Sharp Shooter

TC Renegade 54cal I shoot 100gr FFG with a roundball and Great Plains bullet

TC Renegade 58cal I shoot 120gr with a roundball

bronko22000

My most accurate loads:
50 cal GM LRH percussion - 80 gr Pyrodex RS, 275 gr Maxihunter
50 cal GM LRH flinter 29"- 100 gr FFFg, 275 gr Maxihunter
50 cal GM LRH flinter 21"- 100 gr FFFg, 275 gr Maxihunter
54 cal T/C - 80 gr Pyrodex RS - PRB

HEAD0001

I believe 200 or 300 fps is very signifigant in a muzzle loader. The heaviest charge I shoot is 130 grains of 3F BP in my MK85. I shoot 120 grains of 3F Triple 7 in my long range hunter. Both rifles shoot extremely accurate. IF they did not shoot accurately I would get rid of them. I personally want the extra velocity in my MZ's. But then recoil is not an issue for my hunting rifles. I want all the performance I can get. I will admit that I shoot 80 grains of 3F BP in my flinter. It is my fun gun, and extra velocity is not necessary(and the rifle probably will not burn much more).

The trick (IMO) with heavy loads is consistency. Consistency is the reason for inaccuracy out of heavy loads. The larger the load-the more consistent you need to be in your loading, cleaning techniques(while shooting), bullet depth, and most importantly your ignition. Ignition is the key. You must have the ability to burn the powder in your barrel.

Your burn rate(again IMO) is dependant on the weather,your powder, and your ignition system. Some rifles just can not burn 150 grains of powder when the humidity is high, but the rifle can burn 150 when the humidity is low. Therefore accuracy wil suffer because of the amount of powder burn. I also believe rate of burn is an issue also(which is also affected by weather). I know this is splitting hairs, but I think it is very important in MZ's.

There is an easy way to prove this, which I have done before.Take a 130 grain load of 3f BP and shoot in a high humidity rain or snow storm(hunting conditions), then go out and shoot the same load, bullet, and rifle in a summer like low humidity, and warm weather situation. You will get a differnt POI, and accuracy will probably be different. However if you lower your load to 70 or up to 100 grains you will see a lot less difference in POI. This IMO is due to amout of powder burn.

The old timer's who taught me how to shoot flint lock'stold me to sight in, and shoot my rifles with the snow test(remember 2F flinter's will have a slower ignition). It was the only way they knew how to verify how much powder their rifle's were burning. Tom.

HuntAway

110 gr T7 2f, 300 gr NP in the Omega
2x50gr Pellets T7, 340 gr Dead Center in the Omega

GPR Flintlock .50 cal 90 3f Goex w/ .495 ball, .010 patch

Flinter DeerStalker still playing with it and the 21" GM Barrel

TC Renegade Caplock likes 90 gr 3 F Goex and 245 gr .452 cal XTP

spaniel

T/C Omega 200SW 110gr 777. Sub-inch groups. They open significantly even at 115gr.

skybuster20ga

i dont think ive ever used over a 100 grs in any caliber. whats the need?

spaniel

Depending on what you are shooting and how far you are shooting, the extra energy and/or flatter trajectory could be important.

HuntAway

In a word....Moose... and if I thought I could get the same accuracy and not mess up my shoulder and rattle my original teeth, I would shoot maximum loads in my Omega with the NP's. That being said, 110 gr 2f T7 and a 300 gr NP has lots of punch for what I need to do with it and I restrict my shots accordingly.

skybuster20ga

my grandfather killed a bull moose 914lbs w/ an 80 gr. charge and a round ball n patch out of a lyman great plains rifle and the moose had no idea if it was 60 gr.s or 150. it went down. moose are pretty easy to kill really. as far as range and trajectory, i hunt northern maine where 100 yds is a long shot. up here you'd never need more then a 100. i could see if you were needing the velocity to reach out and touch somethin out west but not here

i should have said, " i see no need" instead sorry for the confusion

frontier gander

A big ol lead throwin sum gun 45-70 didnt need no stinkin 100 grains powder to take buffler out to 2-300 yards.

Projectile being used is what is going to make the difference at the recieving end.