What kind of velocity loss do you get at lower charges?

[BCall]

I am relatively new to muzzleloading, and am just trying to do everything consistently to get consistent groups out of the 2 guns I am shooting. I am trying to work out one for a friend, and am getting really good groups at 80 grains of loose Pyrodex rs. It is in a 24" barrel. As 100 grains seems to be the average I would say, how much velocity loss is there between 80 and 100 grains. If I up the powder charge to 100 grains groups are not as good, but I want to insure that I am not getting underpowered for deer out to 100-125 yards. I am shooting 240 grain T/C XTP's. They are the only thing that has shot well for me besides the 200 grain T/C shockwaves, but I worry about them being a little light. THanks for the advice, Billy

[flintlock]

80grs is plenty...My Knight prefers 90grs of Goex FFF and I've dropped deer out to a lasered 143 yards with a 250 Shockwave....

In my .54 caliber flintlock, I shoot a 220gr ball and 80grs of FFF...Hit in the lungs, the ball usually exits, they run 40-65 yards and drop...

[Double 30]

Whatever charges you shoot , match your bullet's expansion velocities. Hornady thoughtfully provides these and its one of the reasons I use the .44 and .45 cal XTP's almost exclusively.When I started using inlines I shot 40gr of 3f T7 under a 240 gr T/C Cheap shot out of a Traditions Tracker .50 cal and got 1350 fps over my Chrony.That load has taken 9 deer with 9 shots at ranges from 15 feet to 115 yards and all save 2 were pass throughs.No deer has gone more than 60 yards after taking one.Most of the time I'm shooting 70gr of 3f T7 out of my Omega Z5 under a 240 gr .44 cal XTP. 1750 fps and its a death ray.If you shoot .45 XTP's I suggest staying with the non-mag type as you get more reliable expansion at lower velocities.You dont ned 1/2 a can of powder to kill a deer , but you do need to choose your bullets with care.

[lefty red]

+1 on the 80 gr charge!

With cetain BP subs, you don't get a full "burn" of the propellent at a 100gr or higher charge in a 24" barrel.  So, its a waste IMHO.  NOT SO WITH SOME OF THE QUICKER BURNING PROPELLENTS, IE BH209.  But a lower charge of BH209 will still get the job done.

I wish I could say that most MLers want to use a high charge to humanely kill the animal they are hunting.  But again in IMHO, I think they are trying to make the ML a flatter shooter.  They look at one part to bullet magic, the trajectory.  I personally don't care if my bullets have the arc of a SCUD missile, just as long as they put all of their engery into the animal.

Jerry

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

80gr is plenty. I use that charge with  patched round balls, to the 405gr powerbelt.  Certain pistol bullets may not open up with the lower charges but you never know until you try it.

[DennyRoark]

The folks at Hornaday told me 2 weeks ago that it takes 1240 FPS to expand a SST/Shockwave bullet as I was concerned about the same thing and called them.  In the deer I got with 80gr/250SW, got a complete pass thru with a large exit hole at 90 yds.  No deer liver this year !

Denny

[MI.sabot]

BCall:

I used 85 grains of loose 777 with a 250 gr TC Shockwave to take the doe pictured at the far left.  She dropped in her tracks with a pass-thru shot at 130 yards.  That combo was dead center at the range at both 75 and 100 yds.  I estimated that the deer was at 150 yds and put the cross hairs at the top of the back.  It might be a bit difficult to see in the pic, but I probably could have aimed a touch above dead center because there wasn't as much drop as I anticipated beyond 100 yds.  In other words... 80 grains should work just fine!

Here's a pretty good link to a Barnes Bullet ML sight.  Gives some velocities and trajectories of their ML bullets using various types and amounts of powders.  You can pretty much ballpark what your load is doing by following the 50 caliber, 250 gr. bullet selections and the Pyrodex Select column within the charts.  Hope this helps:

http://www.barnesbullets.com/images/MuzzleloaderData.pdf

[BCall]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the info. I went ahead and hunted with the 80 gr load, and most likely will continue to do so now. Did not get one with the muzzleloader this year, but at least I should be good when I get a chance next year. I hunted with a 243 during regular rifle season this year, but I think next year it will all be muzzleloader, at least until I get one with it. I bought it as a way to extend my hunting season, now I just want to succeed with it at least once. I know I feel more confident with it now though, and it still shoots great. Thanks, Billy