Schutzen vs. Goex velocity and standard deviation results

[jonk]

So after two of my teammates bad mouthed my Schutzen, I got to wondering about how they actually performed side by side. All tests involved 10 shots fired over a chronograph set up 6 feet from the muzzle. All bullets were weighed to within +/-3 grains.

Results:
2FG
Sharps .54
39 gr charge
Rapine 544475 sized to .5405"

Schutzen:
Average velocity: 794.08 fps
Standard Deviation: 21.04 fps.

Goex:
Average velocity 834.35 fps
Standard Deviation 21.72 fps.

3FG
Enfield by Euroarms with Hoyt re-cut barrel
40 gr charge
315 gr Moose Minie sized to .576"
Crisco/Beeswax/Olive oil lube with lithium grease in the base
All rounds loaded to seat to the powder, with a light toss of the rod to ensure uniform compression

Schutzen:
Average Velocity: 857
Standard Deviation: 73.05 fps

Goex:
Average velocity: 1005.41 fps
Standard deviation: 22.79 fps

Just for kicks, I fired some Lee 470 gr trashcans too. Not weighed individually, I had these done up already. All with Schutzen, I didn't have any loaded with Goex.

Average velocity with 45 gr powder: 846.36 FPS
Standard Deviation: 76.04 fps.

Conclusions: As expected, the Schutzen was about 5% slower on average for the same charge weight.

The 2F Schutzen was as consistent as the Goex. Groups reflected this.

The 3F Schutzen however, is utter junk. Consistency was abysmal; group size at 50 yards was noticeably worse with the Schutzen.

Ergo, I will be switching to Goex for musket and smoothbore, but will feel fine about using up my existing Schutzen stock for the Sharps.

Theory: since the sharps sizes down on firing, and a Minie naturally has to bump up, the slower Schutzen just doesn't have the oomph to expand the skirt reliably, but is fine with standard bullets. I bet that it would be fine with smoothbore and revolver as well, given that the revolver is a little over bore size as well and the smoothbore isn't going to bump up much of to speak. I'll test these later this month.

[Maillemaker]

The 3F Schutzen however, is utter junk. Consistency was abysmal; group size at 50 yards was noticeably worse with the Schutzen.

And of course I read this after just having bought 10 pounds of 3F Shuetzen. :(

However, I am glad to read this nonetheless. I took out all my guns last weekend and was astonished how poorly my groups were off the bench.

I've still got 5 pounds of 2F Goex left.

How many grains of 2F should I use for an equivalent 3F charge?

Steve

[jonk]

Steve-

I'd start with about 20% more 2F- so if you normally fire 40 gr of 3F, try about 50 gr of 2F. Somewhere between that and 60 should be happy. Whether that does as well as the 3F, who knows?

Thing is, I completely was sold on the Schutzen 3F after having great results with it in my round ball guns and inlines (anecdotal, I didn't fire side by side with Goex), and never really accepted it was rubbish in the Minie gun until I saw it myself.

I still think it should do well in a smoothbore, and if so, if you or a teammate shoots that, it's worth a try there; but I can't comment on that yet without testing it.

[ian45662]

I have heard some people say it is great for roundball guns. I have never shot it though so I dont know. Great testing really informative. Looking forward to more testing of different things.