Black powder round ball trajectory

[Flint Lock]

I'm trying to determine the mid-range and point black distances for my .50 round ball smoke pole, but I can't find any charts anywhere with this trajectory data. Anyone know any good reference for this?

[gander215]

Need a bit for info please. What weight on the ball? How much powder? Length of barrel? Make and Model of firearm? For starters.

[Pete D.]

Here's a link to a RB trajectory calculator:
http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_...allistics.html

A RB of .495 diameter weighs 177 grains in pure lead. It has a BC of between .063 and 0.1, depending on its velocity.
So...to give an answer to your question, we need to know the velocity.
At 1700 fps, for instance, with a 100 yard zero, using a BC of 0.075, the RB will be about 2.2 inches high at 50 yards. That's according to my little ballistic program. Will it really be that? Ya gotta go shoot.
Remember that point blank range also depends on the size of your target . You have a lot more wiggle room with a 10" diameter kill zone than with a 6".
Pete

[Flint Lock]

.490 round ball, 80 grains FFF. Lyman Trade Rifle 28" barrel 1 in 48 twist. Wonder Lube .020" patch.

[Pete D.]

With that load of 80 grains of FFFg and a .490 RB (abt. 173 grains) you are close to 1600 fps, I'll bet. (btw - Goex recommends 80 grains of FFg with that RB. I use 90 grains FFg)
At that velocity, the mid-range trajectory is very similar to my previous note. With a 100 yard zero, the ball would be 2.68 inches high at 50 yards. Point blank zero for a 12" diameter target at 140 yards would be 125 yards, the RB rising no more than 6 inches and a bit and being a tad more than five low at 140.
The type of rifle and twist rate and patch have little or nothing to do with trajectory calculations.
Pete

[ar15jules]

Calculations are fantastic, and usually pretty accurate. Why not go out and shoot? As listed above, I know my rifle to be zeroed at 75 yards. I am a tad high at 50. From zero to 75 yards, I can hit "minute of deer" all day. I suppose if you plan on doing some long range shooting, you could get more particular, but for hunting, I would think a 100 yard zero is a great place to be. I limit myself to 75 because I am using a short bbl rifle with a minimal load.

Jules

[Flint Lock]

With that load of 80 grains of FFFg and a .490 RB (abt. 173 grains) you are close to 1600 fps, I'll bet. (btw - Goex recommends 80 grains of FFg with that RB. I use 90 grains FFg)
At that velocity, the mid-range trajectory is very similar to my previous note. With a 100 yard zero, the ball would be 2.68 inches high at 50 yards. Point blank zero for a 12" diameter target at 140 yards would be 125 yards, the RB rising no more than 6 inches and a bit and being a tad more than five low at 140.
The type of rifle and twist rate and patch have little or nothing to do with trajectory calculations.
Pete

Yeah I found between 1600-1800 fps....where did you get 1600?

[Pete D.]

Yeah I found between 1600-1800 fps....where did you get 1600?

I guessed. I'm away from any BP loadbooks right now and so I could not look up velocity.
Actually, I have to apologize. I had a GIGO moment, I reckon. I reran the figures for 1600 fps at 140 yards and this time the trajectory figures showed a nine inch mid range rise - well above PB for 140 yards.
Running them again with a 100 yard zero at 1600 fps, the PB range for a 10 inch target is 122 yards.(5.34 inches high at 40 yards and 5.1 low at 122.) The figures for 1700 fps are similar; a little flatter mid range by 0.5 inch and 5.1 low at 125.
Pete

[Flint Lock]

Ok, I took it back to the range today after some sight post adjustment yesterday...
It appears to be about 2.5-3" high at 50 yards and 6" low at 100 yards. I only fired a couple shot so this is rough, but it leads me to believe that I have a football punt trajectory. This is roughly close to what the computer program on that link someone posted gives when I run it at 1300 fps. I wonder if 80 grains is a little light...

[knight0334]

What's your front stuffer proofed at? 80, 100, 120, 150 grains??

With a ball, you're gonna have a rainbow trajectory with it's inherent bad aerodynamics. Added velocity will flatten it out some. Velocity increases ballistic coefficient, the higher the velocity, the higher BC. The higher BC, the longer it will retain velocity and the less windage affects will occur.