40 cal load question

[ramrod]

40 cal. green mount. ibs perc bbl .  question i guess is how much powder ? currently shooting 35 grs. at 25 yds. 40 grs. at 50 yds. for paper punching and it works really well but on a woods walk about 85 yd. longest shot i have to guess. i read on here some people shooting up to 70 grs. in 42 inch barrels . mine is only 32. guess i am looking for a one powder load does all if possible.   range time limited due to health problems in family.    as always thanks for the help.

[Vomitus]

   I use 50gr. of 2f in a 44" rice 40. All guns are a bit different. I use a very tight combination and a (gulp) short starter. If your shooting 3f, 40gr. should be a fairly stout load.I'd use it at all distances. My load works good for me on woods walks out to one hundred yards.It actually surprised me that 2F works so well in a small caliber.

[roundball]

40 cal. green mount. ibs perc bbl .  question i guess is how much powder ? currently shooting 35 grs. at 25 yds. 40 grs. at 50 yds. for paper punching and it works really well but on a woods walk about 85 yd. longest shot i have to guess. i read on here some people shooting up to 70 grs. in 42 inch barrels . mine is only 32. guess i am looking for a one powder load does all if possible.   range time limited due to health problems in family.    as always thanks for the help.

I had that same 32" x .40cal GM drop-in Flint barrel on a T/C Hawken stock years ago, settled on 40grns Goex 3F as my all around range / squirrel load...and continue to use that same 40grn charge in the 38" x .40cal GM barrel I now use on a Late Lancaster.

If your 85yd woods walk target is a steel hanger, the 40grns will probably still be just fine as it shoots pretty flat, but you'd need to verify POA / POI at 85yds to be sure.
If I had to bump it up to 50 for same POA/POI on a paper target at 85yds, then personally I'd just go with 50grns as my all around for the whole woods walk.

[smylee grouch]

I have or have had several GM 40s and all shot best with 55-60 gr. 3f swiss, tight ball/patch combo.  400 ball/20 thousands patch

[Standing Bear]

 3 barrels .40 cal but pre GM all shoot 50 gr Goex FFg w .395 ball and .018 patch. If I have to shoot past 75 yds or so say in a paper match w 100 yd target or silhouettes, up the charge to 75 gr ah use same sight picture.

If using one charge for ALL distances, I'd sight in for 100 yds and learn how low to hold for closer shots rather than covering up the target and guessing if hold over was too little or too much.
TC

[moleeyes36]

My main target rifle is a flintlock with a tapered 35" Oregon .40 cal. barrel that has a 1:48 twist.  I'm shooting a .395 ball with a .023 canvas patch and about 1 drop of Shenandoah Valley lube.  I get best results with 35 grains of 3fg GOEX for 25 and 50 yards and 45 grains for 100 yards. 

I like a six o'clock hold, just my personal preference, rather than a dead on hold and these loads give me the point of impact I want.  If I drop the loads by 5 grains each, it allows for a dead on hold.   

[hanshi]

A charge of 40grns of 3F gives excellent accuracy and 1700fps from my 38" Lancaster.  That load works for me at all ranges I normally shoot.  At 100 yards I prefer 60grns for around 1950fps but rarely shoot that far.  30 grains does well under 50 yards.

[Old Bob]

Both of my .40's have 42" GM barrels. I use 60 grs. of fffg GOEX under a .395 ball and .018" pillow ticking patch. I have used 50 gr. charges in them and they shot well, but the extra 10 grs. tightened things up a bit and reduced my hold-over at 100 yds. A load somewhere between 40 and 50 grs. would probably work pretty good in a 32" barrel of that caliber.

