54 cal patched round ball loads

It has shot through every deer, although they were all shot at less than 100 yards. My elk load, at docs recommendation, is 200 grains of ffg but i have yet to use that load in the field. If it does, it may be miniscule at 2550 yards, but may make a difference at longer ranges. Ml i think that folks are concerned about looseness because ofthe old stylebutler creek plastic patches that were much smaller and looserthan todays sabots. Round ball loads specify tc patch material lubricated with tc no. Let me tell you a story i saw with my own eyes on a manitoba moose hunt. In addition, youll find no mouldparting lines, air pocket voids or sprue marks that could impede accuracy.

Velocities obtained from different types of percussion caps using a 54 caliber. The load that i have used for years is 90 grains of goex ffg over a. The moose was ranged at 170 yards with a bushnell laser rangefinder. A high density, 100% wool felt wad, lubricated with all day wonder lube, that will take the place of the over powder and cushion wad. It is a round ball gun and my standard load is 100 grains of ffg with a patched round ball. Ive used up to 140 grains of 2f black, but beyond this, the accuracy falls off pretty fast. These give a dense shot pattern and increased range, without the need for wet fiber wad. The patch round ball challenge long range hunting forum. Patches are available in 10, 15, 20, and 25 thou thicknesses in most good muzzleloading stores. A round ball is unique among projectiles in that its ballistic characteristics are solely dependant upon its diameter unless its made of something other than lead. Energy is generated by velocity more powder or bigger ball.

Traditions performance firearms muzzleloader shooting patches. Killing power of patched round ball prb the high road. It is no secret and most books and manufacturers recommend the same loads. That load provides the best accuracy in my rifle and still has enough energy for a good hard hit at 100 yards.

As i recall as i was working up the load all i got over 60 gr, was more recoil and less accuracy. The 30 to 34inch barreled mountain and plains rifles of the period often featured. No other factoryassembled rifle or kit offers the authentic style and design of lymans great plains rifle. I am somewhat confused about the maxi ball, as this is my only bp gun that is not a smoothbore. The patching material is the key to be accurate with a round ball load. Am i really handicapping myself with one of those patchedroundball rifles. You can buy good quality patches in your local blackpowder shop, but you can also make your own. For me, round ball loads tend to shoot higher than point of aim in a revolver and lower than point of aim from a rifle. This may be mindless wandering, but as the patch comes off the ball after firing, would the shape of the patch, or its lack of concentric fit over the bore at loading, kick the ball in one direction or another as the patch leaves the ball. Converting a tc big boar to a musket cap for use with heavy pyrodex loads is a good idea and. Have a hawken style rifle that i want to use a patched round ball in. Triple seven pellets are not for use in cartridges, or with patched round ball. I settled on a 60 gr ffg load in my 50 cal a long time ago. The following charts of loads and ballistics cover rifles of varying.

Please note that what patch thickness you use will also play a part in what ball size to use. I have a few of the old maxi ball but i plan on just tossing them into the lead pot to be recast as round ball. It was by far the most accurate load in that gun, and while labeled light by a lot of guys, it killed with alacrity. Loading blocks for patched round balls this is a primitive riflemans ball loading.

In other words an equal amount of powder especially for target shooting. This classic muzzleloader offers legendary quality such high quality features such as a 32 barrel with 1 in 60 twist for patched ball and hunting loads, double set triggers, and hawken style percussion snail with clean out screw. A round ball is unique among projectiles in that its ballistic characteristics are solely dependant upon its diameter unless its. Shot loads and snake loads can be loaded in revolvers using wool wads.

More modern bullets are deffently more effective, but the round ball still works. Patched round ball gun and game the friendliest gun. Blackpowder muzzleloading muzzleloading round ball ballistics. Aug 04, 2014 the patching material is the key to be accurate with a round ball load. Hello, im looking for guidance on loads for my recently completed. As for accuracy, a man carrying a smoothbore loaded with a tightly patched round ball was virtually equal to a man with a rifle at distances of up to 50 yards. Loading blocks for patched round balls track of the wolf. The following charts of loads and ballistics cover rifles of varying barrel lengths, allowing the viewer to better determine the ballistics for their rifle. Minimum deerkilling muzzleloading loads for young and small. I am somewhat confused about the maxiball, as this is my only bp gun that is not a smoothbore. You also get more practice shooting and reloading it under hunting conditions which builds confidence for big game hunts.

