FFFG in a .54 Cal.

[bgokk]

My standard load for my TC Renegade .54 Cal. is 90 grains(volume) of Goex FFG behind a .530" patched RB.

Here is what I am looking for, the possible use of FFFG in the .54 Cal.

I was just given 3# of Gearheart-Owens FFFG. Has anyone used FFFG with the patched RB in .54 Cal.? If you have what amount would give similar ballistics to the load listed above.

Thanks for all replies.

[Fly]

I shoot 70 grains of my home made in my .54 cal GPR.It is a tack driver.I get 1300 fps.

Fly

[Rattus58]

My standard load for my TC Renegade .54 Cal. is 90 grains(volume) of Goex FFG behind a .530" patched RB.

Here is what I am looking for, the possible use of FFFG in the .54 Cal.

I was just given 3# of Gearheart-Owens FFFG. Has anyone used FFFG with the patched RB in .54 Cal.? If you have what amount would give similar ballistics to the load listed above.

Thanks for all replies.

3F is ALL I use in everything. It's probably not the best for some calibers and too much for others... but my 58's all use 3F and one is an great hunting driver with a wad over powder and patched round ball...

[Rick Hodges]

I use 90 gr. of Goex fffg and a patched round ball in my .54 Lyman Plains Rifle. I also use it behind various full caliber boolits in my .54 cal. TC Scout Carbine. It is all I use except for my inline Omega sabot gun.

[carbine]

Many skirmishers use 35-50 grains of 3F in their .58 muskets.
Some are using it in .69 smoothbores

[Maven]

What excess650 said! Also, I just reviewed T/C's loading data for .54cal. RB's and found they didn't recommend FFFg at all, which isn't to say I agree with them. I've used it in my .50cals. - .60cal. and really don't "get" T/C's reasoning. Could it be their attorneys told them it was "dangerous"?

[jcwit]

My understanding is the finer the powder the quicker you run into dangerous pressure.

Time to do reading and research into the black powder manuals.

[Rattus58]

My understanding is the finer the powder the quicker you run into dangerous pressure.

Time to do reading and research into the black powder manuals.

You are right about pressure differences, 3F with its smaller granules has much more surface for ignition than 2F. This is one reason that folks reduce powder volumes when shooting 3F and I don't remember anymore because I use loads pretty much half or at most 3/4's of what is recommended and I use a chronograph. That being my case though, if your gun is recommended to shoot 100 grains of 2F, in my opinion you'd be careless to load more than about 80 or 85 grains of 3F.

[Fly]

You are right about pressure differences, 3F with its smaller granules has much more surface for ignition than 2F. This is one reason that folks reduce powder volumes when shooting 3F and I don't remember anymore because I use loads pretty much half or at most 3/4's of what is recommended and I use a chronograph. That being my case though, if your gun is recommended to shoot 100 grains of 2F, in my opinion you'd be careless to load more than about 80 or 85 grains of 3F.

Well I agree 100% with the above quote.I,m only using 70 grains 3 fffg & getting over 1300 fps from a round ball.Why use 100 grain of 2 ffg & get
the same fps?
Fly jmohop

[bgokk]

Well I agree 100% with the above quote.I,m only using 70 grains 3 fffg & getting over 1300 fps from a round ball.Why use 100 grain of 2 ffg & get
the same fps?
Fly jmohop

That is the amount of 3fg I had in mind when I started this thread. Great minds.

I want to thank every one for their input.

BTW I recently killed my chronograph, shot it 5 times with my AR. Darn high sight line. Did not get a reading and thought (got to quit that) I was too high so held lower for each shot.

[longbow]

Here's another vote for FFFg in everything.

It seems to me that common wisdom is to use FFg in anything over .50 cal. but back when I shot muzzleloaders a lot, all I could normally find was FFFg so used it in .45, .50, .58 and 12 ga. with no problems at all and sorry to say I was not all that careful about heavy loads when I was young and foolish. The .58's were often loaded pretty heavy but no mishaps and I am certainly not recommending overloads.

I did try FFg when some was available but found that it shot dirtier and lower velocity (based on trajectory because I didn't have a chronograph then). I figured it would be a better powder for the 12 ga. but did not find it so.

Also, if you want to compare pressures, take look through the Lyman Blackpowder handbook to see the incredible difference in charges. pressures and velocities between Curtis and Harvey vs. Gearhart - Owen.