[smokinbuck]

Shot a 49XX and a 50XXX, from a table, today at 50 yards. Rifle has a Douglas 13/16X36 barrel with a 1-48 twist. Load was 55 grains FFFg with a .395 round ball and .015 pre lubed patch.
Mark

[Mike R]

well, they are all over the place, eh?  you have to work up your own best load--for me that means most accurate.  the .40 I had [gave it to my son] was a 38" barreled western PA style rifle that liked 40 gr fffg and a .395 ball.  Several others here also like 40 gr of fffg--hard to go wrong with that as a starting place.

[Darkhorse]

I have a Rice 38' round bottom rifled barrel on my .40 Flintlock that I built primarily for Turkey hunting. I shoot 3F Goex exclusively W/ .390 ball and prewashed pillow ticking bought bulk. It shoots all loads very well, 25 to 30 grains will get into a squirrel head every time if I do my part. And the squirrel will hold still.
But with 60 grains the barrel really shines. At 100 yards off a bench I have shot groups as small as 2 inches. I consider that pretty good for these old bleary eyes.

[Daryl]

Like LB, I use one charge for all ranges - whether it's a card on edge at 15 yards or a steel bunny plate at 105yards.  Which lube I'm using dictates what that charge is.  If using a water based lube in my lapped .40, 48" twist Goodioen 36" barrel, I can use less powder than with an oil or grease patch. The water based lube I generally use is WWWF  + Neetsfoot oil, get a charge of 55gr. of 2F or 3F - shoots to the sights with both. 25 yard zero is a 50 yard zero and the diameter of the front shiny part (45 degree angle on the blade gives about a 1/16" shiny dot) over the rear sight, gives a Zero for the 'around' 100.yard targets on our trail walk.

When this barrel was 42",  several days of bench testing showed that if using Neetsfoot oil, mink oil, Lehigh Valley or Shenendoah lubes, I had to increase the charge of 3F to 65gr. and the accuracy load with 2F proved to be 75gr. - those increased were required just to maintain the accuracy level that the lighter charges gave with water based lubes.

This barrel gets a .398" ball (Lyman .395" mould) in it's .398" bore, along with a .022" to .023" denim or ticking patch (whichever I'm using). It's easy to push down the tube and although a short starter isn't necessary, it's easy and quick.  Patch measurements are from dial calipers squeezed as hard as I can between forefinger and thumb, with the cloth on the wide part of the anvils.  This way, I get consistent measurements.  For instance, I measure OxYoke's .018" patches at .015" they have proved to me they are too thin for ANY of my rifles. I and they prefer thicker patches.

I've also used a .400" ball with the same patches, however that mould is a pain due to one cavity casting oblong balls, while the other is perfect - have to keep the castings separate, so it's easier to simply use the bore sized mould- which isn't quite as accurate.

WWWF + oil is Winter Windshield Washer Fluid with about 2 ounces of Neetsfoot oil added to each quart.  I shake it, then pour it over the pre-cut patches , squeeze them out just a bit, then store them in my possibles along with the balls for the trail that day.  I try to only lube enough patches for the day's shooting as adding lube to extras if they dry out over the week for the 'next' shot, introduces more oil and changes the poi and accuracy.

When using Neetsfoot oil, track's mink oil, Shenendoah or Lehigh Valley lubes, there is no buildup of fouling, even though the charges are higher. Velocities with the heavier oil lubed patches (65gr. 3F and 75gr. 2f) produced just over 2,200fps in the 42" bl.  The water based lube velocities with the lighter charges ran in the 1,700fps to 1,800fps range.

[R.W.D.]

My best load for my 40 cal GM barrel 42" is 65 grs 3f Grafs black powder. I use moose milk for lube while target shooting and TOTWs mink oil for hunting. I've really not found that much difference in the different patch lubes I've tried. Maybe my shootings not good enough to tell a difference. I tried a "squirrel load" of 40grs and It wouldn't group worth a darn. Just went back to my 65gr load.

