[BlackBruin]

I bought a 50 cal lyman flintlock this summer. everything is fine but i seem to drop quite fast at 70-75 yards. Using a hornady pa conical and 70gr fff charge. my groups are very good, but group drops off fast at 70-75yards. I still have a 1 1/2-2" group at that range just a foot below target. I figure more powder will probably help but don't know what more i could put in safely. thank u

 

[Andy1]

I know alot of guys that shoot 80 to 100 gr. FFg in their T/C PA Hunters

 

[SpiritNugent]

I was shooting the same load the other day at 65 yards and it was shooting tight groups. I am bumping up the charge the next day I go out to shoot it as that is the highest I went with this rifle yet due to only shooting it 2-3 times.

Slowly climbing the ladder, and slowly finding what the rifle likes... do not rush things, as you just might be surprised how well and open sighted, rock slinging, fire starting, ancient device will shoot!

I would say 80-85 grains would be about as high as you will see me go. Maybe 90. But I'm not saying 90 until I see what happens with 80-85. You're starting to get into some real hot loads around there. So play it safe once you get that high and increase just a little at a time.

 

[BlackBruin]

thanks i just wasnt sure how high i could go

 

[SpiritNugent]

Some will venture to say you can go higher... I really wouldn't mess with anything higher than that.

But slowly work your way up from 70, even 2-5 grains at a time, shoot a three shot group, climb the ladder, etc. If you feel at any time that something didn't seem right when the thing ignites, stop and call it a day.

Some guns can be really picky. One man's max load is another's "play at the range" load.

I might head out this afternoon to burn some powder myself, and do the exact thing, climb a little.

Good luck and have fun with that rifle!

 

[Buckethead]

My Lyman loved buffalo ball-ettes over 80 gr of ffG. They hit the same at 50 and 75 yds and dropped a bit at 100 yds. I don't think the buffalo bullet co makes the ball-ette any longer, unfortunately.

 

[scott and stalk]

i shoot 90grains of GOEX "FF" in my deerstalker

 

[brewyak]

I wouldn't shoot more that 90 gr out of it. Remember the shorter the barrel the less time the powder has to burn, so up until a point then you are just wasting powder

 

[scott and stalk]

that is true brewyak but as long as you have a tight enough seal caused by the projectile it will all burn though...

 

[scott and stalk]

another thing you can do is shoot your gun over a patch of snow and see if there is any powder granuals on top of the snow

 

[ratgunner]

I'd say if you go over 80-85 grns. in a short barrel like this you'll just be wastin powder and loosin accuracy.Why not sight in for 70 yards instead of 50 ?

 

[scott and stalk]

i never saw any remaining powder on snow or in the barrel...that means there is no powder being wasted

 

[SpiritNugent]

Just picked up another 50 Pa Conicals. Stock piling them slowly