Round ball trajectory chart?

[hc18flyer]

Is there a trajectory chart for round balls? I promised to have my brother's 50 call TC New England error ready for him when he returns from his overseas deployment. Thanks in advance for your replies, Flyer

[jjarrell]

http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/rbballistics/web_apps/rb_ballistics.html (http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/rbballistics/web_apps/rb_ballistics.html)

[fishleclair]

nifty site!

[Omnivore]

Of course, ultimately, you'll want to take the thing out and shoot on paper at various distances. The best you could do for your friend is find a good accurate load, and get the rifle sights dialed in for 100 yards, or whatever zero distance is appropriate for the intended purpose. The rest is simple; look at actual results.

Note that the calculator isn't giving us the magic number; the ballistic coefficient of the ball in question.

Note also that you must have a chronograph to determine your muzzle velocity, and that the actual trajectory is dependent on altitude and temperature (air density). That's why I suggest that it may be easier to determine your rifle's trajectory by actual shooting, than by running the numbers. If you're set up with an accurate weather station and a chrono, and your chosen load shoots consistently (with a low extreme velocity spread or standard deviation), then you should be able to get a very close estimate. In actual shooting you'll be able to be sure of your and your rifle's capabilities.

[Soundguy]

Thanks for posting!

[hc18flyer]

Thank You! I am installing a set of Williams 'Fire Sights' on my brothers muzzleloader, and promised to have them on, sighted in and ready for our blackpowder season, when he gets home from the desert. I have a chrono. I have been hunting with smokepoles for 25 plus years, my eyes are old, have a GREAT location for a stand, like to eat does, and rarely need to take a shot over 20 yards. He is 10 years younger, and will take longer shots at nice antlers! Flyer

[rfd]

neat little trajectory app, i like it ... but do we persist in saying "round ball"?

[Soundguy]

Perhaps to distinguish from a minnie ball?

[rfd]

a minie is a bullet, not a ball. neither is military "ball" ammo. i can see where these identifier terms are military carry overs from the historic muzzleloaders.

[rodwha]

The BC of a pure lead 0.490" ball is 0.069.

[Soundguy]

a minie is a bullet, not a ball. neither is military "ball" ammo. i can see where these identifier terms are military carry overs from the historic muzzleloaders.

But...its...called...a...minnie ball.

Thus...saying...round...ball...distinguishes...it.

But thanks for the condescending post implying I'm ignorant. :(

[rfd]

But...its...called...a...minnie ball.

Thus...saying...round...ball...distinguishes...it.

But thanks for the condescending post implying I'm ignorant. :(

not at all condescending, sir - sorry if my typing came off that way, i apologize.

but i meant the words i said - a ball is a sphere, not a round sphere, or round ball. there's really no need to further identify, it'd be like saying "cold ice". nor is a bullet a round object, like a ball. so there's really no need to add "round" to "ball". a minie is a bullet, not a ball, but it's always been called "minie ball". a "round" can be a cartridge, too - probably that carry over from times when the only projectile in use was a "round ball" and so a loaded gun carried a "round" in it. just interesting the etymology language. i try to say "patched ball" and not "round ball", but there are times i forget, too. :)

[bradley.moss72]

If you look up "ball" (noun) in the dictionary you see there are several definitions for "ball". One of those definitions states that it is a projectile fired from a gun, usually round.

Most every type of bullet I know of is round in at least one dimension as it is made to pass through a round barrel. (I have seen a projectile that had "corners" that engaged corresponding grooves that were an early form of rifling)

In another definition, it talks about being used in a game, usually round or ovoid shaped.

Using your strict definition of "ball" as a sphere, would mean that "football" is an incorrect term also.

So if you use the term "ball" correctly as a projectile, there is a need for a descriptor. What kind of projectile? A round projectile, or round ball.

The term "round", as you used it, usually refers to a complete cartridge ready to fire. I'm not looking that one up I'll leave that for someone else.

So, ball is not necessarily a sphere in all cases. So if you want to be completely correct and specific, start calling them solid lead spheres and we'll see if it catches on!

BW

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Soundguy]

Agreed bradley.moss72 The extra context helps the description.

[LuckyDog]

Got to luv the English language.

Meanings change with time.