Ross

[Dphariss]

40 cal. green mount. ibs perc bbl .  question i guess is how much powder ? currently shooting 35 grs. at 25 yds. 40 grs. at 50 yds. for paper punching and it works really well but on a woods walk about 85 yd. longest shot i have to guess. i read on here some people shooting up to 70 grs. in 42 inch barrels . mine is only 32. guess i am looking for a one powder load does all if possible.   range time limited due to health problems in family.    as always thanks for the help.

Find the load that shoots best and use it. To find it EXPERIMENT. Its the only way to find what your barrel likes.
Shooting different loads at different ranges is frankly a waste of time. Unless it shoots best with 2-3 different loads.
Patch lube, ball size, patch material. Much of the pillow ticking sold today is useless for patches too weak. So try different things. Shoot 5 and 10 shot groups, 3 shots is for checking your zero unless they are REALLY bad. Do all testing from a GOOD rest. Bench with bags.
As they said in the 18th c shooting standing "is a poor test of a rifle".

Dan

[mbush50]

I have read on this sight and others about load testing and never a mention about wind flags, Why?
The best load combo will not shoot good groups if you you are shooting in changing winds all the time. Learn what the wind does to your ball and your group size will shrink.

Michael

[SCLoyalist]

I have read on this sight and others about load testing and never a mention about wind flags, Why?

For load testing, I usually just wait until a calm day where wind is hardly blowing,  & do most shooting at 25 & 50 yds where drift would be minimal anyway.

The only times I remember seeing wind flags in a (local) match is when the bench rest shooters are out.   They shoot all their targets from the same bench and same firing lane, so they set out ribbons, tell-tales, spinners, etc. that they use without moving them for their entire match.    For offhand shooting, there are some events that wind flags wouldn't be feasible or in 'the spirit of the game' ; e.g. woodswalk or primitive/novelty.   Silhouette and paper punching out to 100 yds could maybe benefit.   

NMLRA rules say wind flags are permitted if they are non-electronic and don't interfere with other shooters.  How do you use them?   Are you trying to compute the amount of wind drift to allow for from shot to shot, or are you using them to tell you when there's a lull in the breeze to try to get your shot off in?

[mbush50]

I use wind flags to gauge the amount of wind and try to shoot when it is the same. Using wind flags has taught me where a shot might go if I mess up and shoot in the "wrong" wind, which will ruin a good group in a hurry.

Michael

[Dphariss]

I have read on this sight and others about load testing and never a mention about wind flags, Why?

For load testing, I usually just wait until a calm day where wind is hardly blowing,  & do most shooting at 25 & 50 yds where drift would be minimal anyway.

The only times I remember seeing wind flags in a (local) match is when the bench rest shooters are out.   They shoot all their targets from the same bench and same firing lane, so they set out ribbons, tell-tales, spinners, etc. that they use without moving them for their entire match.    For offhand shooting, there are some events that wind flags wouldn't be feasible or in 'the spirit of the game' ; e.g. woodswalk or primitive/novelty.   Silhouette and paper punching out to 100 yds could maybe benefit.   

NMLRA rules say wind flags are permitted if they are non-electronic and don't interfere with other shooters.  How do you use them?   Are you trying to compute the amount of wind drift to allow for from shot to shot, or are you using them to tell you when there's a lull in the breeze to try to get your shot off in?

You use wind flags by using wind flags and learning what give effect on the flag gives a given effect on the target.
A surprisingly light puff of wind will move a 45 caliber ball 1" or more at 50 yards.
We shoot in the wind a lot and wide groups are the norm even with flags. This month at the turkey match EVERYONES first score shot went to 4 oclock about 2" out due to something we could not see with a flag.
At longer ranges the wind can also effect elevation.

Dan

[750k2]

I shoot rimfire BR and wind is everything - run at least 4 flags @ 50.
Shoot in the same conditions if possible - sometimes it's quite a wait.
The more you shoot the more you'll get to know what is going on.
No 2 barrels will shoot the same hold offs either.
I play in the wind alot with them new fangled things.