Switching from Pyrodex and conicals to BP and round balls

cheapdate

Eight Pointer
I've always shot conicals with 90 grains of pyrodex from my 1:48 twist sidelock. Tomorrow I plan to switch to BP and patch and balls, just to see how the gun does.
According to Goex specs, 90 grains is the middle of the range, so I could go up or down. Does anyone happen to know how many grains of BP would most likely be a good load?
 

Winnie 70

Ten Pointer
Go to the Blackhorn 209 web site....just google it....and click on muzzlelosder loads. You will see the Vol measurements and the weighted by a scale....it starts with 80 Vol. and goes up to 120 Vol. Start with the 80 Vol. and work up slowly. I use 110 Vol. in a inline Knight, but with a sidelock I do not have any loads.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
You didn't mention what caliber it is. I'm assuming .50?

If 90 is what worked best before, it will probably be about the same.
 

PG2

Ten Pointer
If you are shooting a .50 then I would start at 70 as firedawg suggested, in a .50 in a flintlock I shoot 90 with black powder.


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DarrinG

Six Pointer
I shoot Goex FFg out of my 50 cal sidelocks and oddly enough, both a T/C and an older CVA both shot the best at 75 grains with a .490 round ball patched with .018 pillow ticking lubed with Trapper Mink Oil. There is a point of diminishing returns with too much powder. At higher amounts I was seeing tiny small grains left when I swabbed the bore between shots, and was seeing my patches burned in spots too after retrieving them. If all the powder cant burn before the ball/patch combo exits the barrel, your wasting powder. With a .54 cal, I'd suggest starting at 70g and working up in 5 grain increments until you hit that spot where your rifle says "Yeah baby, right there!"
 

Ol Copper

Twelve Pointer
The depth of rifling/bore dia. in your gun will have as much to do towards accuracy as the powder charge will. Ball size and patch thickness can vary greatly, dependent on whether the gun has shallow or deep rifling. 'Most' rifles designed for shooting prb's (1:60-1:70 twist) tend to be cut with deeper rifling vs. the faster twist barrels (ex; 1:48) that stabilize long, heavy conicals better.
Between manufacturers there is also a slight difference in what diameter the barrel is actually cut.

Your rifle may shoot ok with a .530 rb and a .015 patch, but really come alive with a .018 patch of a different material. It's just one of those processes that has no concrete answer and range time is the only thing that will tell you what you want to know...but, either way I doubt you will see any better accuracy with any charge over 90 gr. of powder. People have the tendency to shoot way too much powder, you're just wasting time and money.

My .50 Mtn. rifle with 1:66 twist loves .490 rb's with a .018 linen patch and 65 gr. of Goex 3f
My .54 Hawken with 1:48 twist loves .535 rb's with a .012 pillow ticking patch and 80 gr. of Goex 2f.
Either gun detest 'magnum' charges.
70 gr. of powder will kill any deer that walks in NC further than I can see my open sights.....
Of course it's all subjective to what your rifle likes and others mileage may vary...
 

cheapdate

Eight Pointer
The depth of rifling/bore dia. in your gun will have as much to do towards accuracy as the powder charge will. Ball size and patch thickness can vary greatly, dependent on whether the gun has shallow or deep rifling. 'Most' rifles designed for shooting prb's (1:60-1:70 twist) tend to be cut with deeper rifling vs. the faster twist barrels (ex; 1:48) that stabilize long, heavy conicals better.
Between manufacturers there is also a slight difference in what diameter the barrel is actually cut.

Your rifle may shoot ok with a .530 rb and a .015 patch, but really come alive with a .018 patch of a different material. It's just one of those processes that has no concrete answer and range time is the only thing that will tell you what you want to know...but, either way I doubt you will see any better accuracy with any charge over 90 gr. of powder. People have the tendency to shoot way too much powder, you're just wasting time and money.

My .50 Mtn. rifle with 1:66 twist loves .490 rb's with a .018 linen patch and 65 gr. of Goex 3f
My .54 Hawken with 1:48 twist loves .535 rb's with a .012 pillow ticking patch and 80 gr. of Goex 2f.
Either gun detest 'magnum' charges.
70 gr. of powder will kill any deer that walks in NC further than I can see my open sights.....
Of course it's all subjective to what your rifle likes and others mileage may vary...
thanks, great info.
 
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