As I recall, back then people were discussing a .648 ball to allow room for patching a round ball in a 16 gauge bore (give or take). I think the discussion was on the old NorthStar West officers fusil (which I regret not buying two of a decade ago). The best fitting moulds were brass and made in Britain.
Kibler fowler
- Thread starter hawg
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As I recall, back then people were discussing a .648 ball to allow room for patching a round ball in a 16 gauge bore (give or take). I think the discussion was on the old NorthStar West officers fusil (which I regret not buying two of a decade ago). The best fitting moulds were brass and made in Britain.
troy fairweather
Member
Anyone have good data on what velocity drop is from firing a round ball patched vs dry balled.
troy fairweather
Member
Reading more of the comments on Jim's video I'm thinking this fowler will fit me very well, looks like it will have a 13.5" lop which is perfect for me. Barrels will be 44" to, walnut will be the standard wood and use Jim's English lock.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
As far as I'm concerned, the bigger the better.
Ugly Sauce
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Do you mean "bare ball"? I think velocity with a dry ball is....wait for it....0fps. ? I don't know, but I'd like to know. Never thunk of that before. With good wads/wadding under the ball, and with a reasonably good fit to the bore, I bet it wouldn't be anything drastic. The proverbial "good question".
I fire bare-ball in my .58 TC smooth bore trapper, the "Little Beast". Using a .570" ball in it's .580" barrel, if I chew the ball it's a really nice fit. I put a waxed wool wad, and then a plain wool wad under the ball, I've been assuming that should seal the bore reasonably well. Although, I'm sure there is some blow by with bare ball. How much?
If I got really bored this summer, would not be that hard to send some bare balls, and patched balls over the chrono with Bess I guess. ?? Someone must have done that.
OP
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hawg
Member
Not a smoothbore but I doubt there's much difference with undersized balls. He doesn't shoot over a chrono tho.
www.youtube.com
Black Powder Shooting Using No patches - Running and Reloading - Hand / palm loading of Ball
Checking out whether a black powder rifle has any accuracy without using patches. The results are dismal. Interested in trying Schuetzen or Swiss Black Powde...
www.youtube.com
troy fairweather
Member
Even his normal load uses a very loose ball/patch fit, even after dozens of shoots he can still push his ram rod down with a finger.Not a smoothbore but I doubt there's much difference with undersized balls. He doesn't shoot over a chrono tho.
Black Powder Shooting Using No patches - Running and Reloading - Hand / palm loading of Ball
Checking out whether a black powder rifle has any accuracy without using patches. The results are dismal. Interested in trying Schuetzen or Swiss Black Powde...
troy fairweather
Member
Ya my tablet corrected what I said to mess with me again lol. I've really been liking the leather wads I made there a bit oversized and they seem to cup the ball a little. Guess if you buy those lots of leather scraps you could make them pretty cheap, used a old choke and filed some teeth on it and made a adapter for the drill to cut them out. I've Hurd bees nest works good to.
Ugly Sauce
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Yes, with a good wad or wadding under a bare-ball, I can't imagine that the velocity would be much lower than a patched ball. Probably not worth the powder and lead to chronograph it. If one was in doubt, just up the powder charge by ten grains.
Ugly Sauce
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Just don't like that guy. His techniques are sloppy, and he does so many pointless things and stuff. No offense to any of his fans. I realize he has lots of fans. Not shooting over a chronograph is a good example of my dislike of his videos. They just all seem sloppy and pointless to me...which is all based on the one or two I have ever watched. Did he shoot any groups? Or just off hand banging the gong at close range? I couldn't watch much of the video. Sorry for the rant. I know, I know...if you don't like the guy, don't watch him!!!Not a smoothbore but I doubt there's much difference with undersized balls. He doesn't shoot over a chrono tho.
Black Powder Shooting Using No patches - Running and Reloading - Hand / palm loading of Ball
Checking out whether a black powder rifle has any accuracy without using patches. The results are dismal. Interested in trying Schuetzen or Swiss Black Powde...
(I don't)
OP
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hawg
Member
That's the only video of his I've watched. It was also the only one I found shooting an unpatched ball. I wasn't crazy about it but shooting over a chrono doesn't mean anything to me. I would have liked to have seen a target comparison between an unpatched ball and a patched one.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
They're available to pre-order now.
Ugly Sauce
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Well, the chrono has meaning, although it's a very small piece of the puzzle. It is information. More valuable than "I can hit a big gong at 20 yards". Or: "gee...it comes out of the end of the barrel just like a patched ball". Indeed, the difference in accuracy would have been more worth all the hot air and blabber.
vanfunk
Member
I really want one of those Kibler fowler kits. 20 gauge. Probably in-the-white as I have no woodworking skills beyond sanding and finishing.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
It doesn't really take much more than that to fit one. As I recall, light work with a small chisel. I know that on the rifles, the single biggest chore is probably draw filing and polishing the barrel, which I'm doing now on my SMR. Wonder how rough the round section is on the fowler. Sanding the stock is one of the easiest parts, not like the Italian kits that are rough as a cob.
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hawg
Member
The fowler is being made on the same CNC machine as the Woodsrunner. The SMR and Colonial are still being made on the old CNC machines but I imagine that's because of a production numbers issue. The Woodsrunner requires no chisels, taps or anything of the like. You do have to drill the hole for the ramrod tip but that's it. I didn't even draw file my barrel. I just sanded the tool marks until I couldn't feel them which didn't take long. It doesn't have to be slick for browning. If you're going to leave it in the white or blue it then it needs to be slick. Cleaning up the brass and polishing it is the hardest part of a Woodsrunner and the butt plate and side plate are CNC machined which makes them pretty easy. I've heard the trigger guard and the rest of the brass are eventually going to be CNC machined. You can literally put together a Woodsrunner and go shoot it right out of the box it just won't be very pretty. This is the worst of the tool marks on my Woodsrunner.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
I would draw file and sand that to 320grit.
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hawg
Member
I was going to but I never draw filed anything before and my file was leaving worse marks than the tool marks. No worse than the tool marks were I could have sanded them all out without much trouble but I read they didn't have to be sanded smooth to brown so I tried it and it worked out well.
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