Powder Charge for .50 pistol

[Swede Creek]

in final stages of assembling my .50 kentucky flintlock pistol.   ( 12" barrel)

Question:  are powder charge ranges for this setup?      I'm mainly doing targets and perhaps some small game.   Do NOT plan to go after anything big (no deer...).   Understand that I'll need to "Tune" a powder charge.... but kind of wondered where to start?

Appreciate your help.

[Wil]

Was there an owner's manual that came with your pistol? It should have the recommended loads for it.

[DanL]

Good morning @Swede Creek.

 As stated already, if you have a manual with your pistol, it should give you starting load (minimum) and a maximum load.

 Sans a manual; for a beginning load under a patched ball in a .50 pistol,  I would start with 25 grains of FFG or FFFG. Then you can work up from there if you prefer. Work out a load for accuracy and then for maximum load if you like. Somewhere along the line between min & max you will probably find the most accurate load for your barrel/pistol. GENERALLY....the most accurate load will not end up being a max load but somewhere between Min & Max.

Plan to spend some time at a range and experiment with different loads. Experimentation will get you educated about your individual gun and all the nuances pertaining to that pistol.

Enjoy the adventure,
DanL

[smylee grouch]

Use a tight combo, 10 shots with 25 gr, 2 or 3f, go up 5 gr. shoot 10 shots, go up 5 gr. shoot 10 shots etc. All off sand bags at 25 yds.  Use a large bull and don't file sight untill you get the best grouping load.

[Daryl]

MUCH depends on the rate of twist in the rifling.  Most pistols with appropriate rates of twist for a .50, would be in the  18" up to 24" range, for using small powder charges, ie: 25 to 35gr. If the barrel used  has a slower rifling twist you will likely need greater powder charges yet, to get decent accuracy. It is all about accuracy and how you shoot it.
I have a slow, 66" twist barrel on my .54 pistol & it requires 55gr. 2F to shoot well, yet my .45 pistol barrel with 18" twist shoots exceptionally well with 25gr. & a round ball. The .45 even shoots well
with 200gr. slugs but with 35gr. of 3F.
Experiment!!

[Swede Creek]

Thanks for all the comments.

This is a build that I put together myself... No manual for guidance!

The barrel is a Rice, swamped barrel.   If I recall correctly, the twist is 1-20..

Swede Creek

[Daryl]

Great on the twist. It will shoot well with light loads, 25 to 30gr. 3F., with a decent patch and .490" ball for easier loading.