Old Eynsford Adventures in my .54 Bridger Hawken

[Herb]

Yes, the patches were all good, with no OPW.

[Dogshirt]

It would be interesting to step UP the .54s and step DOWN the .58s and see where the destruction starts/stops.
20 grns is quite a step, but if the 3f is that much hotter, it may let you shoot a lighter load with much the same accuracy. So MANY things to consider......hmmmm.

[jamesthomas]

 I've never understood the reasoning behind shooting "foulers".  To me your just wasting powder and lead. If your ball patch combo is right you shouldn't have to shoot "foulers" to get a good group.

[Herb]

James, sometimes the barrels have been out of the stock and the first shot settles the barrel back into the tang, but the bullet impact is not in the following group, usually being low.  Usually the first shot is lower in velocity, and so I like it on another target. Often I use only one shot, but with OldE I was also testing to see if the patches held together.  If not, no use going for a record target.  I'd have added an OPW before that. 

[Bob Roller]

The late long rifle maker Frank Bartlett had no use for the idea of "fouler"either
and said it made no sense to him either.

Bob Roller

[frontier gander]

Some barrels need to be fouled in order to place that first shot with the rest of them. Kind of like a centerfire, a lot say their first shot is always a little outside of the main group. Other muzzys want a clean bore in order for it to group, you know to learn your rifle and its ways.

[PPatch]

Some barrels need to be fouled in order to place that first shot with the rest of them. Kind of like a centerfire, a lot say their first shot is always a little outside of the main group. Other muzzys want a clean bore in order for it to group, you know to learn your rifle and its ways.

I've experienced this when shooting centerfire competition.

dp

[Dogshirt]

I see this in smallbore, but since I only clean at the end of the season, I attribute it to a cold barrel. After 3-5 in the sighter bull everything settles where it should be.

[Herb]

On my last targets, the first fouler shot with Goex 3F settled the barrel and breech back into the tang.  This was the first shot with this new build.  It is low of the following shots.  Fouler #3 went into the same hole (relatively) as #5 on the record target, and #2 was 1/2" away.  With OldE 3F, fouler shots #4, 5, 6, and 7 were a big group that brackets shots 1 and 3 on the record target.  But this is just that load, it is being checked for patch working and velocity comparison to Goex 3F.  For accuracy, you'd have to try something else.  But if there are ACCURATE load combinations, there must also be INACCURATE loads, and this seems to be one of them.  With OldE 1 1/2F (and no cleaning after the OldE 3F shots), fouler #1 is high and out of the group, but #2 is centered in the record group.  You can also check the foulers on the first targets I shot.

[frontier gander]

Herb, How much does 110gr volume 1 1/2fg Olde Eynsford weigh on the scale?

[Herb]

I made a measure that held exactly 110 grains of Goex 2F.  Then with careful pouring, I measured and weighed 10 charges of OldE 1 1/2F.  They averaged 111.0 grains with a 3 grain spread.

[frontier gander]

thank you Herb, I appreciate it!

I was shocked to see that your weight of 102.6 grains was dead on with my measure. Its very hard to find 2 measures that throw the same loads. I went through 3 of them with goex and pyrodex until i found one that was on.

[Daryl]

Perhaps this will help muddy the water - or help. When I work up loads for a rifle, I use an adjustable measure, marking on the target the setting of the measure. When I find a load that shoots, I then make a measure that throws THAT amount, weigh the powder charge & record it, so I can make another measure to throw that amount if I need to.

I have an old adjustable measure that throws almost exactly what the markings show, when using 3f GOEX, just lucky, I guess.

I found in testing measures for accuracy, that the 5/16" ID measures made from brass tubing throw much more consistent charges than the 3/8" ID measures throw.  As well, the 3/8" ID measures are more consistent than the 71/6" ID measures, etc. The worse, were the horn measures with tapered 'cavities' and fairly large top openings. Yes - they look great - but stink as an accurate measure.
The measure I use mostly for my .32, has a 5/16" ID.  It throws weights that vary barely 1/10's gr. each side of the target 35gr., throw to throw. My measure for the .40, is under 3/8" and it does not vary more than 1/2gr. each side of the target measure.  The method and care used to pour the powder also has a large effect on the accuracy or consistency of the charges thrown.
Black powder is, of course, not as particular as smokeless powder in these regards and certainly not as dangerous to have large variations, however the close your charges are, load to load, the better will be your consistency, overall.

[Herb]

See you at the Prairie Rendezvous.