Author Topic: how much barrel needed? (Read 676 times)

iwoodbutcher · « **on:** November 22, 2004, 06:06:29 PM »

Hi All, I am new to muzzle loading and picked up a CVA Bobcat with a 26 inch barrel in .50 cal.. Is 26 inchs long enough to burn 90 to 100 grs. of pyrodex or black powder before the lead leaves the barrel? I think 100 grs. is the max to load in this gun. Will most likely be shooting less than 90 grs.

Monte

Longcruise · « **Reply #1 on:** November 23, 2004, 06:00:25 AM »

Quote

Is 26 inchs long enough to burn 90 to 100 grs. of pyrodex or black powder before the lead leaves the barrel?

Given the nature of BP and the subs, I'd say it will all burn before the projectile leaves the barrel even if you put in 150 grains [that's not a recommendation :shock:] OTOH, with loads in the 80 to 100 range in a 26 inch barrel your projectile may still be accellerating and not reaching its full velocity potential at 26 inches.

If you are working up a hunting load don't concrn yourself with such esoteric bs

your rifle shooting round balls or conicals loaded with 60 to 100 grains of powder is going to be adequate for the typical deer hunt. If you are working on a plinking or target load, anything from 60 grains on down should work fine.

The tales of unburned powder leaving the bore are mostly based on the old stories of "shooting over snow" to figure out when your gun has reached a point where it's no longer burning all the powder you put in her. Our forefathers passed down a whole bunch of wisdom as far as shooting these old guns goes but shooting over snow was not one of them. 45 to 55 percent by weight of burned bp powder remains as ash and that's whats coming out the end of the barrel :shock:

filmokentucky · « **Reply #2 on:** November 23, 2004, 07:14:12 AM »

Has anyone else ever tied this--the old shooting over the new-fallen snow trick? For some reason, when I first heard this one, the snow had to be new-fallen. There may have been Vestal Virgins involved, too-- it was long ago and I can't remember.
At any rate, at the time I had a nice little .44 caliber long rifle that normally used a 70 grain charge. We kept stoking her up and she kept burning the powder up--never did get any unburned powder on the breast of the new-fallen snow. It did create one hellacious fireball, an impressive
amount of smoke and I do not believe I ever again fired a .44 P.R.B. that recoiled like that. Nor would I care to. As Longcruise pointed out, there was also a noticeable amount of ash or soot to be found. Alas, the new-fallen snow was despoiled and perhaps the Vestal Virgins as well. But that, as they say, is another story.

iwoodbutcher · « **Reply #3 on:** November 23, 2004, 07:34:44 AM »

Thanks for your help!

Monte

Winter Hawk · « **Reply #4 on:** November 23, 2004, 08:18:03 AM »

As Longcruise said, anywhere between 60 and 100 grains will kill a deer. What you need to do is get some range time in, shooting three to five shot groups at the same powder charge. See which charge will give you the smallest group. Start at 60 grains, then 65, then 70, etc. Wipe the bore between shots. Some folks like to put alcohol on the patch, I just use a dry one, one wipe in and out. You are only trying to get the fouling to be consistant between shots. You will probably find that the tightest group is around 75 grains.

Once you have found the load the rifle likes best and are sighted in you should be good to go. Just get out there and enjoy the shooting. It ain't rocket science, just plain fun.

-Winter Hawk-

The Cast Bullet Kid · « **Reply #5 on:** November 23, 2004, 10:56:17 AM »

Do you know anyone with a chronograph?
This is the way to find out the best load for your length is to clock it and see where the gains in velocity become minimal.
For example in my .40cal flintlock, anything over 50gr 3Fg in its 38 inch barrel creates basically no more ball speed. Up to this point however the gains are worth while.
Something else to consider is that under some circumstances a shorter barrel may produce more velocity!! I docked 6 inches off my .40cal percussion gun (from 39 to 33 inches of barrel) and the velocity of the 30gr 3Fg load went from 1450fps to 1600fps. The charge had been consumed completely in the long barrel and the extra bit of tube was actually sucking velocity due to friction.
Interestingly too, the top end loads produce the same velocity in the 33 inches of tube as they did in the 39 inches.

Birddog6 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 23, 2004, 03:55:17 PM »

Shooting real BP you can figure all of the powder that maters will be burnt up in the first 19" or so of the barrel, with a normal load in a rifle.. That is why some of the German Jaeger rifles had 21" barrels... Less weight, adequate barrel length to burn the powder & easy to carry & balance afoot or on horseback.

As for the Pyrocrap & other subs, I can't tell ya as I never shoot them.

filmokentucky · « **Reply #7 on:** November 23, 2004, 04:03:53 PM »

Amen.

Woodbutcher · « **Reply #8 on:** November 24, 2004, 12:23:00 PM »

Hey iwoodbutcher:
Looks like there's two of us here that make shavings.
Hey Birddog6:
Please elaborate, this is interesting! 21 inches? That really kills some sacred cows. I like killin sacred cows. How come 21 inches?
Woodbutcher

filmokentucky · « **Reply #9 on:** November 24, 2004, 02:51:12 PM »

Here in Massachusetts we can no longer kill Sacred Cows. The damn liberals declared them an endangered species and closed the season. Too bad, as the state is full of them. Sacred Cows I mean. Actually, damn liberals, too. Oh, well.