Post by ivan on Aug 22, 2022 15:51:31 GMT -5
Just some random ruminations on the differences in approaches between muzzle loading and reloading CF stuff.
Kinda fell into a C&B revolver last year at a "stupid to pass it up" price, and then a .54 percussion rifle a few weeks ago.
Very interesting difference in perspective and approach between loading either of them vs. reloading for my bolt guns.
Bolt guns - measuring powder down to the .1 grain and it actually does mean grain of weight 1/700th of a pound, measuring COAL within .001, etc. And I'm not even a BR shooter so no neck turning, neck tension checks, weighing cases, etc.
Muzzle loaders, referring to powder volume as grains as a shortcut to "same amount of powder in volume that X grains of Swiss FFg powder takes up".
And then getting sloppy. Need a 50gr charge of black powder? A 308 Win/762x51 case holds 53.something to 55.something grains of water, BP is not quite as dense so yeah, it may be 51 or 52 grains equivalent but close enough! Need 30gr charge for the pistol? A empty 223 case holds 31gr of water, close enough to 30 for BP! Loading the revolver? No such thing as a max load - you'll run out of room in the chamber for powder and ball before you get too much powder in there.
At the same time, if you are one of those that chases every hair off the group size, and play with seating depth, etc and so on the "good" thing about muzzle loaders is that you load each shot on the fly, and can change the equivalents no problem. More/less powder, thicker/thinner patch, more/less lube, maybe try adding an over powder wad, maybe not. Maybe a ball that is .005 bigger or smaller, etc.