From my reading of the accounts of the old timers, the hunting load of powder for round ball was 1/2 the weight of the ball. The target/utility load was 1/4 the weight of the ball. You can play with the loads for best accuracy, but those loads are a good place to start.
The numbers come from the weight of the powder and lead bought, and carried into the woods by the old Long Hunters, which were consistently 2:1 lead to powder. For what it's worth; Kit Carson's .54 rifle and pouch were examined, and his powder measure was for 52 gr, which would be one scoop for general use, and two scoops for serious shooting, again these same proportions.
Since the rifle barrels of the old-timers were by no means as strongly made, or of as good steel as the Barrels today, I don't believe you could over-charge a roundball load with those proportions.
The numbers come from the weight of the powder and lead bought, and carried into the woods by the old Long Hunters, which were consistently 2:1 lead to powder. For what it's worth; Kit Carson's .54 rifle and pouch were examined, and his powder measure was for 52 gr, which would be one scoop for general use, and two scoops for serious shooting, again these same proportions.
Since the rifle barrels of the old-timers were by no means as strongly made, or of as good steel as the Barrels today, I don't believe you could over-charge a roundball load with those proportions.
