Proofing

[docone31]

Hokay, I am bored. Shop day is done, awaiting another one tomorrow. Gads, if I never see another piece of broken jewelery from a drunk I will no lose sleep.
The mind is going to other planets, I am even doing the dishes. Mama right now is recovering from a severely swollen trigger finger!!!!
In reality, it is from a fire ant, however, for the longest time she thought it was from a stuffed charge from her Kentucky Rifle.
She double charged the rifle. I laughed when it was done as she had not been hurt, however, I am wondering how proofing is done.
I would like to be able to show her from our posts so she is not afraid of that.
I remember, the bullcrap my father told me about Smoke Poles, and watching the cartoons early saturday morning.
While she was loading, I did take my eyes off her for a moment as I had a stuck ball with no powder, like duh!!!!! I did it again!!!!
Her normal charge for her .45 CVA Kentucky Rifle is 60 or 70gns of RS Pyrodex. Ne felt recoil at all as far as I am concerned. I figuire at most, she stuffed 140gns of RS, worst case. She got a kick. Somewhere I read, 45-140, so I figuire, it is a lesson learned.
Any insight on Proofing?
I went with my .50 Hawken Wannabe 120gns just to see what it produces.
Slight kick, little advantage downrange. Suprisingly, more power with less powder than that.
I did get her a CVA .54 Hawken Wannabe. A little heavier, larger bore, should take the kick out. One day, I want a Great Plains in either .50, or .54. Gotta save the bucks for that one. I got her Hawken for 100$. It is about 20yrs old. A double wedge model. Gotta get a .530 ball mold for it also. I am looking for a Lee.
She likes the smell of Muzzleloading!

[Underclocked]

http://www.hpwhite.com/uploads/file/101-00.pdf

[FL-Flinter]

First things first - the ram rod should be clearly marked to indicate proper seating of the ball on a properly measured powder charge. If the mark on the RR doesn't line up correctly with the muzzle, then you immediately know something is wrong and the load should be blown out with one of those CO2 deals or pulled in a safe manner.

As for proof testing, it all depends on the builder, some use double charge & double ball, other use a 20-50% overcharge to avoid exposing the gun to undue stress that may contribute to a catastrophic failure at some later time. I've seen several barrels that have failed for various reasons, the three leading causes of failures are: 1- Improper loading; 2- Improper maintenance; 3- Corrosion, which sort of fits under #2.

[mooman76]

There is little to no advantage to those real heavy loads in a ML. The powder gets real inefficiant real quick at a certain point. I've heard of some using double or even triple powder loads for proof loads. Of coase it is in the old tire and string things. I beilieve most MLs could handle it with the lower pressures of BP but I see no point in trying to prove it myself.

[piwo]

When shooting at the range, I use a solid brass "range rod".. and it doesn't take too many rounds to where the spot you load to on the rod becomes obvious because of coloration. If that's not trusted, a simple scratch around the rod at that spot settles the question..

As for proofing a new barrel, I've always used the double ball double charge method cause that's what Dixie Gun Works told me to do when I hadn't any clue about BP weapons........ I suppose when I accidentally loaded 270 grains of FFFg below a .575 roundball and fired it at the range I pretty much proofed that barrel (breech plug, touch hole, etc),:oops: but I wouldn't recommend it. Turned more heads then a supermodel in prison though, I assure you! ;-)