Hah! I just got my Lyman manual out and all they list for .54 cal. is FFFg. In fact they list up to 140 grs. of G-O under a 410 gr. Minie for a Navy Arms barrel. Pressure listed is 15,430 CUP.

With a different barrel they show:

- 120 grs. G-O; pressure = 14,720 CUP
- 190 grs. C&H; pressure = 12,480 LUP

They seem to switch from LUP to CUP at about 12,000.

That is a bit of an eye opener.

Anyway, at .58 cal. they switch to FFg.

Since you mention round ball, Lyman shows:

- 34" Navy Arms barrel
- 0.535" round ball; 220 grs.
- charge = 140 grs. G-O FFFg
- Velocity = 1973 FPS
- pressure = 15,000 CUP

Longbow

[DIRT Farmer]

In my 28 Trade gun a touch hole liner will not make it through a season of match shooting (shotgun) with fffg but some years will go two years with ffg. Some shooters used pyro powder (black not labled for sporting and poorly screaned) for shotgun when it was avatible, farily rapid erosion of the hole in the nipple and taking the hammer to half cock.
If shooting match and it works well the toll on the gun may be worth it if it helps win. When I replaced the liner this Spring the touch hole was spewing ffg at times.
I know the recomandations and publicly will stand by them.

[Whiterabbit]

I've used 80-100 grains of 3F in my 58 cal flintlock. 100 grains for same POI at 100 as 80 grains at 50. Roundball shooting. 80, 90, 100 is basically 1500, 1600, 1700 fps. My dream is to put 100 grains behind a ball and shoot a buffalo with it. But for now, I put 80 grains and try not to embarrass myself at the local club shoots.

[mainiac]

I use 90 fff in my 42" 54 flinter,,shoots to the same place as 110 ff.This is a heavy load.
In my 54/28 gauge smoothbore,,i use 70 grs fff (most accurate load),with ball and shot.

[59sharps]

In my musket I us 42 0f 3fffg. if caught short I us 10% more of 2ffg. gives me same point of aim and group size. Still playing w loads for my 72 cal smoothbore but right now 69 of 2ffg seams to work and 55 of 3fffg works.

[Beerd]

In my .50 my group size shrank considerable when I switched from 2f to 3f,
or was it from 3f to 2? I should a wrote that down.
Anyway, try both & see what your rifle likes best.
..

[irishtoo]

i buy and use only 3f goex, in .32 to .62, main and prime. my hunting load is 90grs 3f goex under a .526 ball in a flintlock. taken several deer with said load all pass thrus all dead quick. irishtoo

[fouronesix]

In a 54 cal according to Lyman data for GOEX:
90 gr FF under a 230 gr PRB should yield about 1550 fps at about 7.9k psi
75 gr FFF under a 230 gr PRB should yield about 1550 fps at about 10.5k psi

[Rattus58]

My standard load for my TC Renegade .54 Cal. is 90 grains(volume) of Goex FFG behind a .530" patched RB.

Here is what I am looking for, the possible use of FFFG in the .54 Cal.

I was just given 3# of Gearheart-Owens FFFG. Has anyone used FFFG with the patched RB in .54 Cal.? If you have what amount would give similar ballistics to the load listed above.

Thanks for all replies.

Yes and only thing I use in all my guns... from .40, .41, .451, .50, .540, and all of my 58's and shotguns. It may not be the best for some but I shoot over wads for all shooting and with the 58 is really accurate. I got tired of buying 2F, 3F and 4F all the time and 3 and 4F is all I gots now...

[oldfart1956]

Like many here I use 3fg in everything....from the .36 cal. T/C Patriot to the Brown Bess. I buy it in 25lb. loose cases then can it up in Goex cans donated by friends and family. Twenty cans will hold 25lbs. of powder if you bump them a bit to settle the powder. I shoot mainly smoothbores so no need to load heavy...but turkey loads in the Bess are.....brisk. The 3fg keeps the fouling down, I don't have the time or patience to wipe between shots, and doing that with many of the patent style breeches will cause as many problems as it solves. A word of caution...if you're the type that doesn't focus on the task at hand a double-charge of 2fg would probably be survivable....doing that with 3fg may not be. So be forewarned. Audie....the Oldfart..