advice sought for shooting a .58

[Sweeney]

I have always shot 3f in my .50 and .54 but my latest build is a .58. To keep things simple I bench sighted it in at 40 yards with 70 grns of 3f. 4 out of five balls touching - very happy. Then move out to 100 yds from a good bench with 100 gr. load.  Group opened up to 8 or more inches and a foot low. Could be me but I would like opinions from those of you out there who shoot .58s. What are pros and cons of 3f vs. 2f in .58 It is a Colerain D wt 31" barrel. I use tight load of spit patch pillow ticking.

[Robby]

Did you check your spent patches? If they are badly frayed, you could be getting excessive blow by, that will open up a group. I use 2F in .58, it feels better, but I do work up a 3F load that usually comes out at ten to twenty percent less powder, just in case.
Robby

[wayback40]

Any reason you went to 100 gr load at 100 yards?  Did you try the 70 gr load at 100?  I shoot a 58 but use 2F.  I shoot 90 grains (2F) and when deer hunting I can aim dead on out to 100 yards.  I don't have my sheet handy now but I think I am 2 inches high at 50 and only an inch low at 100.  I would think 70 grains of 3F would be pretty close to that.  I have never shot at a deer at 100 yards but am confident it would be a pass through with my 90 grain 2F load.

[Doc]

wayback beat me to it.  I would try the 70 at 100 also.

Doc

[Sweeney]

No I did not check my patches. it is the same material I shoot in the other rifles and those recovered patches have always been fine but I should check them on this .58. Basically went to 100 gr because I shoot 90 in my .54 with very good results. It seems to me a heavier ball should have more juice behind it though I recognize that logic does not always apply in BP shooting. I will try the 70 gr at 100 and will get some 2f to test that also. I want to use this .58 on elk and am likely too concerned with pushing the heavier ball fast enough.

[Daryl]

For a .58 elk load - same for moose with a .58, I'd be testing loads from about 110 to 130 gr. , 2F and use the most accurate load from that testing.
You can kill an elk or moose with a mere 50 gr. but are discussing hunting loads, not tests of fantasy - or what if scenarios.

[Sweeney]

Daryl, with that suggestion and a 100 yd zero, what could I expect at 50? Thanks

[RichG]

36" Grn. Mtn. barrel .58. .570 rb,140 grs goex 2f, .02 ticking with mink oil. 1800fps. stopped at 140gr because 150 was only 30 fps faster. 3f was burning the patches so tried 2f and patches look fine. use 70gr. 3f with .575 rb, wet lube, for plinking/target work. In my experience spit patch works great for light loads but grease/oil works better for heavy hunting loads. also if your working up a hunting load that will be in the barrel for long periods a spit patch will dry out. when working up a load I use 10gr. increments above 45 and 5grs. for .45 and below. shoot whatever load is most accurate at the velocity range your trying for. Also don't change more than one component at a time. 

[Daryl]

That's excellent advice Rich.
I would think a 110gr. load should, if zeroed at 50, would be about 5" low at 100.
130, should if sighted at 50, be about 2 1/2" low.
If sighted for 100 with a 130gr. charge, you'd be about 2" high at 50. I would sight for a zero at about 110 to 115yards, then test at closer and further ranges.

[Sweeney]

Thanks to all - very helpful. I will get to testing and report back. Thanks again.
Troy

[Mike Brooks]

WHEW! I'm glad it's you fellows and not me shooting those magnum loads! Dump down  another bag of powder!

[Fyrstyk]

My results with 110 grains in a 32" barrel are similar to Daryl's.  Most of my shots at game are at less than 75 yards, as I have trouble with the iron sights beyond that range with my aging eyes.

[Scota4570]

I bet the recoil is quite heavy with that much 3F.  In the past, I never put much thought into using coarser grained powder. Recently, I tried it in a large bore.  The gun is a 4-gauge (1" bore) smoothbore.  It weighs 17#.  I once tried 375 gr of 2F.  The recoil was brutal.  Recently I tried similar charges of 1F.  Recoil was much less.  I infer that the ball being accelerated more gradually helps. Anyway if you have some 2F or even 1F, you might experiment with it.   Less recoil may equal less flinch and better accuracy. 

[Sweeney]

I am seeking some 2f at this time - got plenty of 3f. 375 gr. of any f seems like a load for a cannon. I can't imagine that kind of recoil. The 100 gr 3f in my .58 is enough to get your attention but fairly tolerable for me up to five shots. For now, accuracy for a good hunting load is primary. For lighter target loads the punch is fine - the gun fits me very well. And of course my next planned build is a .40....That, I suppose, will feel quite different.

[smylee grouch]

I have several 58s and shoot swiss 1&1/2 f in it-110 gr. It shoots better for me than 2f or 3 f in all my guns. If you dont shoot swiss try 2f in what ever brand you use and take notes and compare patches etc. My 110 gr. 1&1/2 swiss gets around 1900+ fps and recovered balls are around 1+ inches wide and flat.