Did a bit of shooting today.

[Justin Urbantas]

It's supposed to be -21 next week, so I figured I would get out and punch some paper today. Shooting my old .45 Tennessee flintlock.  25 and 50 yard off hand targets.  I shoot .440 round ball, .018 ticking wet with whatever's handy, and Goex fffg. I shoot 45 grains up to 40 yards or so, 55 grains out to 75, then 70 grains for longer shots. No sense burning more powder than needed.  I seem to be shooting a little low today. Maybe reflection off the snow?

[hanshi]

That looks pretty darn good to me!

[Daryl]

Justin won the muzzleloading long range steel plate shoot, at Hefley with that .45 flinter.

[trentOH]

Does black powder shoot a little slower or cooler in cold temperatures? I understand more modern powders are affected by extreme cold.

[Mike from OK]

I reckon that'll work.

Nice shooting Justin. I hope to get my .45 Bedford dialed in like that.

Mike

[Daryl]

Does black powder shoot a little slower or cooler in cold temperatures? I understand more modern powders are affected by extreme cold.

I don't notice an impact difference with temperature extremes now, but know what you mean with the modern stuff, with heat or cold.
In years past, I/we used to shoot down to -30F or so, and -50F on a late season ML moose hunt - no shots were fired. We found colder than -25F or so was
actually hard on the mainsprings.

After a bunch of years of that, we had a lower limit of -20F, then 0F, 10F and now the lower limit is -5C which is 23F. Things have changed drastically over the years - just don't have
the hand warmth any more, let alone, the feet suffer in freezing temperatures as well, in spite of felt pack boots.

So, we didn't notice at the really cold temps and nowadays, no change, either.

[hanshi]

While I've never hunted in really cold weather, I noticed the effect Temperatures can on modern powders.  In WV a load that gave 2700 fps in Georgia gave some 75 fps less there in the mountains.  I have shot/hunted in those same conditions with muzzleloaders and didn't notice any differences.  Just a guess, but I tend to doubt any effects on black powder from temperatures usually encountered.  But as Daryl pointed out, extreme cold can do things to the gun, itself.

[Pukka Bundook]

Daryl,

It's still hunting season here and all the bucks I've seen have been 2-500 yards or more.
In other words I Should be out hunting this morning, but yes, hands, feet, neck, shoulders don't like minus 30  or more like they used to.   so Here I am!
Snow so crunchy as well, only way to hunt is sit and wait for something to turn up.  Sitting this weather isn't nice any more.

Re black and temp;
It, (B-P) is wonderfully un-sensitive, and have not noticed any real difference at hunting ranges.
Not the case with some newer powders, but the differences only really show up with them at mid range or more, (say 3-600 yards)

[trentOH]

Re black and temp;
It, (B-P) is wonderfully un-sensitive, and have not noticed any real difference at hunting ranges.
Not the case with some newer powders, but the differences only really show up with them at mid range or more, (say 3-600 yards)

And thus I become more educated. Thanks!

[thecapgunkid]

Ain't it a daisy? one of the best feelings you can get is shooting a group like those...

[redheart]

Hey Justin,
What make is your barrel?

[Justin Urbantas]

Thanks guys. It wasn't too cold that day. -5 C  I believe.  It's a 13/16" Green Mountain.  I probably have something like 10,000 shots through this one