3f powder in large calibers

Hey all, got a question that's been bugging me for some time.

I'm all the time seeing people stating that they are using 3f powders in larger calibers .50 and above. I've always read not to shoot 3f in anything but .45 and under? What gives?

Thanks for helping this OCF (old confused fart!) :lol:

I've shot competition in my 50 caliber Lyman Great Plains rifle Flintlock for 10 years always use 3F powder I loaded 100 grains for whitetail deer with a patched round ball. Just about everybody that I shot with that shoots 50 caliber 54 caliber have used 3 f you use 2 F in 62 58 smooth bores or big rifles

Sent from my SM-S820L using Tapatalk

I shoot 3f in my Investarms Sporterized Hawken .54, shoot 90-100 gr. by volume w/patched roundball.. works just fine and shot better then 2f

outdoorsman1 said:

Hey all, got a question that's been bugging me for some time.

I'm all the time seeing people stating that they are using 3f powders in larger calibers .50 and above. I've always read not to shoot 3f in anything but .45 and under? What gives?

Thanks for helping this OCF (old confused fart!) :lol:

Click to expand...

Old wives tales die hard. I use 3F in my .54. It shoots much better in flintlocks.

Ok, good to know!

Thanks

Never heard that about 50 cal.
Always have tried 2 & 3F in all rifle calibers from .32-.577 (never have owned a RIFLE with a larger bore) to see what works best.
In large shotguns and large bore rifles it's seems that 1F is used more. I believe it's the powder column (and larger diameter) of the large calibers that allows the slower burning powder to burn completely and perform well, plus a little less 'push' in recoil.

I shot 777 FFF and Goex FFF for several years, prior to selling my 58-cal T/C roundballer. Accuracy was fine.

If it interests you, try some. All ML guns are different shooters from one another. Even the ones that are made 10 minutes apart. There are no mandated, specific-size specs for ML bores. What shoots good in the one that was made at 12:00, may not shoot well in the one made at 1:00.

You can shoot 3f if you like in any caliber. But something to check first. Some rifles just like 2f powder for accuracy over 3f and vice versa. The rifle tells me what powder to shoot. Personally in inlines I shoot a lot of 3f powder. In more traditional rifles I find 2f does a great job so I use that. Maybe its a kick back from my Pyrodex days.

I can remember when that "caution of 3f" was around. One fellow I met and somewhat knew even told me that 3f would eat the breech out of rifles. I laughed at him and said, you still clean the gun don't you. He was shocked when I told him that I often use 3f in calibers as large as .54 caliber.

Used 75 grn 3fff for 1000 yd. load in my Gibbs. Heard same story any more would cause breach to leak. Wives tale

ok, so this begs to question,,,,,,,,,what about the substitute powders? Does the same hold true for them or should you stick to 2f in large bores?

Just curious. I would assume it would be also true that you can use pyrodex P in large bores. Correct?

Obviously new to the muzzleloader game so don't be too harsh with me. :wink:

If you are shooting traditional muzzle loaders I would stick with black powder. There is saying in black powder world KISS ," Keep It Simple Stupid " This is in no way aimed at you it just a saying that is used at the NMLRA Range FRiendship , Indiana