Chicken bullet.

[ian45662]

For those of you shooting 16 twist 45/70s are any of you using a “chicken load “ for chickens? I am ready to try finding a lesser load than what I use on my lay downs.

[SSShooter]

https://shilohrifle.com/forums/viewtopi ... 74#p318298

While pigs, turkeys & any longer distance might not care for a flat-nosed bullet, chickens are happy to fall down when hit by one.

[desert deuce]

The secret to knocking chickens over is hitting them.

[Kurt]

I would look for a chicken rifle that holds well off hand before a chicken bullet. Once the powder is lit it makes no difference what the bullet is you been using on the banks.

[Coltsmoke]

Ian is in the same boat I'm in, shooting PP loads somewhere around 81 to 84 grs. of powder, not what I want to use for shooting offhand. Ian, I'm using a Lyman Postel GG bullet loaded at 68grs. of powder, very accurate and less recoil. It actually shoots at 63gr. and 68gr. the 68gr. load is a little more accurate so I use that one. I would like to have a PP bullet to do this with but I haven't taken the time to find it. I'm thinking it would have to be a bullet patched to groove dia. so it would sit back in the case to eat up the powder room. Ideas, anyone?

[desert deuce]

Smoke, you sound conflicted. I think you need to rethink your chicken slaying approach.
First of all, you paid for them, second of all you can shoot them any way you want to and third, where did you get the idea you are entitled to hit one?
Problem solved. You just needed an attitude adjustment.

[ian45662]

Yes colt that’s it. I just want something a little easier on the shoulder. I am going to digress to a couple greaser designs I have until I can get the gumption to order a grove diameter paper patch mould. I have a 540 grain creedmoor I am going to go back to which used to be my chicken bullet when I first started paper patch and I also have a little 450 grain bullet that seats very deep in the case and has a short nose. Some call it a brooks chicken bullet. I have not really played with it much but I think I am going to give it a go. If it works maybe I will have a paper patch version of it cut.

[VectorMan]

Yes. Same boat as Colt and Ian. Loading 78 to 82 grains under a PPB. I’m thinking with a lighter bullet, less powder the recoil and follow through will be better and produce an extra chicken or 2. If the best chicken shooter would start a 3 day chicken shooting camp for around $250, I’m in. I know my stance, hold, follow through, sight picture is all probably wrong. I do thick switching to a set trigger by getting away from the Browning has improved my chicken count. It has to.

I know nothing about the adjustable PPB moulds but I would think they might be useful for chickens maybe play with it on pigs also to find a bullet that works for both.

KA

[Distant Thunder]

I was able to get my chicken bullet weight down to 382 grains from 528 grain and recoil is noticeably less. Doing so did indeed add a chicken or two to my score, which I really needed to do.

The two main things I did was 1) I shortened the bullet from 1.415" long to 1.250", but I think the second thing I did really helped, 2) I reduced the diameter from .459" to .409"! That one did it. By reducing the diameter it fit in my .40-65 which just happens to balance way better for me in the offhand. The problem may not be solved but it was a big step in the right direction.

Now I just need to work on that hitting 'em part and I think I've got it solved.

A little more seriously, a groove diameter or even a 2-diameter PPB designed to fill some powder space is probably best if you plan to stay with .45 cal.

[bobw]

Never shot any bp silhouette, no desire to do so .I like mid -long range gong shoots. If that offends you stop reading. My normal 45-70 gong bullet is 518 grs. from a KAL Tool 45 TGBS mold. @.442" It is an adjustable mold for weight and length from 300+ grains to 600+. The standard 45 2.1" Sharps load 140+ years ago was 420 ppb with 75 grs. Fg powder. Other diameters can be had. At roughly 20% less bullet weight you will have recoil reduction you want. I allways shoot with lube wads but don't know any reason you guys who like to bore pig or wipe every shot can't figure out a wad stack to take up some powder space and still have your bullet seated shallow. A lighter alloy ,less bullet weight, Fg powder all adds up to less recoil to me. At 518 grs mine are 1.418 " at 420grs they run 1.185 ". They shoot nice. These molds can be bought from powderburner on this site, he is the go to in the lower 48 for these Canadian molds. Bobw

[Kurt]

For me shooting offhand even with the larger bore like the .50-2.5 or the .44-90-2.5/8 BN. yes the muzzle jump is more then shooting sitting off sticks but the bullet already cleared the muzzle.
My off hand shooting is down in the basement shooting the Sharps and other blackpowder cartridge rifles I have but my Marlin lever rifles the 93-.30 or 95-.45 calibers hit the 200 yard bowling pins better off hand then my heavier sharps rifles.
I just don't feel the recoil as much off hand then I do shooting off the sticks.
My 10# Shiloh Hartford .44-77 shoots very good off hand compared to the 12# .45-70. The heavy rifles move around the targets a lot amore than the lesser weight rifles.

[ian45662]

I know it’s all in my head but I catch myself dropping the muzzle a lot. I am anticipating The recoil. There are several ways I could go with this. I think I may just try these brooks chicken bullets out at friendship next weekend with 55 grains of Swiss and see what happens.

[ian45662]

When I have time I will try playing with some wad stacks and even less powder.

[martinibelgian]

The very beginning for good offhand work is a rifle with the right balance. Long, heavy barrels typically suck for offhand work because the balance point is too far forward. Without a hooked buttplate, the balance point should be somewhere behind the left hand, certainly not in front of it.

[bruce m]

The very beginning for good offhand work is a rifle with the right balance. Long, heavy barrels typically suck for offhand work because the balance point is too far forward. Without a hooked buttplate, the balance point should be somewhere behind the left hand, certainly not in front of it.

exactly.