Blackpowder Ballistics.
.54 caliber 450+ - gr. bullet, 60 gr. of 2F, 26 inch tube. MV? Can't find squat on the web with that bullet weight.
0
-
Although your query is not specific enough, I'll answer as completley as I can. But first. . .
Fineness of black powder makes very little difference in velocity or pressure -- 2-3% velocity and 5-7% pressure.
When looking for "squat on the web," look for the bullet weight. Within broad limits, the bore size means nothing -- that is, at the muzzle a 450-grain bullet is a 450-grain bullet, regardless of its shape.
Barrel length may make a difference of up to 10% velocity. For black powder riflery, this is not significant.
Any factor that alters breech pressure -- fit of bullet in bore, condition of ID barrel, barrel clean or fouled, and so on -- will make a difference.
Your ratio of bullet to powder charge is 7.5:1. The velocity for that ratio, of a muzzleloading round ball, is 1250-1280 ft/sec. in 30-inch barrel.
By my records:
US [rifled] Muskets Model 1841 "Mississippi Rifle," 33-inch bbl, .54-caliber, 435-gr Mini?, 70-gr musket powder yields 1432 ft/sec.
Therefore your load of 60 grains of FFg, 450-gr bullet in 26-inch barrel will yield just under 1200 ft/sec, according to formula. During the Civil War when black powder was less efficient, a load like this would probably yield less than 1000 ft/sec.
To put this in perspective for hunting, if this load penetrates sufficiently to kill your quarry, loading 160 grains of powder will improve your kill range not more than 30 yards. Your maximum range with no holdover is 85-110 yards.
And that's the best I can do on short notice.0 -
http://www.collect.com/product.asp?t=krause&catalog_name=Krause&category_name=&product_id=BPL3
Fadala's Black Powder Loading Manual ought to help you out. He has chrono'ed a lot of bullets from a lot of front stuffers and the results are in the book.0 -
Thank you, gentlemen. Appreciate the pointers. 0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
3 comments