrony tests of last week, once I burn up all my 3f I'll switch to 2f in everything, inluding my ROA revolver.  I ran into Ken S. at the Kamloops show last weekend & told him to put a case of 2f aside for me at Heffley.  I tried 2f in the ROA today & it works fine, especially with conical bullets, but even the rbs did well.  I do enjoy a good cap & ball revolver!  Happy trails buddy!

[smylee grouch]

Used to shoot 110 2f goex in my 58s and then bought a cronograph to test those loads out. Didnt have any goex the day I did the 110 gr loads but had swiss 2f so run some of them through the crono. Average over 1900 with the swiss but the 8&1/2 lb gun just was too light for that load so settled for 95 gr 2f swiss and get just short of 1800. These loads were shot in two rifles, both with 32" barrels, flintlocks, 570 ball, greased ticking of unknown thickness at this time. One barrel was a Getz with round groves and the other was a Green Mountain, both with the nock style breechplugs.    Smylee

[Harnic]

Smylee, the 140 gr loads I tested, both GOEX, 2f & 3f were brutal in my 9.2 pound rifle.  I could handle it if I still hunted, for that purpose, but bench shooting 10 shots at that level left a bruise on my upper arm that's still visible & sore a week later!  The 75 gr load on the other hand was/is very tame in the recoil department & I can shoot it all day from any position.  Your tests got impressive velocities with Swiss, it's obviously "hotter" than GOEX.

[roundball]

Just as an aside on recoil...I keep one of those inexpensive slip on rubber recoil pads in my range box for extended testing of any heavy loads.
Works well on the slimmer butts but won't fit on the Virginia's 2" wide butts.
But those wider butts handle the recoil so much better to the point where I just drape a double folded hand towel over my shoulder and shoot away

[Daryl]

Due to the shoulder cartilage injuries fore and aft in my right shoulder - yes-  from shooting large bored modern rifles - too many rounds in tee shirts I guess, I have to wear a PAST shoulder pad when shooting them now.  I also found it necessary when shooting the .58's and the .69 as well.  It is the Magnum model and it reduced the recoil to a push.

In the last couple years, I've been able to shoot the trail using either the .58's or the .69 without the PAST pad due to a bit more padding buildup on that shoulder from working out - and eating to much.

Harry- I can well imagine your bony shoulder took a nasty beating.  The PAST shodler pad fits perfectly under a shirt, but is for a shotgun butt- mostly.  That hooked Hawken butt plate might be a problem with protection.

[Harnic]

Rb's slip on pad would be a good plan IF I ever feel the need to play with heavy loads again.  My standard 75 gr of 3f is no issue at all, even wearing just a t-shirt. Daryl, I've added 23 pounds of meat since we last met at Heffley.  I plan on holding the line at 185 pounds, so if I add more muscle with the Bowflex, some of my tiny gut needs to go!  No more 235 pound bush-ape here!

[Daryl]

That sounds GREAT, Harry - you've had me quite concerned for a number of years.  I was about 200 when I quit smoking (48 years) & was pumping weights at the gym with Tracy every other night.  I maxed out at 240 - yeah - some bit of it was soft.  Trouble is, I've quit the gym some time ago, but the weight's still there - Hmmmmmm?

[Harnic]

I walk 5 km every day now Daryl, up the road past farm fields & then up the hill & around the subdivision & back.  A really nice, peaceful loop regardless of the weather.  I went down to -10°C which seemed to be my lower temperature limit.  The hill is a lot easier at 185 pounds than it was at 235 pounds for sure!

[Daryl]

Glad to hear it, Harry.