fffg loads in a 50 cal.

[BE Wild Willy]

I just wanted to confirm that if using fffg in lieu of ffg in my T/C 50 cal, decrease approximate load by 10 grs, say 60-90 grs. I purchased a can of Goex Express for my C&B and wanted to use the same flask for both. I have heard that folks get pretty good results with the "triple f" in their 50's.

Any and all input is appreciated...

 

[DoubleDeuce 1]

For targets, I shoot between 50 to 60 grs FFFG in my Thompson .50 cal Hawken. That rifle has never been too picky for me. It does prefer the FFFG over the FFG. I like the FFF better because it burns cleaner with less residue for me.

 

[the Black Spot]

I use a 60 gr charge in my flintlock, use 3f for priming also.

 

[Voodoochile]

In my Lyman Trade Rifle I use 70gr. FFFG Goex & a PRB for hunting, seems to like that loading so why change it.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Yep, 70 grains of 3Fg under a .530 round ball, and 3Fg to prime the flintlock.

LD

 

[sltm1]

55g in my Renegade and it shoot's flat past 100 yds!!!

 

[Busyhands94]

you guys are really tempting me to try this. I'm thinking i could shoot small game with 20 grains of FFFG and a tightly patched .490 round ball. that would be sweet!

 

[the Black Spot]

Go for it busyhands!

 

[Busyhands94]

and i will be sure to post pictures and info on how the loads turn out when i go to the range! I'll try and group it as well!

 

[Loyalist Dave]

OFCOUSE THAT WILL WORK! No worries, and for some really good fun..., try headshots!

LD

 

[Busyhands94]

just as long as i get a clean, humane, and painless kill and the meat is intact and edible my goal is achieved. i might also try turkey this year, hopefully deer too. a patched round ball is what i want to use, although i am considering using a Minnie ball!

 

[BHP FAN]

Stay with the round ball. I have played with REAL, [Rifling Engraved At Loading] bullets, sabots, Minie bullets, and a lot more, with about forty years in the sport, and I always come back to a properly loaded round ball as the most accurate. Others may be more speedy to load or more convenient, but for the most accuracy, in the widest range of rifling types and pitches, the RB is still the king.

 

[BHP FAN]

that poor gator lost his mind...

 

[wharvey]

I've used fffg a lot more than ffg in my renegade. 50grs. with a round ball is a very nice low recoiling round. The rifle handles 100 grs with no problem but rarely load over 70.

Have shot other bullets, like Hornady buffalo bullets best and would use them if hunting something like bear or large hogs but has too much recoil for fun shooting.

 

[Busyhands94]

that poor gator lost his mind...

maybe filling his head with cannonballs and powdering his behind wasn't such a good idea. well now we know that when you need a cannon a gator makes a poor substitute. haha!!

as for round balls, i like them a lot. they shoot well and seem to work great in my rifle. if i were to load sabots that would feel dirty to me. the idea of loading a saboted pistol bullet in a muzzleloader repulses me and i don't get it, but if that's what someone want do do then I'm ok with it. as for me i love round balls and traditional conicals like Minnie balls and such. i am quite fond of Minnie balls as well, they shoot well in my gun. they are easy to load so i won't scare my mom having to use a short starter to load the rifle for her. hehe!

 

[BE Wild Willy]

Can hardly wait...

To try the fffg in my 50 since all the positive feedback from you folks. I bought the best stuff I could find locally, Goex Express, now I just need to get some "patches and balls". Thus far I have only shot 240gr & 275gr conicals through my T/C PA Hunter with good results. Time to go "old school".

 

[Nappers]

I use 3f in my Custom CA half stock, 70 grains, .497ball and RWS or Remington #11's and the combo works great! Up to 100GR 3f, the gun shoots a little high at 100yds.

