45 cal flintlock loads

[badwolf]

Just had Bobby Hoyt  rebore my 40 cal to 45 cal and im starting to load from scratch.  I have a .440 lee mold and various thickness of pillow ticking patch material.  Im looking for a target load and a deer hunting load. Thanks

[smylee grouch]

What constitutes a target load for one might not be the same far any one else. Twist rate, grove depth,
 and       actual bore size can be a big factor. IMHO you should   start with a snug fitting load and about 50 + or - gr. of powder 2f and 3f. save all targets and shoot at least 5 shot groups, 10 shot groups is even better. Record your results in a note book for future comparison. Try to get your velocity up to 1400 fps at target if you can and use a shadder for consistant light. Good luck

[smylee grouch]

Also remember to save and examine your shot patches. 

[badwolf]

He noted .450 bore, 1 in 56" twist 7 grove .011

[smylee grouch]

Good info and if it were me a 445 ball, 55+ gr. and 18/1000 washed denim. Make sure the crown is nice and smooth.  This would be a starting load and experiment with that one factor at a time.

[badwolf]

What would be the minimum and maximum load range for 45 cal with 3f goex

[Daryl]

The only loads I use in almost ANY of my rifles, are the gun's accuracy loads with THAT ball and patch/lube combination.
My accuracy loads amount to 40gr. 3F in a .36 with water based lubed .021" patch. In a .45 was 65gr. 3F with water based target load, but 75gr. with same patch and slippery lube.
I would put Mink oil in with slippery lubes, for a hunting load.  My .45 gave virtually identical accuracy up to 85gr. of 3F which I feel is about 10gr. more than necessary. 75gr. gave 2,200fps
with the combination noted such as mink oil, 10 ounce denim at .021" and a .445" round ball.
My .50 uses 85gr. 2F, the same load that worked best in my .45, with that same 2F powder & greased patch.
All of my recovered patches, no matter the calibre, are reusable.
The muzzle's crown is vitally important in allowing easy starting and loading of these snug loads by not cutting the patch, as most all factory crowns are known to do.

[badwolf]

Ive used your crowning method before and I'll have to do this barrel again. Im using a mix of Murphy's oil soap and alcohol mixed 50- 50 . Just fired 5 shots to see if the zero changed with the .440 balls and 50 grs 3f, hit about an inch high and an inch right.

[Daryl]

Sounds good, badwolf. In my opinion, 50gr. 3F is not enough for shooting past about 40yards. I suggest more testing before changing your sights.

[badwolf]

Thanks,  i defiantly will. Just wanted to see if was still on paper and it started raining.  Now I  have a range of loads to work with and looks like you all favor a .445 ball.

[badwolf]

Daryl,  would you call the 75gr 3f your deer hunting load?

[recurve]

ok  I have a Bobby Hoyt barrel in .50 with the 1-56 and found 60grns swiss3f and a.020 10 oz denim patch to work very well

[badwolf]

Nice, is that a .490 ball recurve?

[walks with gun]

   Many eastern and southern whitails are no bigger than a large dog and many western and northern whitetails will dress out over 200lbs.  A great load kind of depends what and where your hunting.  60-70 grains of FF or FFFg should be a place to start.

[Daryl]

Daryl,  would you call the 75gr 3f your deer hunting load?

YES, most assuredly, with track's mink oil, or Neetsfoot oil (not compound). That was also
my rifle's most accurate load with slippery lubes (non water based)
I no longer have the .40, nor the .45, but do have a .50 now.
 My .69 is my hunting rifle. When one hunts the antlered buck, moose or elk, in this area, one must be armed in case he meets the grizzly.
165gr. 2F and 480 gr. round ball. It will even work for deer.

[bones92]

I'd start around 50 grain and fire 3 shot groups in a consistent manner, upping the charge by 5 grains.  Use a bench and a 25 yard target so you can rule out shooter variables.   Half the fun is testing different loads. 

[recurve]

yes .490

[P.W.Berkuta]

I shoot a .440 ball with 0.018 pillow ticking and a lard-beeswax lube for hunting and a moosemilk lube for targets. My powder is 3F of GOEX and 60-65 gr for hunting and 40-45 for targets. Your mileage may vary I've also got good results with windshield washer fluid for target shooting.

[Dobyns]

My Don Getz .45 barrel seems to prefer 60gr Goex ffg over any fffg load I've tried.

[Daryl]

My Don Getz .45 barrel seems to prefer 60gr Goex ffg over any fffg load I've tried.

Well done Dobyns. If you had been stuck on 3F, like many shooters today, it seems, you wouldn't be feeding your rifle what it wants/needs.
I found the same thing in my .50's(2) & .58's, back in the 70's. The preferred 2F.  The very deeply grooved Bauska bl. I had with .028" deep
rifling, preferred 3F.

[Robby]

I have a .45 that I only hunt with. Working up a load I used FFF45-50 Gr's, .445 ball, .024 pillow ticking and mink oil, it grouped well but I felt the need for more coal on the fire, at 65Gr's the group opened up big, like six inches big and was to the right, so I marched ever onward and upward slowly bringing it back to an acceptable sized group. At 85 Gr's, everything else the same, it is pretty much one ragged hole at 65 yards. It was a long drawn out process but well worth the effort when you find that spot. I think it is a bit heavy for a .45 but I got a deer with it last year and having confidence in its' accuracy is everything to me. This year I will work up a load with FF, cuz, you never know.
Robby

[hanshi]

I also had Bobby Hoyt bore out a .40 barrel to .45.  In the past I've used from 60 grains of 3F to 80 grns of 3F and all loads gave accuracy to one degree or another.  I know the Hoyt .45 does very well with 70 grns of 3F and either a .440" or .445" ball patched with .023"canvas.  I can't see well enough to to shoot groups that I can hold to within 1/2" and fine tune a load that differs that little bit from another load.  If I took to the deer bush tomorrow I'd load 70 grns, but  in reality the rifle needs more testing.

[badwolf]

Thanks guys, you've given me a place to start and stop, no experience with a 45, all I've ever used was a 54 .

[Nessmuck]

My green mountain 45 cal barrel cracks with 75 grains FFF

[bob in the woods]

Daryl,  would you call the 75gr 3f your deer hunting load?

YES, most assuredly, with track's mink oil, or Neetsfoot oil (not compound). That was also
my rifle's most accurate load with slippery lubes (non water based)
I no longer have the .40, nor the .45, but do have a .50 now.
 My .69 is my hunting rifle. When one hunts the antlered buck, moose or elk, in this area, one must be armed in case he meets the grizzly.
165gr. 2F and 480 gr. round ball. It will even work for deer.

165 gr of FFg .    !!    I'm very very happy that my 10 bore likes 140 grains !    Once [only ] I was interrupted while loading at the Chatham Not. matches, and accidentally double charged . That will surely wake you up in the morning