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How much powder?

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TennTurkeyHunter

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Ok, I have a question about black powder. How much is not enough?
I was setting up my son's new Knight yesterday. I forgot my measure at home so I needed to find something that I could measure the load with. I was thinking on what I could get. I said �4, 10 shells�. They are about the same size as a measure. So I go inside my Dad�s house and find a used shell. I found one made sure it was clean. Now I have been shooting muzzle loaders for years and I know about what a full load looks like. However, I was making sure I did not over load it. So I felled it to what I was thinking was 100 gains. And we started shooting, moving the sites. I get him shooting the same hole at 25 yards. So we go back home and I get my measure out to see how much I was shooting. I feel the 4 10 shell to the mark and pure it into the measure and find out I was only shooting about 60 grains and he was doing a wonderful job at it too.

So my question is will 60 grains get the job done. I sure hope so because there is no kick to the gun at this load. He loves the way it shoots with only 60 in it.

I will need to try it at 100 yards and see how it does.
 
my dad hunts with a catlemans carbine from cabelas.its like a pistol frame with a 18 inch barrel and a rifle stock.it only shoots 30 grn.and it will kill deer.just not long shots with it you need to git the deer with bow range.so id say 60 will do.
 
60g charge should do fine with a lioght weight bullet for your son.

My thunderhawk performs best with 80g powder and 180 g bullet.

it took me one full day to find this combo for this MZ and it has never failed, thats been 11 yrs ago

youwill have to sight in high for that hunder yrd. kill shot and practice , practice. with your set up.
 
DEER ASSASSIN said:
some pistols shoot 50 gns that will kill a deer

i say limit it to 50 yds no problem

IMO id work him up to 80 90
Click to expand...

i remember when i was like 14 and started shooting a muzzleloader my dad started me at 90grain of powder. cant remember what bullets i was using. i think it was a round lead ball.
 
My percusion .50 with patched round balls would put them in one hole at 25 yards with 37 grains of ffg blackpowder. That's what I used in shooting matches. For deer, the only thing I changed is that I went up to 95 gr of powder. The accuracy wasn't quite as good, but it was a great knock-down load.
 
A round ball is pretty lite compared to most bullets.Like most the guys said 60 grains might be OK for short range and balls. If your shooting bullets you need to work it up to at least 80 or 90 grains. To make a good killing shot at over 50 yards. I'd hate to for him to shoot one and have it run off and not leave a good blood trail. What were you shooting ?? Balls or Bullets weight of the bullets ??
 
I thought the question of "How much is not enough" was safety related, as in "how small of a load is not a good idea to shoot". Re-reading it, I see he was talking about killing. I would go up to 80 or 90 for a minimum; most muzzleloaders are heavy enough that that shouldn't kick too much. If the youth can't handle the kick, then they shouldn't be hunting yet.

I should have known the question wasn't about safety. You should NEVER use a loader that you "think looks like" 100 grains. Obviously he was off by 40%.
 
I don't shoot BP and don't know if this applies but did Pyrodex and do Trip-7. I have a lightly customized .45 s/s Omega and found 90 gr (3x 30gr) Pyrodex was a comfortable and accurate load. Initially, I felt like 60 would be too light and 120 wouldn't group as tightly.

When I switched to Trip-7, I couldn't get 30gr pellets and I don't like loose - so I set at 100 (50 x2). It works effectivly with whatever bullet I shoot at paper - and all deer have been taken with 200gr Hornady SSTs (.45/.40 - sabots).

Both loads were hot but not excessive. A lot of your consideration should also be based on barrel length.
 
I think 60 grains (triple 7) will do the job...
I shoot 80 grains with a 175 grn bullets I cast myself
R.E.A.L's in 45 caliber...........
I've shot through a 3/16 inch plate of cold roll steel
at 50 yrds and have yet to see a deer with hide harder
than that...I think 60 grains will work INSIDE 50 yrds.
..........................................BH51........
 

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