recomended charge for 50 cal

[edwardc]

  any one have  a recommended charge  for a 50 cal rifle  ??

i cast some round ball and R E A L ( slug ?) rounds  approx 310 grain weight 
i used a lee double  mold 

but  for the life  of me  i cant seem  to find  enough info  on  powder charges 

i would think 40  to 50 grains  of 2 F  would work 

any one  have an opinion ?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I have several .50's...they get 75 gr. of FFg GOEX, .495" pure lead balls, .022" cotton patches lubed with spit for target and trail, and mink oil for hunting.

[RichG]

hunting? plinking? I'd use 3f for the roundball 40-50gr. for plinking target work if it shoots good and 80-100gr. for hunting. The Lyman black powder loading manual shows up to 120gr of 2f or 3f with a 300gr sabot. When shooting slugs the stopping point usually has a lot to do with how much recoil you want to deal with. unless you're hunting very large game, the 50 round ball will work just fine and kick a lot less.

[WadePatton]

My opinion is that every gun is different and that you should start low and work up in increments to find the best performing load.  And also what patch and ball total combined sizing works for your particular bore.

To extract optimum performance, every gun needs a "workup", (even/especially the moderns-or where i learned it).  I never ever considered adopting anyone else's load for my own, UNLESS it proves itself better than I can dial in on my own.

[PPatch]

My Rice .50 shooting a .495 round ball with a .020 patch likes 65gr out to 50 yards and 85 past that out to 100, that would be with Goex fffg powder. Wade has a good point about working up a load for your particular gun.

dave

[nosrettap1958]

Start experimenting with different load combinations and don't stop shooting until your rifle tells you to stop shooting.

[J Henry]

Start by reading the Owners Manual,as a base line. Don't have one,,check on line ,lots of the MFG put them on line. and as posted,,each rifle is different,so you have to work up a load,more range time,that is not a bad thing..

[Mike Brooks]

Some of you fellas sure use alot of powder!

[Daryl]

When shooting long ranges - a rifle (or smoothbore) needs more powder. It's a fact.
About any powder charge will work at 25 yards, that is, even 25 to 30gr. will put 5 shots into a single hole.
When you extend the range to 50yards and beyond 100, simple testing will show the need for more powder.
When hunting out West or in areas that require shots to 120 or 150 yards, the need or desire for a flatter trajectory weighs in as well, thus more powder is needed. To- when using one of the slipperier lubes, more powder will be needed to stabilize pressure variations shot to shot and thus maintain accuracy. The benefit is not only flatter trajectory, but improved accuracy as well.
I did a preliminary range test in my new .50 using 2F powder. What I found was that 85gr. 2f shot well at 50yards.  I didn't even try it closer in, as I know from experience, that it's the longer ranges where accuracy is needed. Any load that shoots well at 50 or 100, will shoot well closer in.

[Mike Brooks]

Must be a western thing....

[moleeyes36]

As stated many times before, including in this thread, you just have work up a load for each gun for best results.  About the only thing that is consistent between my rifles is that they all perform better with a tight patch and ball combo.  The amount of powder and the granulation changes.  I have one rifle with a .50 cal Green Mountain barrel that shoots really well with ffg powder but I haven't found a load using fffg that shoots as well in it.  I shoot mainly different .40 and .36 caliber target rifles, .54 hunting rifles, .50 caliber hunting rifles and a .45 caliber hunting rifle.  All work well with ffg and fffg except this one .50 cal Green Mountain barreled rifle which so far shows a definite preference to ffg powder.  I'm still experimenting with fffg loads to see if I can find one that works as well.  'Tis curious indeed.

Mole Eyes

[L. Akers]

I'd start at 50gr 3F and shoot 5 shots from a solid rest.  Increase your charge in 5gr increments until you determine the smallest group.  Then play with patch thickness, lube and etc.  What you arrive at will be the most accurate load for that rifle, not necessarily the most powerful load.

[Mike Brooks]

I'd start at 50gr 3F and shoot 5 shots from a solid rest.  Increase your charge in 5gr increments until you determine the smallest group.  Then play with patch thickness, lube and etc.  What you arrive at will be the most accurate load for that rifle, not necessarily the most powerful load.

That is what I'd do also. I have never used two loads, one for target and one for hunting. I have always used the most accurate load and used that for everything. I know there are several "nodes" for accuracy in any gun, lighter loads and heavier. Out West I'm sure it's a different ball game but here in the Midwest you rarely have to shoot past 50 yards for deer. I shot a deer with a .45 with 45gr. 3fff, busted it's neck at around 50 yards. Shot clean through too. Have shot several others with a 20 bore fowling gun, 60gr 2ff and no patch. Most shots were around 50 yards, never failed to pass through the deer. I just never needed the magnum load I guess.
 On the other hand , I have shot a .40 that shot best with 60gr 3fff, I consider that pretty hot for a .40, but that's what it liked.

[hanshi]

I load from 60, to rarely 70 grains, of 3F in my .50; the 70 grains charge is only if I expect to shoot over 60 yards.  If I want a lighter load or less powder I go to a smaller caliber.  60 grains is my standard for .45s and .50s.  That load is very accurate at 100 yards in my .40 and gives nearly 2000fps.

[Gun_Nut_73]

My .50 cal Ithaca Navy shoots one-hole groups at 50 yards with 40 grains of 2F and a .490 round ball with pillow ticking, if I do my part