More ML Testing...

[Adam Helmer]

Johnny Reb,

Last Saturday it was 59 degrees and sunny and the gun-shy dog was not on establishment. The dog belongs to the contractor building my two-car garage next to the house. The 28' X 32' building will have an upstairs with 8-foot ceiling and the room 16' X 32' will have a window looking West so I can shoot off my shooting bench to the far target butts. Ah, but I digress.

At 35 yards on an IDPA silhouette target, I shot 75 grains RS Pyrodex, a red WW plastic wad, 6, .375 balls and a .375 felt top wad. All 6 balls hit the silhouette with mortal wounds. I then tested 75 RS Pyro, a green R-P 12 gauge 1 1/4 oz wad , 6 balls and a .375 felt top wad. Four balls hit the silhouette. I then tested 75 RS Pyro, .375 felt wad, 6 balls and .375 felt wad. Three balls hit the silhouette target. I have settled on the red WW plastic wad and felt top wad. Those six 81 grain balls equals 486 grains, which is a little over an ounce at 435 grains. Adding a 7th ball would be about one and one-fourth ounces and even more lethal. More tests to follow. I will soon have my Christmas gift RCBS chronograph set up so I will be able to calculate muzzle velocity and muzzle energy.

So many projects and SOOO little time.

Adam

[Johnny Reb]

Adam

Those are the kind of projects I enjoy most. Working up loads in a muzzleloading shot guns and rifles can be tedious, but someone has to do it.
How's the recoil using them loads? I have been looking at a used 62 cal smoothbore green mountain barrel for my t/c renegade, their asking $250.00 for it. Seems kind of high, I think I paid that for my renegade.