English is da bomb! 😱

Sent from my VS876 using Tapatalk

[GoexBlackhorn]

I use a .490 ball with 70 grains. I limit myself to roughly 75 yard shots. Humane harvest and accuracy play into my limit.
We all have different limits and that's mine.

[gnoahhh]

I wouldn't worry too much about getting your brother's rifle sighted in for him, unless you just want to shoot it a bit. Chances are excellent yours and his shooting won't yield the same point of impact, so you may as well wait and let him sight it in. As far as round ball drop figures, don't sweat that too much either. Sight in at 50 yards and test at 100 to see how much it drops. You're not going to shoot deer much past 100 yards anyway, if you're a conscientious hunter.

A lead ball has poor ballistic performance. Don't bother slamming it with heavy powder charges to increase performance. The faster you start a sphere flying, the faster it slows down. Air resistance is a bugger. (Shown by the old balloon trick- throw a balloon as hard as you can. Note how far it travels and how long it took to get there. Now toss it with a slow steady arm motion. Note how far it traveled and how long it took to get there. Not much difference between the two.)

When you want more power down range, switch to a bigger ball. I killed as many deer in my life with a .50 ball as I did with all my other guns combined. Load used? 50 grains FFFg. 'Nuff said.

[jjarrell]

Thank You! I am installing a set of Williams 'Fire Sights' on my brothers muzzleloader,

I went to a FireSight sight blade from a german silver blade on my Hawken with the Lyman peep. I know its not traditional but its a HUGE help on those dreary, rainy, snowy, foggy, etc, mornings and evenings. I think if the original mountain men had them at their disposal they would have used them also.

[hc18flyer]

Thanks for the replies! I take short shots, never used more than 70 grains under a patched round ball. I also planned to run mine over my new chrono, just to see where it is at? Maybe 70 grains is overkill for my self imposed limits? I have shot and do like the 'balletts' that TC offered at one time. I do have the 250 grain REAL mold, and a bunch cast of soft lead, work fine, just not necessary for my type of hunting. The ballastics chart was more for my brother, I planned on sighting it in a little high at 50 yards. My Lyman GP rifle has 'target sights' from a long time ago, just don't work as well as the 'Fire Sights' with 'old eyes', bifocals, and low light conditions. Flyer

[rodwha]

Having run a .490" ball using 70 grns of 3F Olde Eynsford or Triple 7 through a calculator I have seen that it will easily do 125 yds as far as the trajectory goes. My trepidation is the wind drift though, as I'm not sure about wind speed estimation like I am with range. Regardless I will be zeroing my rifle at 100 yds as it's a little more simple than merely shooting a little high at 50 to be about right at 75 yds.

[Omnivore]

Whatever load shoots accurately at your maximum range, from a cold clean bore for each shot. That's the right hunting load. Zero it at your maximum intended range, then shoot at between 50 and 70 percent of that distance, to find out in reality now high it is at its midrange height. It's pretty simple. Much more simple when it's all inside 100 yards, because your arch isn't going to be more than a couple or three inches above line of sight with a zero of 100 yards or less.

Although I have a chronograph, and have had for many years, I don't believe I've ever chronographed the hunting load I've been using for some ten years. What difference would it make, practically speaking, being as I found out how how it shoots by actually shooting? I suppose that if I put a group on paper at its midrange height, at around 60 yards or so, and posted the numbers, someone would look at the charts and tell me my real-world results are wrong because the computer said so.

I can see that it's interesting to know your muzzle velocity, but the point is that in the real, three dimensional world it's your field experience that actually counts. And anyway, you pick a load first, based on accuracy, and then you might want to clock it. By then however, you'll have pretty well figured out all the practically useful information before you set up the chrono.

[OnHoPr]

Elevation isn't to bad with the PRB, but pushing a 50 cal ball 1900 fps in the roughly average 13 mph breezes in a MI November day windage sure comes into play, 10" @ 75 yds and 18" @ 100 yds if the calculator is correct. I could actually do some trick shootin with those external ballistics. I could have a deer standing broadside 100 yds away with a 10" tree 60 or 70 yds from me and see her head on one side of the tree and her guts and hind quarter on the other side of the tree and aim for her guts in front of her hind leg and hit her in the front shoulder V center mass double lung shot all with out even seeing the front shoulder.

[hpdrifter]

at least we don't have "clips" to deal with.:evil:

nice link to ballistics.