[azmick]

found this today {looking for something else of course} and thought I would share it.

Flintlock, no maker, mfg. date
barrel length ??
cal; 32
bullet weight; 49gr.
BP charge; 22gr.
MV; 1483
energy; 185 ft-lbs

Flintlock made by Lehman of Lancaster circa 1840
barrel length; 36"
cal; .38
bullet weight; 78gr.
BP charge; 36gr.
MV; 1721FPS
energy; 373 ft-lbs

Flintlock originally owner by Christian Kaufman, Berne Township, Berks County, Pa. {no date of mfg given}
Barrel lenght; 44 1/4"
cal; .45
bullet weight; 137 1/2 gr.
BP charge; 66 1/2 gr.
MV; 1776
energy; 750 ft-lbs

The tests were done on the first rifle by Remington Arms Co. in 1917
the second two were done in 1921 at the Frankford Arsenal.
No mention is made of the powder mfg or the type {FFG or FFFG}
I am guessing the bullets used were round ball {real close to my 45RB and 36RB}

 

[Guest]

Little light on the charge for the .32, unless it was fffg :mrgreen:
As to velocity, I wonder how they arrived at the test load? I was taught to listen for the best velocity out of a given gun. Start with a reduced load and listen to the bang, increase the load until you hear a sharper report that sounds like a crack of thunder, when you go beyond that point it will loose the crack and sound like thunder. Seems to work....

Truth be told the smaller .32's and 36's are quite something. I've seen what's left of small game when hit by a fast .315 ball. Not pretty. You can bust the myth that it is the equivelent of a .22 Magnum just by looking at the damage done. Different kind of energy is translated by that spinning ball...

Wonder if the Lehman's barrel was freshened out from a .36 cal. Bet it would be a great gun up to small deer. And the .45 would be all you needed to hunt with up to pretty large game...

Damn, can't wait til the weather clears up and I can take my guns out play....

giz

 

[azmick]

Damn, can't wait til the weather clears up and I can take my guns out play...

I wish you would break down and get a chrony.
there is a world of enlightenment waiting for you with the info they give. The one problem with them and a muzzle loader is, they measure the speed of the last thing to go over it {like sabots, and yes, BP chunks too}.
I was out with my brother checking his 500 S&W Magnum chambered H&R Handi Rifle and we were getting some wierd speeds. It was a few bees that were sucking up on the sweet ice tea and buzzing through the thing. The Chrony I use is less than $100 and has served me well for five years or so {but it's never been shot at and hit}