.45 caliber

[Hillbilly stalker]

Guys I have a old .45 replica Kentucky rifle I believe I was wondering about where to start to working up a load for small game ? I also have a old smooth bore marked .43 caliber. I would like to find a starting point on it also. Thanks in advance

 

[Clifton Hicks]

Starting point for .45 muzzleloader would be 45 grains of FF or FFF powder and a .440 caliber round ball.

Forty-five grains of powder would be considered a light "Indian load" but is plenty of powder to begin sighting in the weapon.

Pour the powder down the barrel, lay down a piece of greased or spit-soaked cotton cloth (T-shirt material works) over the muzzle and press a .440 round ball down ontop of it and into the muzzle with your thumb (make sure the excess lead "sprue" if present it directly pointing up or down to prevent the ball hanging up in the barrel). Tap the ball down with the butt of your pocket knife if it's too tight to force with your thumb. Cut off any excess cloth hanging around the muzzle of the gun. Ram your load home carefully with the rammer until the patched ball *THUNKs* sharply against the breech.

Pour some powder into the pan, just enough to cover the bottom area, try not to cover up the touch hole with powder... shoot it at a piece of white paper... adjust sights and powder/patch load accordingly.

To drop a deer with a .45 Kentucky rifle most guys wind up using a grease-patched roundball with around 70 grains of black powedr behind it. More than 70 grains and you start wasting powder, less than 70 grains and velocity/range start suffering.

Works for me.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

Man thanks a bunch for the .45 info. Its a percussion cap rifle and I've shot it a bit. Was thinking it might have been a jinxed question or something. thanks again.

 

[godogs57]

My Thompson Center Seneca is 45 caliber. The recommended load for a 300 or so grain conical is 60-80 grains of black powder. My Seneca prefers 60 grains. I'd recommend you go ahead and try black powder instead of a bp substitute...no comparison in the end result!

She'll put a buck right down on his caboose with that load any time. I keep my shots 80 yards and in with that load.

 

[leoparddog]

Look here for round balls for the .43 cal. Maybe want to try some of the .424 sized to start with patches of different thicknesses.
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/127/2

 

[Anvil Head]

If you take your time and work your load/patch/lube combo carefully you can get your "squirrel" load to hit point of aim same as your "Deer" load - just at a shorter distance. Only change one component at a time, powder being the primary. Once dialed in to POA play with patch thickness and lube until she's dead on.
My "Moni Lynn" is 45 and hits POA at 75yds with deerload of 70g and POA at 30yds with 25g. Just a matter of tuning her up. Patch/lube are same. But, went to slightly smaller dia RB and thicker patch to get the best consistent accuracy. Oh, I only use BP no synthetics for me.