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Second time on the range with the parker-hale. After my abortive four shot first attempt I arrived at the range better prepared with bigger loads and plenty of cleaning patches and set about it. I was concentrating more on getting my loading routine sorted, understanding the sights and learning the discipline rather than score performance but the last 9 shot card at 50m leads to an air of optimism. Got to say it was the most engaging hours shooting I've had in a long time, powder, bullet, ram, tamp, cap, shoot, swab, repeat. And again, and again, and again, and again.

Phwoarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

So dromia, the above fireworks were with 80 grains of kranks nutty slack, the combustion ring of fouling was about 4" back from the muzzle. Would you recommend tweaking the load up or down from there? I'm quite happy with the grouping for now. The first few shots on the day were at 70 grains but they seemed a bit wayward, I put that down to learning the gun and the sights, which are a bit of an art form. With everything else remaining the same there are two distinct groups on the target above which must be shooter error on my part. I can't wait to get back out!

It is the target that speaks and if you are pleased with the groups then if it isn't broken then don't try and fix it.

Kranks own is a poor powder and may explain why you need such a hefty charge.

Also skirt thickness and alloy hardness of your bullets may require a heftier charge for the base to expand into the rifling.

I use 69 gns of TPPH as it is what I've always used, it works well at the standard charge of the time.

Now that Swiss has come down in price along with better availability I will probably use that more and may change over as it is a bit cleaner. I use it exclusively in my black powder cartridge guns.

At the end of the day group size will always be limited by the sights on these guns.

As I have said in previous posts the combustion ring is indicative and not absolute, four inches from the muzzle sounds fine especially considering the powder you are using which probably only burns a good bit less than the hoped for 50% you might even have reached the point of diminishing returns with that load and powder.