Patched Round Ball in 1;28 Barrel

[FW]

I have recently acquired an inline muzzleloader with a 1:28 twist.
Everything I have read in the books and on the internet suggests that this is not ideal for roundballs.

I haven't had a chance to try it my self yet. I'm wondering who here has real experience with roundballs in faster twist rates and what kind of results there were.

The reason I want to do this because I have other muzzleloaders with slower twist rates that I have been using roundball in. Also I have found cost of roundballs to be about 20% of other muzzleloading projectiles.

 

[Mike Weber]

You might consider getting a conical mold and casting your own conicals. I suspect that the inline will throw the roundballs all over the paper with that fast twist. Even a 1:48 twist doesn't give you the best roundball performance. Check out the mold offerings from Lyman and Saeco. Best to shoot conicals in that rifle.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Agree with Mike. Drop a heavy brass rod into the bbl and then use another brass rod as a drive and hammer the ball in. You're making a slug to determine the size of your conical and from that, you can cast them. Remember to do this outside (well ventilated) and that heavy metals are your friends.

 

[Old Fuff]

I agree that the fast twist shouldn't work well with patched round balls, but I'd try it and see. On more then one occasion I've been suprised when something that wasn't supposed to work did. Start with light loads and work up, while looking for a decent group. Who knows ...?

 

[Backwoods]

Only one chance to make round balls work in a fast twist barrel. Use "Butler Creek Poly Patches". They are sabots designed for use with round balls and will hold the rifling when cloth patches would strip out. Hey! There's a way to do almost everything, Right?

Don in Ohio

 

[RON in PA]

Round balls and fast twist don't go together, but do some experimenting. I bet that you can find a load with a LIGHT powder charge that may give you acceptable accuracy for range use and plinking. You may also have to play with the ball diameter and patch thickness combo. Makes life interesting and frustrating!

 

[RCL]

In my experiance with a previously owned T/C Scout it wouldn't work. I got more of a pattern than a group. Not to say it wouldn't work with your gun, it might, but I think it's design would be working against you. Rifles made for ball not only have a slower twist, say 1:66, they usually have more, and deeper, grooves to help engage the patch. Try a tight patch/ball combo along with a mid range load to see what happens. You might also try different brands of powder. In my T/C Pennsylvania Hunter ball gun Black gave me much better groups than Pyrodex. FWIW