Load Suggestions on fast twist barrels

[Jim Wimbish, 10395]

I am currently working up loads for some Hoyt 7 land and groove barrels with 1 in 48 and 1 in 56 twist rifling. I would like to check what I have found so far with other shooters who have experience with this rifling. I have three bullets that I can use: Hodgdon, Rapine International, and Rapine 510 grain New Style mini. In my experience different weight bullets, like different charges. For example, the 410 grain Hodgdon needs a higher powder charge than the 510 grain New Style and the Rapine International at 460 grains falls in between. I don't have any guns that will shoot these three bullets equally well with a single powder charge and I don't currently use any musket loads over 43.5 grains of Goex 3f and that is only in my slowest twist barrel, a 1/72. Anything more and the bullets just start drifting too far right. I have experimented with loads above this without any success since the gun would need to be completely resighted for windage and elevation.

So far with the Hodgdon it looks like the 1/48 likes 42 grains of Goex 3f and it looks like the 1/56 will group well with between 42 and 42.5 gr of 3f. Can anyone confirm this information?

The Rapine International doesn't look like a good fit with loads in the range of 41.5 grains of 3f so I will probably not use it with this rifling. It does shoot well in a Whitacre barrel, 1/72, with 43 gr of 3f.

Finally, I shot the New Style with the 1/48 and the loads over 40 gr of 3f look too heavy as they were experiencing a lot of rotational drift to the right. I'm going to try something lighter. Suggestions?? I have not had a chance to experiment with the 1/56 barrel with this bullet yet. Suggestions???

Would appreciate it if you didn't give a wide range of charges. Looking for a specific charge to the nearest half grain for a specific bullet. I pan weigh all of my charges on a digital scale and I do not put lube in the base. All bullets are sized about .001 under bore and slip fit in barrel. My lube is a mixture of Crisco, cooking oil and beeswax with about 50% beeswax.

I know that it is possible to get loads from other shooters that work. Larry Romano has given me loads for the Spencer, 36 Maynard, and 50 Maynard that all worked beautifully in my guns with no adjustments. Of course, these aren't muskets, either!



Thanks,

[jonk]

I have a Hoyt 1:56 .58. Does best with 43 gr of 3F goex and no lube in the base. Seems to do fine with most bullets this way, but has a preference for medium weight stuff- the Hodgdon, Lee trashcan, etc. Throws some flyers with the 315.

Then again, most .58s seem to do well with a 3f charge in the 40-45 gr range, regardless of twist rate.

[Rebel Dave]

My Richmond carbine with a Harmon/Large multi groove bbl likes 45 grns 3F, with the Lyman wadcutter(575494). I believe it is 1:48 twist. I tried the Hodgdon in it, but I prefer the wadcutter. It shoots better than I can, to put it simply.

I am experimenting with the Moose Wilkinson in it also. Nothing to report yet.

Rebel Dave

[Maillemaker]

My Pedersoli P58 with 1:48 twist gave me 5-shots touching off a bench using the RCBS-500M with 60 grains 2F Goex.

Space Cowboy says the 575213PH bullet works well with less powder but it drops at .575 and I need .578. I think Moose has something similar but I have not saved up the pennies to buy it yet.

Steve

[ms3635v]

Years ago I was given a Will Ellis built Zouave that was fitted with a multi groove Numrich barrel (patent breech). I shot it for a year or two and it shot well with a 315 gr. Rapine semi-wadcutter and 40 grains of 3f and a Lyman Old Style minie with 43 grains of 3f. However I don't remember the twist rate.

[Jim Wimbish, 10395]

Got everything worked out. Not exactly what I expected based on past experience with 3 land and groove 1/60 rifling.

[Maillemaker]

So don't leave us hanging - what did you figure out? :)

Steve

[Jim Wimbish, 10395]

When I shot 3 land and groove 1/48 rifling, I used 41.2 grains of 3f with the Hodgdon. I had to increase this by about half a grain to get it to shoot in the 7 land and groove. For the new style bullet, I had to decrease the load by over half a grain compared to the 3 land a groove rifling which used a load of 40.2 grains with the heavier bullet. One conclusion is that it took more powder to expand the Hodgdon into the 7 land and groove rifling when compared to the 3 land and groove. As for the larger bullet, my guess is that the increased spin must improve the downrange ballistics, thereby requiring less powder. The Hodgdon, having the ballistic coefficient of a brick, didn't appear to benefit from the additional spin and needed more powder to perform.

These are preliminary findings so treat them accordingly.