Ever tried using an undersized patched roundball?

[Texas Moon]

I have a .50cal muzzleoading rifle. Been using a patched .490 roundball in it.

Today I cast a bucket full of .454 roundballs for a C&B revo.

This got me to thinking(Run. Now! ) could I use these .454 RB's in the .50?

I'd think a really thick patch or a double patch would allow these tobe fired out of the .50.

Any of you guys tried this?

 

[[email protected]]

No, It probably would not be very accurate. I go just the other way. I always
use over bore dia balls in pistols and rifles. 454 in 45 rifle, 410 in 40 cal rifle
ect.

 

[Oldnamvet]

I have done that with various calibers going to double and even triple patches of things like denim or canvas. It worked in that the ball came out and usually even hit the target. But groups were nothing to brag about compared to a proper fitting PRB. If you just wanted to make smoke, noise, and put holes in paper, you might be satisfied.

 

[ridgerunner1965]

like i used to tell my old boss at work.there is a reason things have always been done a certain way.cuz thats how it works best.

a proper sized ball and a thin patch will give best accuracy.

no harm in experimenting tho.

 

[StrawHat]

I have used fat patches for PRB and found it easier to load and still gave me hunting accuracy. No, nothing to compete against [email protected], but hunting accuracy and a very quick second shot.

It all boils down to what you are willing to accept and how much development you are willing to do. I am perfectly happy with a gun that shoots 3" groups at 100 yards, all day, every day. Once I find a load that does that, I quit developing loads and start shooting from field positions. At one time, I did shoot competition and worked hard to get the last decimal of an inch out of my groups. That became the overall drive. Now, it is all about having fun.

 

[Dframe]

Thanks strawhat!!! I've been doing the same thing for years. a 3 inch group at 100 yards is adequate for ANY deer application. I've heard people go on for decades about minute of angle desparately searching for that last 1/16 of an inch, when very few of them will ever be able to shoot that well anyway. I think we should have a new standard, "Minute of Deer" at 100 yards. Your common sense approach will probably shock SOME people but I find it refreshingly honest

 

[Loyalist Dave]

There are some folks who have experimented with and even regularly use a "smaller patched round ball", but they do so only so that they can force the patched ball onto the rifling with thumb pressure. So in your case they might use a .480 ball or at most a .475.

LD

 

[Patocazador]

Melt them down and recast them to .490.

 

[J-Bar]

I love experiments!!

It might be interesting to see if accuracy is affected by putting a wad between the powder and the thickly patched undersized ball, like I'm thinking a wadded up chunk of paper towel, toilet paper, newsprint, etc....something to act as an additional seal between gasses and patched ball.

I have found that such a wad improves accuracy with a regular sized patched ball. Would it have an effect on an undersized ball?

Just something more you might have fun playing with.

Enjoy.

 

[243winxb]

Testing was in an old mount that broke. No sights on this one.

This water pipe was able to put 10 shots into 13" @ 50 yds. Black Powder cannon's bore is .472" firing a .452" ball. Tissue paper on both sides of the ball. Used FFFG powder. The first fixed mount, with sights, split after a few firings. The new mount is holding up well after fixing it with Brownells Acura Glass.

[/URL][/IMG] Click for larger view.

 

[Texas Moon]

I'm gonna try a few shots with various patch thickness just to see what it'll do.

Heck, with my bad eyes a 3" group at 50yds would be great!

 

[Pancho]

I find it hard to disagree with kwhi43 based on his accomplishments but I think we are discussing prb ramrod set and not swaged pistol rounds. I myself use an oversized ball in my 62 colt's but there is no way I can think of that one could use an oversized ball and a patch. As I've understood for years the patch grips the undersized ball and firmly engages the rifling to create a spinning bullet. J-bar has it right it's time to do some serious and careful experimentation.

 

[RPRNY]

Experiments are great. I would try both thick round patch and a multilayer cross patch. The cross patch was not uncommon among the schuetzen set who muzzle loaded to breach seat. Of course, they were using much thinner paper or linen but why not try. Some cross patches used two strips, some more. I'd want to try two and three just to see the differences. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[[email protected]]

My daughter when 10 years old was using a oversize ball .324 dia in her .32
"320 bore" pistol with .010 thick patch. She was loading herself. It is very easy.
I tried .457 balls in my .450 bore dia rifle with .020 patch. Accuracy was not
any better than the .454 dia. ball that was my standard load.

 

[45 Dragoon]

It's not new, the French call it a sabot. We do too !!




45 Dragoon

 

[rodwha]

I've wondered the same thing with .457" RB's.

I bought a mold, but will likely have Accurate Molds make one for a light bullet, and if it does better than a ball, which I figure it ought to, I'll have an obsolete mold. I figured maybe I could double patch them and use them for small game to maybe 25-35 yds. But it'll need to be very accurate for shooting little heads!

 

[zimmerstutzen]

a few years back, I went to a woods walk and discovered that I brought 535 balls for my 24 ga smoothie. (58 cal) Triple patched every shot. I still connected on 50 % of the shots.