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In the muzzleloading world , marked caliber isn't always want you want to shoot.
For example :
A Colt '51 Navy is marked as a .36 caliber...but it takes a .375 round ball.

Below are some common calibers and round ball that I have found that works "best" in said caliber.
By "Best" , I mean what works in my guns or guns that I have shot...what works in your gun may differ...
Caliber ----- round ball​
.31---------- .315 , .320 ( revolver )​
.32---------- .310 , .315 ( rifle )​
.36 --------- .375 , .380 ( revolver )​
.36 --------- .350 ( rifle )​
.40 --------- .390 , .395​
.44--------- .433 ( rifle )​
.44--------- .451 , .454 , .457 ( revolver )​
.45--------- .440 , .445 ( rifle )​
.45-------- .454 , ,457 ( Ruger Old Army Revolver )​
.50 -------- .490 , .495​
.54 -------- .526 , .530 , .535 ( .535 is a tight fit with most rifles )​
.58 -------- .570 , .575​
.62--------- .600 , 610 , .620 ( .620 is a tight fit with most rifles )​
.69 -------- .680​
.72_____ .710 , .715​
.75 -------- .730 , .735​
Please note that what patch thickness you use will also play a part in what ball size to use.
For example :
I use a .15 patch with a .530 round ball in my .54 caliber Hawken
A .15 patch and a .535 round ball is way too tight , even with a short starter to get down the bore without a lot of force.
Also barrels will differ in their likes regarding the patch and ball combo even though they may be the same caliber or come from the same company.
Andy
 
Last Edited:
Neat post Andy. I found that as you say the barrel will determine the combo that works best.

For instance a TC Hawkin barrel with its shallow rifling will take a thinner patch then something like my Green Mountain target barrel with almost .010" deep rifling. I use a .490" .020" patch combo and get excellent results out to 150 yards with 70 grains of 3F Gorex. The TC barrel liked a .490" 012" or 015" combo with the same powder load.
 
Also its good to remember that many if not most original muzzleloaders were marked by the number of balls to the pound, not caliber.
So .... In the case of my .54 Hawken...I use a .530 round ball which is 32 balls to the pound....which is how the barrel or mould would have been marked back in the day...
Also as in gauge...
12 gauge equals 12 balls to the pound or .748 in diameter
16 gauge equals 16 balls to the pound and .682 in diameter
20 gauge is 20 balls to the pound or .628 in diameter

Sometimes some folks will confuse balls to the pound with caliber....as it might have been the case in the movie : "Jeremiah Johnson" where in the opening monologue he buys a ".30" caliber Hawken Rifle.
While the Hawken boys did make small caliber rifles for the local trade...a .30 caliber muzzleloader is not the stereotypical Hawken Mountain rifle , but....
30 balls to the pound is .533 in diameter...and that is a historic plains or mountain rifle caliber...we would use this ball in a .54 caliber rifle.
Andy
 
Great info Andy! Thanks for sharing this!

This should probably be a sticky in the black powder forum!

How about a similar post regarding powder loads for certain calibers and various powders you have found to be effective??
 
As for load advice....
A good rule of thumb is the same amount of powder as caliber.
( using 2F powder )
For example :
A good starting load for .45 caliber rifle is a 45 grain charge
That said I use 2F for just about all my shooting...and 45 grains of 2F is a "lighter" charge than using 45 grains of 3F ... as in there will be more 3F powder in a 45 grain charge than in a 2F charge of the "same" grain charge...if that makes sense...

Also each as rifle will like a different charge...its difficult to list all the loads that could work for a given rifle or caliber.
My .54 Hawken tends to due its best shooting with a 80 grain charge of 2F...but it has a barrel with a slow twist of 1-72 and very deep rifling...
Rifling twist and depth can play a big role in the powder charge along with the powder used...
Andy
 
Bore diameter is always variable from one manufacturer to another. I always slug my old European barrels to see what I am dealing with, muzzle loaders vary even more. High end guns were usually sold with bullet molds from the manufacturer designed for the barrel but even my later smokeless barrels can vary a lot. Slugging a barrel is simple and doesn't require specialized equipment. With a bore slug and a chamber cast, you learn everything nessisary to make even the most obscure cartridges.
 
