Black Powder Ballistics

[Nightcrawler]

Okay, I don't know much about black powder guns. But what kinds of ballistics do you get from BP handguns?

I'm talking bullet weights and muzzle velocities here. Anybody chrono a BP gun?

What would you get from, say, a single shot precussion or flintlock (pick your variety...like the ones Lyman makes)? A Colt Patterson? A Colt Walker? An 1851 Navy?

Thanks!

 

[mec]

and:
A uberti model of the 1849 Colt Pocket model- 12.5 fffg/ball/720fps.

.44Lemat/451 ball: Pyrodex P- from 25grain ffg measure=835 fps
Pyrodex P from 30 grain fffg measure:906 fps.

There is an individual writing books like the BlackPowder Annual etc who publishes ballistics too. His figures are quite a bit different than these as are some of the reloading book published data. One source has the 21 grains of fffg sending the 36 ball out in the 800 fps range and others report velocities in the ragne of 1000 fps
With different guns, components and conditions, this is probably to be expected.

 

[P95Carry]

Nice work mec!

BTW .. I assume you mean Clean shot?!

Outa interest .. when you changed propellants - did you start over on another with a clean or a fouled gun? Doubt it'd make a whole load of difference but just curious. (Knowing how much I love cleaning fire sticks )

 

[mec]

some of these came from different range sessions. I don't remember exactly but I always clean out fouling when using black powder but do it less often with pyrodex or the other substitutes. I probably do mean Clean shot- can belonged to another guy in another county i was visiting.

That stuff and the pioneer are very low energy when used in a black powder volume measure. The 31s with American Pioneer clock about 300 fps and bounce off just about everything.

All of these are called fffg substitutes but none of them perform exactly like the Goex Black Powder. ( or much at all like it in a couple of cases]
777 is adverised to clean up with water only and to produce the highest velocities of any muzzleloader powder. I get the impression it is intended for those modern guns with sabot loads they use to hunt deer. It produced some wild velocity swings in upper end loadings in the .36 and the 50 but was nice and sedate down at 20 grains in the Lyman 50. Grouped real well and duplicated 30/ pyrodex.

When I say grains, what I mean is the measure is set for that many grains of black powder. The replica powders are not the same weight per volume

 

[P95Carry]

Thx mec.

I certainly think Goex is up there for performance ....... and I found that whilst Clean shot was, indeed ... quite clean .... it lacked the punch. Triple 7 does tho seem to have some balls for a non BP mix ... I have yet to test it out in full.

Still hate the cleaning ... whatever the propellant!

 

[Nightcrawler]

So how much do these lead balls weigh, in grains?

 

[mec]

Right at 175 for these .490s and a few grains more for the .495" ones.

 

[redneck2]

I was going to try some Triple 7 in a cartridge gun (.45-90). With 300 fps spread I can see why the guys say to stick with black. It can give 10 fps spread or less.

 

[mec]

maybe it works better with ctg guns and the sabot deals they use for the modern deer-season rifles.


found some loads from second model dragoon replica

 

[30Cal]

Haven't had a chance to chrono my .50 cal flintlock. Shoots roundballs w/ 60grs FFg blackpowder.

FWIW, it looks like a 10 mph crosswind pushes the RB about 10" at 100yds!

Ty

 

[444]

You need to buy a copy of the Lyman Blackpowder Handbook.
It answers all the questions I have seen in this thread.

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lymanproducts/index.htm