Took my hunting buddy (13 year old daughter) to the range last night to show off the new Omega. She thought it was cool and wanted to shoot, clean etc but was concerned with the recoil.
She has shot her deer with the 30-30 but will not practice anymore with it (other than a few shots before season) so she shoots herr 22lr to keep sharp.
I was trying to compare recoil and estimate that the 100 grains of pellets shooting a 250 shockwave sabothad a recoil just above the 30-30 and below the 270. (your estimate?)

So, the question is, What is the minimum load along with what bullet she can use just so she can have some fun shooting the gun. and....
What would be the minimum load along with bullet she can use to take a deer at 100 yards or less?

She thinks the smoke blowing out of the end of the barrel plus all the actual loading and cleaning of the gun is the coolest thing

I let my buddies son shoot my remington 700ml off the bench before. He is not a very big kid, maybe 100lbs soaking wet, if that. I let him shoot it with one 50 grn pellet (clean shot) and a 300 grn XTP. Didn't look like it had much recoil at all and was pretty accurate at 25 and 50 yards. He thought it was pretty cool.

We let him blast a 1 gallon milk jug filled with water at 50 yards for his last shot and he hit it dead center and blew it apart. He has no desier to hunt though. I told him he could go to school though and tell his buddies he shot a .50 cal rifle though.

As far as minimum load data, I don't have a clue. I have heard that a 209 primer will push a saboted bullet out of barrel. I have never tired it though, nor do I want to. If I had to guess, I would say 30-50 grns of black powder with a lighter bullet would make a nice low recoil range gun.

I wouldn't take my word for it though, I would wait for more info. You could even call your gun maker and ask them, they might know.

Paul

I have used 30 grains of Pyrodex P before with good results. My eight year old, when he weighed only 70 pounds, shot this off the bench and thought it was fun.

So sounds like I could use maybe 30 or 50 grains with a 200g bullet and have pretty light recoil.
Sorry to keep referring to centerfire rifles ( it's what I amfamiliar with ) but to what cartridge would you compare the recoil to with a load like that?

The best way to determine the most accurate load for a particular gun is to pick a projectile and start with a minimum powder charge – 60 grains FFG for .45 and.50 cal., 70 grains FFG for .54 cal

I want to add I wouldn't hunt with what I mentioned, I was talking target shooting only.

I have shot round balls at what Rebel is talking about and I didn't think the recoil was that bad at all.

Paul

If all you want to do is plink with it, load 40-60 grains of loose powder and a patched roundball. The accuracy might amaze you. Also there will be no recoil to speak of. If close enough, you could even kill a deer with that load. As for hunting, try 85 grains of loose powder and a 240 grain XTP and keep the shots under 100 yards and you should be fine.

I shoot this in my Black Diamond XR a lot when I am goofing around and plinking.. very little recoil.

Thanks guys.
Sounds like I need to research how to use a roundball. I'm not sure what a patched roundball is but I'll lfind them at the gun shop.

All the different options with a ML is what is going to make this lots of fun

Danny for a .50 caliber get a .490 roundball and a .015 patch thickness. Since this is plinking for the time being, get the pre lubed.. Ox Yoke makes good patches as do Thompson Center (since I think they are Ox Yoke). You might get a round ball head short starter as it makes seating the roundball a lot easier.

The rest is the same as loading anything else. Dump your powder charge, set a patch over the muzzle and a roundball centered on the patch. Then with the short nose on the roundball starter drive the patch and ball under the muzzle, and with the longer nose, drive all this further down. Then just set the ball on the powder charge with your ramrod....

Low charges will keep the patch and ball from skipping the rifling and accuracy can be very good out to 50 yards and even further.

great cayugad
So many choices so little time. Maybe Sunday since Saturday is youth day and i'm taking my daughter