Back in my competition muzzle loading days I could never wrap my head around the guys that would change their powder charge based on the distance to the target. Both my wife and I would shoot the same load from 10 yards (something like splitting a playing card or string shot) to a long gong (old oxy cylinder at 150-200 yards) we both just used Kentucky windage and elevation to put the ball on target. Unless we were having a bad day we always finished well among the group.

I even hunted with the same load I used for target shooting. As I knew where that ball was going.
 
Same for me Mark....
I like to use 80 grains of 2F a .15 patch and a .530 round ball for all my shooting when using my Hawken.
This load has kept me fed and won matches...at ranges of 10-200 yards....
Andy
 
Same for me Mark....
I like to use 80 grains of 2F a .15 patch and a .530 round ball for all my shooting when using my Hawken.
This load has kept me fed and won matches...at ranges of 10-200 yards....
Andy
I think I am loading 120 grains of 2f under a 285 grain lead hollow point in my .54 TC, is that too much?
 
It seems a bit much to me....but I tend to like "historical" as in 19th century style , loadings...they didn't load a whole lot as a general rule...
That said your rifle may shoot just fine with that load.
But I'm thinking that you will have quite a bit of unburnt powder just going out the barrel...
I might try 80-100 grains if you want a "heavy load" for that bullet.
Andy
 
It seems a bit much to me....but I tend to like "historical" as in 19th century style , loadings...they didn't load a whole lot as a general rule...
That said your rifle may shoot just fine with that load.
But I 'm thinking that you will have quite a bit of unburnt powder just going out the barrel...
I might try 90-100 grains if you want a "heavy load" for that bullet.
Andy
I will take your advise to heart. 120 grains is listed by both T/C and the bullet maker as a max load. It does kick like hell but is accurate and the books show something over 2,000 ft lbs of energy and 2400 FPS from the load....(numbers from my head) the bullet I load (other than an ocassional round ball) is a bit undersized with a plastic skirt for sealing the base of the bullet to the barrel.
 
For instance a TC Hawkin barrel with its shallow rifling will take a thinner patch then something like my Green Mountain target barrel with almost .010" deep rifling. I use a .490" .020" patch combo and get excellent results out to 150 yards with 70 grains of 3F Gorex. The TC barrel liked a .490" 012" or 015" combo with the same powder load.

My Rice barrel has deep rounds (0.14). I have to use .015 patches with a .440 ball.
If I jump to a .020 patch, not only are they really snug, the patches tear, and the accuracy is about the same.
With round cut rifling, patches are not sposed to tear.:mad:
 
The neat thing about a Muzzle loader is for a couple of bucks of various size round balls and patch material you can change every load until you find what your rifle likes. As I said above (but should have mentioned my rifle is a .50 cal.) I found a load that worked well for me. It has all the energy needed at 100-125 yards to take a Blacktail with a decent shot, It can be shot as many as 20-25 times without needing cleaning (important when shooting on a trail walk) Its not hard to load. And its not that expensive. There's what 7,000 grains of Powder in a lb. So I get 100 shots or so per can. Not to bad.
 
I only have one black powder weapon right now, a Pietta replica I bought a few weeks ago from a Cabela's in Oregon. It's the 1851 Navy Colt in .36 caliber. Puts the ball where your point it, and better balanced than a Remington. (Yes, I know there are rabid fans of BOTH.) The .36 cal is more powerful than you think. Using an 18 grain load with .375 roundball, it will punch a hole clear through one of those green propane canisters and not leave any fragments inside the canister. Exit hole is the size of a nickel.

Don't get me wrong. I don't generally shoot at empty propane canisters as targets. But the first time I took it out, (camping trip in April to the Olympics) I had to find out what penetration it had. I also did another test where I buried a two by six upright. The ball went clear through easily. So I put a two by four BEHIND the two by six and took ANOTHER shot. It almost went through the two by four as well. Not quite, but close. Guess it passes the pine board test.

Good enough for me. It's got pen, as they say.
 

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