Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Shooting the flintlock finally

Testing my reworked ( Originally was 2fa Artillery powder ) 3fg powder today. 50 yards with my Traditions Hawken Woodsman .50cal. 70gr 3fg, .020 patches and .490 round ball. Happy? You can't wipe the smile off my face! 4fg Gearhart Owen in the pan. Instant ignition.

i dont think you need to change any thing .that thing is ready to hunt

Groovy!!!!!!

nice group.

excellent

I was able to chrono that 70gr 3fg load today and with 70gr 3fg, .020 patch and .490 round ball, speed was 1,452 fps. Pretty good for such a light charge I think.

Bigblock,

70 grains of Goex FFFG has been my standard .50 (.490) load for over 40 years. It’s a good load. Taken many a deer and hawg with an assortment of rifles, both flint and percussion with that load.

Heck I even shoot 60 of FFFG in ol’ Lazarus my .54 restocked govt. rifle. (.530 ball). An adequate charge for most all game here. And if I need, two measures full (120 grains) for them bigger critters and maybe a longer shot. Although I’m not one to pursue very long shots anymore with these 64 y o peepers. 🤣

Keep it up!!

BP guns are each unique so far as a best load.
I recommend increasing the charges by five grains at a time and shooting groups at 100 yards. My experience shows that as charge increase, bullet impact comes up and then drifts to one side and opens up. When the groups stop impacting higher and start to drift to the side and open up, you know that you have gone too far.
Otherwise, I like to shoot the heaviest possible charge for hunting. Muzzleloaders are not high energy firearms and don't usually drop deer like the high velocity rifle rounds. Instead I find that deer tend to run off a bit before expiring. To that end a bigger caliber and higher velocity help out.