I built a 62 cal 42" barrel custom hawken or trade rifle kit,
I forget which, one first and a near clone later in a 58 caliber ,
I did that mostly because 58 cal projectile designs are far more common than the 62 caliber versions,
and theres very little difference in power
at about the same time , with the same hawken design and 42" barrel.
but either one will throw a 58-62 cal patched ball into a 2"-2.5" 100 yard group most of the time from a bench rest ,
and I'm sure its old eyes keeping the groups that large,
and its effective on deer hogs and the one stupid elk that wondered out in front of it at 80 yards
I've generally used a 58 cal Hawken with patched round balls over 95-110 grains of 2f black powder,
for hunting, as the 62 calibers just a bit less accurate. but I used to own a 1864 Springfield 58 caliber replica that I found to be most accurate with a 505 grain mini over 65 grains of 3f black powder, now that might not sound like much power but a soft lead 505 grain mini punched a BIG hole in a deer and in most cases expands to the size of a 50 cent coin
I load a 110 grains of 1F or 2f a cosmetic cotton ball as a powder gasket then a well lubed greased patch and round ball firmly seated
that round ball looked like a 50 cent piece ,on that elk found against the far side hide and it leaves a impressive hole
I don't know if they are still available, its got a 1 1/8" barrel and its like carrying a truck axle heavy, but its damn effective , makes you appreciate how tough the mountain men must have been and why most carried a hatchet, and a large knife as a secondary weapon
https://www.muzzle-loaders.com/traditions-1842-springfield-musket-rifled-69-cal-r184205.html
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/617/1
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/615/1
https://www.davide-pedersoli.com/uploads/supporto/9SUGGESTED BLACK POWDER LOADS.pdf
http://www.chuckhawks.com/58_muzzleloaders.htm
http://www.gmriflebarrel.com/blackpowde ... caliber-42
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Pedersol ... 389473.uts
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/255271 ... steel-blue
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categorie ... /BBL-58-42
http://colerainbarrel.com/rifled_barrels.html
http://www.ricebarrels.com/chart.html
when I ordered my kit a friend also ordered a similar kit, which I built for him at the time, he sold his when he got divorced and regretted doing that till the day he died (heart attack at 60)
the pressure and efficiency differs with the bore size, and the larger bore size allows you to place more energy on target at longer ranges,
expansion ratio and projectile weight plus the powder and type and granulation
I've owned and shot at least a dozen or more BP rifles and most of my friends are well into them also, the 50 cal and larger bores are by fare the better choices
as a general rule using round balls AND PATCHES ONLY I've found these to be about ball park loads to get both accuracy and high velocity
45 cal-60-70 grains 3f or 2f
50cal 70-80 grains 3f or 2f
54 cal 85-95 grains 3f-or 2f
58 cal 80-95 grains 2f or 1f
62 cal 95-110 grains 1f
obviously youll want to experiment as patch, lube twist and rifle groove depth effect results
your never going to get extremely high velocity but don,t be overly concerned the rifles are still deadly with proper shot placement and these loads
BTW I have yet to see the BP rifle that does not increase the accuracy and shot to shot consistency by inserting a cosmetic cotton ball you can get at any drug store between the powder charge and a really soaking dripping wet with lube, patch around the ball, keeping the bore surface well lubed and fairly free of burnt black powder residue helps consistency and accuracy and the cotton ball helps prevent the lube from contaminating the powder charge, just be sure to mark your ram rod because the ball,patch and cotton ball must be firmly compressed over the powder charge
I forget which, one first and a near clone later in a 58 caliber ,
I did that mostly because 58 cal projectile designs are far more common than the 62 caliber versions,
and theres very little difference in power
at about the same time , with the same hawken design and 42" barrel.
but either one will throw a 58-62 cal patched ball into a 2"-2.5" 100 yard group most of the time from a bench rest ,
and I'm sure its old eyes keeping the groups that large,
and its effective on deer hogs and the one stupid elk that wondered out in front of it at 80 yards
I've generally used a 58 cal Hawken with patched round balls over 95-110 grains of 2f black powder,
for hunting, as the 62 calibers just a bit less accurate. but I used to own a 1864 Springfield 58 caliber replica that I found to be most accurate with a 505 grain mini over 65 grains of 3f black powder, now that might not sound like much power but a soft lead 505 grain mini punched a BIG hole in a deer and in most cases expands to the size of a 50 cent coin
I load a 110 grains of 1F or 2f a cosmetic cotton ball as a powder gasket then a well lubed greased patch and round ball firmly seated
that round ball looked like a 50 cent piece ,on that elk found against the far side hide and it leaves a impressive hole
I don't know if they are still available, its got a 1 1/8" barrel and its like carrying a truck axle heavy, but its damn effective , makes you appreciate how tough the mountain men must have been and why most carried a hatchet, and a large knife as a secondary weapon
https://www.muzzle-loaders.com/traditions-1842-springfield-musket-rifled-69-cal-r184205.html
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/617/1
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/615/1
https://www.davide-pedersoli.com/uploads/supporto/9SUGGESTED BLACK POWDER LOADS.pdf
http://www.chuckhawks.com/58_muzzleloaders.htm
http://www.gmriflebarrel.com/blackpowde ... caliber-42
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Pedersol ... 389473.uts
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/255271 ... steel-blue
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categorie ... /BBL-58-42
http://colerainbarrel.com/rifled_barrels.html
http://www.ricebarrels.com/chart.html
when I ordered my kit a friend also ordered a similar kit, which I built for him at the time, he sold his when he got divorced and regretted doing that till the day he died (heart attack at 60)
the pressure and efficiency differs with the bore size, and the larger bore size allows you to place more energy on target at longer ranges,
expansion ratio and projectile weight plus the powder and type and granulation
I've owned and shot at least a dozen or more BP rifles and most of my friends are well into them also, the 50 cal and larger bores are by fare the better choices
as a general rule using round balls AND PATCHES ONLY I've found these to be about ball park loads to get both accuracy and high velocity
45 cal-60-70 grains 3f or 2f
50cal 70-80 grains 3f or 2f
54 cal 85-95 grains 3f-or 2f
58 cal 80-95 grains 2f or 1f
62 cal 95-110 grains 1f
obviously youll want to experiment as patch, lube twist and rifle groove depth effect results
your never going to get extremely high velocity but don,t be overly concerned the rifles are still deadly with proper shot placement and these loads
BTW I have yet to see the BP rifle that does not increase the accuracy and shot to shot consistency by inserting a cosmetic cotton ball you can get at any drug store between the powder charge and a really soaking dripping wet with lube, patch around the ball, keeping the bore surface well lubed and fairly free of burnt black powder residue helps consistency and accuracy and the cotton ball helps prevent the lube from contaminating the powder charge, just be sure to mark your ram rod because the ball,patch and cotton ball must be firmly compressed over the powder charge
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