- Joined
- Jan 25, 2023
- Messages
- 133
- Reaction score
- 209
I got myself an 1876 Centennial in 45-60 last year (Uberti). I just played with it a little before setting it aside for some muzzleloaders I was adding to the fold.
Time to show it some love again.
This will be the first gun I have loaded BP cartridges for. And I've already tried some out.
First I loaded and shot some smokeless loads.
This was the first eight shots at 50yds off the bench using 305gr coated bullets from Bear Creek. Ignore the 400gr, that was wrong.
Then I tried to load some BP up. Got the drop tube and everything.
60gr of 2F, thin overshot card, 1/8" lubed felt wad, MBC 300gr black powder bullet. Slightly compressed. If I recall, fps was pretty close. Maybe 100fps difference from the 4895.
This was 4 shots
And another 4 shot group with some stringing.
Not near as well as I got with the smokeless. And the stringing has me confused. Same bench, same hold, same rests...
I was thinking of trying some 3F next. And then I'll go to the Bear Creek bullets for the next change, even though they are a bit harder and made for smokeless. Maybe this particular rifle really likes one bullet over the next. Although eventually I'll be casting and already have the mould closest to the original bullet profile. By that time I want to be shooting just BP.
So what kind of accuracy should I expect from BP compared to smokeless out of the same rifle?
I don't want to be chasing my tail here.
Time to show it some love again.
This will be the first gun I have loaded BP cartridges for. And I've already tried some out.
First I loaded and shot some smokeless loads.
This was the first eight shots at 50yds off the bench using 305gr coated bullets from Bear Creek. Ignore the 400gr, that was wrong.
Then I tried to load some BP up. Got the drop tube and everything.
60gr of 2F, thin overshot card, 1/8" lubed felt wad, MBC 300gr black powder bullet. Slightly compressed. If I recall, fps was pretty close. Maybe 100fps difference from the 4895.
This was 4 shots
And another 4 shot group with some stringing.
Not near as well as I got with the smokeless. And the stringing has me confused. Same bench, same hold, same rests...
I was thinking of trying some 3F next. And then I'll go to the Bear Creek bullets for the next change, even though they are a bit harder and made for smokeless. Maybe this particular rifle really likes one bullet over the next. Although eventually I'll be casting and already have the mould closest to the original bullet profile. By that time I want to be shooting just BP.
So what kind of accuracy should I expect from BP compared to smokeless out of the same rifle?
I don't want to be chasing my tail here.