Dick;
Much of the load data of yesteryear is actually based on powders that were probably of finer quality and finer granulation than we have today. Ross Seyfried uses 3f in his 12ga shotguns because his research has concluded that today's 3f is similar in granulation and energy to yesteryears 2f. His research suggested that many successful shotgunners of the 1800s were using healthy charges of 3f in shotguns with Damacus twist barrels without ill effects and that 3f in those days was similar in granualation and energy to what we call 4f today!
The guy who founded Navy Arms killed elephants with .58 caliber Hawken rifles made by Investarms with 180 grains of either 2f or 3f (I can't recall the granulation) and cape buffalo with a .58 caliber Zouave carbine style rifle using 160 grain powder loads.
The problem with black powder as I see it, is it does not have the same pressure curve as smokeless and that the explosive force of black powder has different effects on the strength of the steel than does smokeless. Whereas, smokeless loads will give hints of over pressure, black powder is not so considerate and damage can result with no outward signs that one is stressing the firearm. I may be wrong, as this is something I believe Sam Fadala had researched and tested.
What exactly is your aim? We know from Winchester's testing of the "76" that even that weak action can withstand incredible...almost unbelievable stresses and continue to function, but other than ruining a perfectly good 76, all I learned from their testing is that they built a gun that wouldn't fall appart the first time it was overloaded, but the ballistics and terminal energies couldn't appreciably be improved on.
Dan