Hornady swaged black powder rifle round balls per 100. Felt wads for muzzle loading and black powder cartridges. So, my load for all round ball shooting is 80 grains of fffg goex, a. A 54 caliber round ball is more than enough for deer as long as you hit. I tried heavier loads but settled on 90 grains because it was accurate and powerful enough. It could be loaded with shot for birding or with a round ball for deersize game. It worked for hundreds of years, and still hasnt stopped. Your best bet is to refer to the loading and shooting instructions on your individual. Jan 06, 2018 please note that what patch thickness you use will also play a part in what ball size to use. In fact, that rifle shoots well with as little as 40 grains of ffg or as much as 120, even grains of ffg with the same patched round ball. In fact two shooters with identical firearms, shooting identical loads behind. Those figures match along quite well with my preferred load in my.

Douglas barrel at 50 yards it will shoot 5 shots into a inch. Muzzleloader wads, rifle wads, cap and ball pistol wads and. A good patch is made of good quality, dense natural material. Nov 27, 2009 round ball loads specify tc patch material lubricated with tc no. Pyrodex powder, i forget what i bought last time but it. Barrel length plays a big role in the velocities achieved. What distance do you sight in and what grouping do you get with your chosen load. For me, round ball guns are best considered 100 yard guns for deer.

Traditionalmldata2 north american muzzleloader hunting. Round balls in fast twist rifles white muzzle loading. Oct 04, 2019 those figures match along quite well with my preferred load in my. I ran into fouling problems with the heavier loads too. Light muzzleloader loads for patch and round ball, a lot of ole timers used to tell me that for a patch and round ball all you really need was just enough powder to cover the ball in the palm of your hand. This ballistics calculator is a computer simulation which analyzes the behavior of a round ball in its flight from the muzzle to the target. Its a lot of fun to hunt small game with the same gun you use for big game. Dec 25, 2010 the lightest projectile in this caliber is a patched round ball. For the tc maxiball, i shoot 90 grains of ffg or substitute. My current rifle is a reproduction lemen plains rifle made for me by doctor gary white. Poking a long hole in any animal smaller than a fullgrown holstein will put it.

Bumping a round ball to the proper diameter is the only way to get any accuracy from them. Maxiball loads specify the use of maxilub as a lubricant. First i know 54 cal is not a 500 yard firearm, that being said at local range. Used to use a conical of some type but went to a patched round ball about 10 years ago. Poking a long hole in any animal smaller than a fullgrown holstein will put it on the ground. The cva mountain rifle shoots best with 490 balls, 15 patches and 70 grains of goex 3f. Several side hammer round ball guns are available in. I found that about 90 gr of pyrodex or 80 gr of 777 gave me my best groups. I use 80 grains of goex ffg with a patched round ball in my. Maxi ball loads specify the use of maxilub as a lubricant. Now im not sure if the patch gets spun off the ball or if patch and ball just skims the rifling but either way a round ball wont shoot for squat out of a fast twist barrel unless you cut the powder down to an absolute minimum which makes it impractical for most purposes. Shot a lot of matches and killed a lot of game with this load.

Perfectly shaped by a coldforming process for consistent diameter and weight, each of these round balls is coated to reduce the hazards of lead oxidation. Grains listed after projectile type represent bullet weight. I grew up shooting whitetails with a 50 cal round ball over about 60gr of powder. They were available for mostpopular calibers and oldpackagesare still sold on the marketplace.

Percussion ignition for thompson center hawken rifles. Id think that if the patched round ball in those calibers was ineffective they would have gone to guns with larger bores. A round ball doesnt touch the rifling itself, the patch does. Muzzleloader wads, rifle wads, cap and ball pistol wads. The barrel, plug, adjustable rear sight, bead front sight, rib, rod pipes, and underlug are blued. In that case you may want to look at rifle with a false muzzle, one of my rifles has one a. The lightest projectile in this caliber is a patched round ball. Use pellets only in strict accordance with loading instructions.