 

[the Black Spot]

Wild willy go to goodwill. Go to womens section and find a 100% linen skirt or dress. Cut into 1.5" strips. Melt some crisco, dip in your strips let dry. Start your round ball, cut linen flush with barrel, ram all the way home.(i use mink tallow from track of the wolf for patchlube)

 

[BE Wild Willy]

"Wild willy go to goodwill. Go to womens section and find a 100% linen skirt or dress. Cut into 1.5" strips. Melt some crisco, dip in your strips let dry. Start your round ball, cut linen flush with barrel, ram all the way home.(i use mink tallow from track of the wolf for patchlube)"

How about lubing the patches with T/C Bore Butter? Is this feasable, or just an overpriced lube?

 

[arcticap]

TC Bore Butter is a very popular lube that serves the shooting needs of many folks very well. It has some unique characteristics that make it a good commercial lube. Every lube has a different viscosity and usefulness for shooting with different powders under a wide range of conditions.
I've found that if a patch has enough Bore Butter on it then depending on how much powder is loaded, a lot of shots can be fired without needing to swab very often.
Some folks saturate their patches with it by using a microwave.
I personally apply the Bore Butter by hand, but either way many folks do prefer to use it for most applications.

 

[Busyhands94]

i have those wonder lube patches, they work great too! they smell like mint! with that patchbox installed on my rifle everytime i shoulder my rifle up i smell mint! it's kinda strange but i am beginning to like it! i can get off quite a few shots, i don't swab after they get hard to load i usually stick with Minnie balls for a little while. but i may want to figure out how to swab the bore at the range. I think my biggest concern is there being water in the bore and the gun having a stuck ball. knowing my luck I'll probably forget the ball puller in someplace very obvious! haha!

Levi

 

[the Black Spot]

Yep bore butter is good, just cheaper stuff out there that works well also.

 

[mykeal]

I'm thinking i could shoot small game with 20 grains of FFFG and a tightly patched .490 round ball. that would be sweet!

That will work, but...

.50 cal is a bit large for small game. In order to achieve the last part of your stated goals:

just as long as i get a clean, humane, and painless kill and the meat is intact and edible my goal is achieved

you'll need to be very accurate. If you have a .45, or better yet a .40, that would be a better choice for small game.

 

[Jaymo]

I received a couple of tubes of Bore Butter for free, with the purchase of a couple of BP guns.
As a result, I LOVE Bore Butter. Free am good.
Aside from that, it smells good and works very well. I make my own patch lube for hot Southern summer weather, but I still love the BB.
I also have a plastic can of some CVA patch lube. It's a creamy-looking white lube. Doesn't smell like much but works well.
I LOVE BP!!
There, I said it. I feel better, now.
Busyhands, if you had the money for the gun, pump, scuba tank, refill clamp, fill hose, etc, I'd recommend you buy a Benjamin Marauder in .22 or .25 caliber,if .25 is legal for small game in your state. It's not in mine. .
The Benji Marauder is one small game whackin' machine. Powerful, quiet, accurate.
Mouse fart quiet.
BUT, PCPs and the associated accoutrements are not cheap. I already had 2 PCPS and 3 scuba tanks when I bought my M'rod.
Up to about 50 yards, it's more accurate than any of my hunting .22 rifles.

Back in topic. I like fff in my .50 rifles, because it burns cleaner (more completely) in all but my 42" barreled flintlock.

 

[Busyhands94]

i am starting to wonder if i could buy the sights, and the little part the barrel wedge attaches to and a few more items and try and ind a .32 muzzleloading barrel, having the ability to switch barrels would be great!

on the subject of a fifty caliber rifle for small game, i am starting to think since people use slingshots for small game with lead balls, there has to be a way you could shoot small game with a .50 rifle. I'll do some tests using various mouse fart loads, I'll see what i can come up with. as for air rifles, i have a Benjamin pump air rifle in .20 caliber, i am lending it to a friend. but the .20 caliber shoots so flat and carries quite some punch. for small game you can't beat it! i find the .20 caliber ballistics to be great, shoots flat like a .177, but carries the punch like a .22 airgun. i also have a vintage Crossman 38 Target pellet revolver that rocks for small game. single or double action, and more powerful than you would think a .22 CO2 revolver is. i have used it for rats and the thing is a beast with .22 Benjamin high-compression pellets and daisy CO2. that thing will really snuff em' out! but i like the idea of using a muzzleloader for both big and small game, that idea just appeals to me.