Light, cheap loads for smoleless muzzleloaders

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Danny Ross

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Note: these loads are for muzzleloaders specially rated for use with smokeless powder. They should not be used in rifles the manufacturers of which tell users to use only black powder or black powder substitutes.

The data produced is specific to the individual rifles in which they were tested. Bore size, barrel length and other variables will give somewhat different results, but results in all rifles should be in the same ball park.

7 gr Unique 360.5 gr 45 cal swaged - 14.4 gr TC #170088252 Sabot - 759 fps - 469 fp

7.1 gr Unique - 372.7 gr .451 - 14.4 gr TC #170088252 Sabot – 664fps - 365fp

8 gr Unique – 270.6 gr swaged bullet, .483 od - crossed .010 cloth - 838 fps, 422 fp

9 gr Unique – 265.1 gr swaged bullet, .483 od - crossed .010 cloth - 972 fps, 556 fp

9.9 gr Unique – 310 gr REAL cast. 490 od – crossed .010 cloth – 937 fps, 604 fp

10 gr Unique - 259 gr swaged bullet, .483 od - crossed .010 cloth – 1127 fps, 731 fp

11 gr Unique - 488 gr swaged bullet, .483 od - crossed .010 cloth - 683 fps, 506 fp

11 gr Unique - 482 gr swaged bullet, .483 od - crossed .010 cloth - 834 fps, 745 fp

12 grains of Unique - 243.7 gr fp .44 cal pistol bullet - 12.6 gr Hornady #6750 Sabot - 1299fps, 913 fp

12 gr Unique - 270 gr .44 cal Speer 'Deepcurl' bullet - 12.6 gr Hornady #6750 Sabot - 1476fps, 1306 fp

12 gr Unique - 270 gr .44 cal Speer 'Deepcurl' bullet - 12.6 gr Hornady #6750 Sabot - 1441fps, 1245 fp

12 gr Unique – 300 gr .45 cal Speer “Plinker” bullet – TC #17008252 Sabot – 1387fps, 1282 fp

12 gr Unique – 300 gr .45 cal Speer “Plinker” bullet – TC #17008252 Sabot - 1459fps,1418 fp

13.5 gr Unique – 300 gr .45 cal Speer“Plinker” bullet – 14.4 gr TC #17008252 Sabot – 1459fps,1418 fp

15 gr Unique – 300 gr .45 cal Speer“Plinker” bullet – 14.4 gr TC #17008252 Sabot – 1549fps,1599fp

15.1 gr Unique – 308.1 gr REAL cast. 490 od – crossed .010 cloth –1530 fps, 1602 fp

16 gr Unique – 300 gr .45 cal Speer“Plinker” bullet – 14.4 gr TC #17008252 Sabot – 1585fps,1674fp

16 gr Unique 537 gr 45 cal poured - 14.4 gr TC #170088252 Sabot - 975 fps - 1134 fp

16 gr Unique 468 gr 45 cal swaged - 14.4 gr TC #170088252 Sabot - 1210 fps - 1522 fp

1 ea. 50 gr Pyrodex pellet – 240 gr fp .44 cal pistol bullet - T/c #8246 w/Sabot – 1456 fps., 1130fp

18 gr Unique - 300 .45 Speer Colt JSP bullet – 14.4 gr TC #170088252 Sabot – 1589fps. - 1682Fp

18.1 gr Unique – 537 gr .452 Swaged - 14.4 gr TC #170088252 Sabot – 1201 fps – 1720 fp

17 gr Unique – 300 gr .45cal Speer “Plinker”bullet – 14.4 gr TC #170088252 Sabot – 1626fps. 1761Fp

17 gr Unique – 394.3 .45 cal poured - 14.4 gr TC #170088252 Sabot – 1139 fps – 1136 fp

20 gr Unique – 533 gr .45 swaged – 14.4 gr TC #170088252 Sabot – 1361 fps – 2193 fp

20 gr Unique – 457 gr .45 cal poured - 14.4 gr TC #170088252 Sabot – 1480 fps – 2227 fp

20 gr Unique – 376.6 gr .45 swaged – 14.4 gr TC #170088252 Sabot – 1636 fps – 2239 fp

20 gr Unique – 375.9 gr .45 swaged – 14.4 gr TC #170088252 Sabot –

24 gr Unique – 433.1 gr .45 cal poured - 14.4 gr TC #170088252 Sabot – 1692 fps – 2754 fpSabot – 1678fps. - 1876 fp

2 ea 50 gr Pyrodex pellets – 240 gr fp - T/C #8246 w/Sabot – 1942 fps., 2010 fp

85 gr 777 - 508gr .45 poured –– 14.4 gr TC #170088252 Sabot – 1460 fps - 2421 fp

You likely will notice most of my testing was done with Alliant Unique propellant. I like it for several reasons, one of which is that I have never experienced a misfire no matter what cap I was using. Also, because one gets a lot of bang out of a little powder, it is very inexpensive to use.
 
Lyman castbullet handbook 4th Ed. lists the Lyman 501680 (375gr) plain base,
Max Load: 17.5gr Unique, 1361fps, 37.8Kpsi

Sounds like some of your loads are getting very hot and cross reference for load data using a 50cal bore is very limited. Lyman listed 14 loads using Unique for 500S&W according to what i can dig up. The fastest powder Savage ever listed for the MLII was Alliant 2400 IIRC.

All the powders AA lists for 50 Beowulf are slower than Unique. That should tell you something right there. It has a much lower max pressure rating than 500S&W. http://alexanderarms.com/images/pdfs/beowulf_reloading.pdf

I dont see anything for 50 Action Express either using Unique. Only a couple for 500 Linebaugh which i think operates around 30kpsi. So have you run your loads through a program like Quick Load?
 
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Loads in excess of 16 grains of Unique are really more than I like to shoot, as the recoil and noise become unpleasant. On the other hand, I find a 3 50 grain Pyrodex pellet load behind a 300 grain projectile is even louder and the recoil worse, and the smoke noxious. Unique burns clean and is almost smokeless. And it is not corrosive.
 
3 pellets also has WAY more ejecta weight than Unique.

So do you have access to Quick Load because shotshell data for comparison is nearly worthless. You cant compare pressure of a load in a 73cal bore to a 50cal bore. That would be like expecting similar pressures using a 500S&W vs a 460S&W with the same powder and bullet weight....You just can not do it and expect to get similar pressures.

The smaller bore can make a great deal more peak pressure even with the same amount of powder and bullet weight.

BH209 for example is making roughly 10Kpsi more peak in a 40-65WCF with a 410gr bullet vs a 45/70 with a 405gr bullet. Both around 30-31gr of powder.
It makes almost 6Kpsi more pressure with the same 405gr bullet and 38gr of BH209. Thats with both calibers close to a 100% load density. The 40-65WCF is just under 100% and still makes more peak.
http://www.blackhorn209.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/b209blackpowdercartridgedata.pdf
 
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No, I do not have access to Quick Load. I do things the old fashioned way. I put a load in a gun, put the gun in a carriage, and set it off remotely. If it does not blow up, I check it for damage and go from there. If a 24 grain Unique load does no damage, an 18 grain load is probably pretty safe. So far, my system has worked for me.
 

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