...PRB Info Needed ..........

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hawgslayer1

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:scratch: 

Can anyone with PRB ballistics charts help me out with a little info  :scratch: I'm looking for some info on powder charges for my .58 cal from say 50 to 90 grains. Interested in knowing what's the lowest charge for hunting as well as the highest and any other info that fits in that question such as ball size, patch, lube, cap and distances.
Will appreciate any info gents.

Thanks,
Ray.............. :thumbs up:
 
Pete,
I have been shooting his load of 90 grains with a .570 ball but there's got to be a load with less powder that could be used for hunting don't you think ? The 90 grains works great but what about 65 grs or 80 grains? Is that enough to bring down deer at 70/80 yards? That's my question.........( That 5 shot group with 90 grains will do the trick but could I get away with less )?

Ray.........
002_zpsa6e3fb73.jpg
 
heck yeah, good shootin! I'd say 70 grains is the minimum that I would go. I intended the 58's to be used for longer 150+ yard shoot and 110gr loads but if you havent the need for it, try 70gr and see how she does out to say 75-100 yards.
 
Oh, you should have said that Ray. Hell, I could use 70gr in my .50 for deer.

Recoil too much with 90gr?
 
I thought you were looking for a more accurate load.

70gr of Olde Enysford should take care of any deer. Even a big muley.

I'm going to use a 370gr maxiball for bear. Just in case I need to take a quick shot, and hit a shoulder. For elk and deer i'll be using a PRB with probably 80-90gr, but I have a .50. If I had a .58 i'd use 70-80gr for everything.
 
The old standard the charge matching the diameter, i.e. 45 grains for a .45, 50 grains for a .50, etc. has always worked for me. The exception has been smaller calibers (.36, .32) where I use less than caliber.
If I remember right, service charge for .58 Civil War muskets was 60 grains - and that was propelling a projectile that weighed a lot more than a round ball of the same caliber. The carnage of places like Shilo, Antietam, and Gettysburg would seem to indicate that the charge got the job done.
I really think that most people use way more powder than is needed. In terms of terminal velocity, there is only one degree of dead.
 
Randy Johnson said:
The old standard the charge matching the diameter, i.e. 45 grains for a .45, 50 grains for a .50, etc. has always worked for me. The exception has been smaller calibers (.36, .32) where I use less than caliber.
If I remember right, service charge for .58 Civil War muskets was 60 grains - and that was propelling a projectile that weighed a lot more than a round ball of the same caliber. The carnage of places like Shilo, Antietam, and Gettysburg would seem to indicate that the charge got the job done.
I really think that most people use way more powder than is needed. In terms of terminal velocity, there is only one degree of dead.
Yes, but that was shooting a mini, and humans are easy to kill compared to animals.
 
Muley said:
Randy Johnson said:
The old standard the charge matching the diameter, i.e. 45 grains for a .45, 50 grains for a .50, etc. has always worked for me. The exception has been smaller calibers (.36, .32) where I use less than caliber.
If I remember right, service charge for .58 Civil War muskets was 60 grains - and that was propelling a projectile that weighed a lot more than a round ball of the same caliber. The carnage of places like Shilo, Antietam, and Gettysburg would seem to indicate that the charge got the job done.
I really think that most people use way more powder than is needed. In terms of terminal velocity, there is only one degree of dead.
Yes, but that was shooting a mini, and humans are easy to kill compared to animals.
That they were shooting Minnies was the point I was trying to make. Heavier projectile + smaller powder charge = lower velocity. A human might be easier to drop than a bear, but with proper shot placement, a whitetail deer will drop just as dead with the service load I mentioned as it will with a round ball propelled by an excessive charge loaded in an attempt to make a muzzleloader into an 06.
If you read Ned Roberts and Walter Cline, I don't think you will find any references to the heavy charges a lot of folks are taking as standard these days. At least not in hunting loads. In accordance to Newton, I just never enjoyed being on the receiving end of the "equal and opposite reaction.
 
Nobody hates recoil more than me Randy. I always seem to use less powder than everybody else.
 
This site has a download-able RB ballistics calculator.  You need to know the velocity, bullet weight and height above sea level.  Get yourself a chronograph to determine velocity.   I have used it and it will get you in the ballpark (on paper) of trajectory and different ranges.  The only way to REALLY know is to shoot your gun from a very stable rest and see where it hits. 

http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/rbballistics/rbballistics.html
 
I did the calculations for a .54 cal. 236gr. ball at 1400fps (default settings) and it shows a optimal (IMNSHO) zero range of 75 yards.  Mid range trajectory at 40-50 yards of +1.7" and a maximum point blank range of 98 yards -3.8".  I am using the arguable vital zone of white tail at 8" diameter area for point blank estimation. It also gives energy calculation which is really dismal compared to a thutty-ot-sux.  So, with all that a fella really needs to get out to the range and see where it hits and shoot a deer to see how it performs.  Looking at these given calculations I do not understand how anyone in their right mind would shoot at a grizz or a cape buffalo or any thick hided angry critter with one of these, but they did and some people were successful and survived the encounter, and some were not and did not.

Ask Hatchet Jack how it went for him.
 
:D 

Thanks Archie otto for the info and taking the time to help me out. Next step is checking the velocity and then I should get the best results.

Hatchet Jack could of made it if he had a .58 cal.......... :scratch: 

Thanks again,
Ray........... :thumbs up:
 
Pete,
I'm pretty sure my max range will be 75/80 yards. I haven't shot that far yet at the range but I'm hoping my eyes will allow me that much.

Ray...........
 

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