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INDEX

Ammunition

by Bill Roberts

Bullets
Casting Bullets
Wads
Percussion Caps
Nipples
Powder

Powder

The near-standard load for original British target rifles was 86 grains of Curtis and Harvey No.6 powder. This clean burning powder is not available today. Goex and Elephant brand powders currently are the most readily available to the shooter. Good accuracy has been attained using either brand. German powder is available in some areas and is identified as WANO powder. When shooting a match, the same production lot of powder should be used.

Granulation sizes 1F, 2F, or 3F may be used. The 1F is normally too slow burning for most rifles. Care must be exercised when using 3F powder not to exceed a safe load. Powder charges using 2F vary from 70 grains to 100 grains using a 508-grain to 530-grain bullet.

Only experimentation on target will tell you what the best load is for your rifle. Extensive time may have to be spent finding the load, but it is worth the effort.

Footnote

Since this article was written (in 1999) Elephant powder is no longer available. However, new to the market and popular with long range muzzle loaders is Swiss Blackpowder. Granulation sizes of this powder as marketed in Europe are designated by a numbering system, with No. 1 being the finest and No. 5 the coarsest. European and American 'F' grading equivalents are:

Widely used in the discipline in the UK is the proof house powder TPPH (equivalent FFg).

David Minshall

© 2004 WA Roberts

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