PaHunter20
.54 Cal
Newer to the muzzleloader stuff and wondering when do you use wadding vs a patch? Or what combos do you use for which? Also do you lube conicals? Any thoughts and info on shot combinations with simple explanation much appreciated!
Patch and Ball, Wadding?
- Thread starter PaHunter20
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Go the the search function here and you'll find a hundred opinions.
Use a patch when loading round balls in a rifle. Lube the patch if you want to clean less often between shots You can lube with almost anything from spit, dawn/water solution, ballistol, various mixtures of beeswax and vegetable oils, etc. If using black powder when shooting muzzleloaders start with the number of grains = caliber and work up from there. You can use lubed wads when shooting revolvers to help with sealing the powder charge, keeping the fouling in the barrel soft, and taking up space when using light charges
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PaHunter20
.54 Cal
So you can shoot a dry patch with ball? Or theres no reason too? Should you always lube a patch and with a round ball? So wads are only for revolvers? Im into BP rifle hunting have a .54 lyman deerstalker. Was pretty much just wondering the difference between wads and patches.. learning alot so far
You should always lube the patch. If your loading and shooting spit works great
Traditional smoothbore was shot with a ball and a wad on top, and often a wad between the powder and the ball. We know that a patched ball was known by 1846, and I suspect a lot earlier
Some shooters find a wad helpful under a patched ball some shooters find large power charges -110 to 140 under bare ball and wad on top very accurate
Traditional smoothbore was shot with a ball and a wad on top, and often a wad between the powder and the ball. We know that a patched ball was known by 1846, and I suspect a lot earlier
Some shooters find a wad helpful under a patched ball some shooters find large power charges -110 to 140 under bare ball and wad on top very accurate
Smoothbores and rifled barrels use slightly different loading procedures. Your gun is rifled and requires a patch in order to provide a seal between the ball and bore. Although not necessary some people will use a wad on top of the powder. In my case it decreased accuracy and increased fouling. The right answer is what works for you. This applies to powder load, patch material and thickness (.015-.018" pillow ticking is a good starting point), and choice of patch lube. There are literally hundreds of combinations used by BP shooters. Finding your guns perfect combination will keep you busy for a while. Conicals are another subject, which you do lube.
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Brokennock
Cannon
Yes, of course you are right. Correction noted. Although the 1853 Enfield is considered a rifle musket. So a little overlapping of terminology exists.
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Brokennock
Cannon
I argued with someone for three days here some years ago,, turned out to be over a typo I'd made and didn't catch for days...
Glad you caught this one quick.Here's an image of varies forms of patches from Track of The Wolf. For a .54 cal rifle a .530 round ball with a .015" to .018" lubed patch is a good place to start. Wadding like wasp nest, paper, coffee filters, tow, etc. is used in smooth bore firearms though a patched round ball can also be used.
So..... are we still discussing muzzleloaders here on the "muzzleloader forum" or is it just an archived read only reference forum ? Asking for the new guys who are excited about their new found hobby and want to engage with knowledgeable members for information and insight. While I'm thinking about it , how do you remove a stuck ball ?
Banjoman
Hillbilly
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The trouble is is nobody knows the best way to load a muzzleloader. We spend a lifetime experimentingSo..... are we still discussing muzzleloaders here on the "muzzleloader forum" or is it just an archived read only reference forum ? Asking for the new guys who are excited about their new found hobby and want to engage with knowledgeable members for information and insight. While I'm thinking about it , how do you remove a stuck ball ?
Last time I hunted with a breechloader was 1976. Almost fifty years I’ve been trying to figure it out
We all have are little secrets, our arcane knowledge, but…. We were in a group we are always sideeying the guy next to us to see if he has some trick we dont.
The basics are easy the trick is a lifetime
To remove a stuck ball there is a ball screw. It goes on you ramrod and looks like a wood screw. You push down and turn it in and it will catch a ball you can pull it up
Another trick is a co2 canister that has a fitting to ho where the nipple screws in and blow the load out.
Don’t try to fire it out as that can harm the barrel
Worst case if the barrel is pulled and then the breech plug removed and a rod used to hammer the ball out
CVA guns we’re almost impossible to pull the plug
I’ve never had a ball that wouldn’t lend it self to a ball screw.
Banjoman
Hillbilly
I like that first sentence. Never looked at it from that angle.
Remove nipple, get a few grains of powder in the hole,( not flakes, grains) , screw nipple on, seat ball all the way down, cap and fire. Don't do this in the house,! 
The thing is that we sometimes forget what it is like to be a novice....at ground zero as to how to handle muzzleloading. A little help to get someone pointed in the right direction can mean alot. You can put most of the basic info for a particular gun in a few paragraphs. Then it's up to the individual to research, gain experiences, mistakes, and successes as he tries to find that perfect combo. When responding to questions it would be nice to have an idea of the level of knowledge the poster has.
The stuck ball line was meant to be a tongue and cheek comment, hence the wink icon. I was referring to the amount of posts that get asked about stuck balls and the replies from people who seem to be annoyed by the question coming up so often.
There are only so many topics about muzzleloading that can be discussed and it's inevitable the same questions will come up again and again as new members join. I enjoy sharing thoughts, opinions, and information with new people, because I was the new guy once and people helped me along the way.
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I patch all roundballs, smoothbore and rifles. I get the best accuracy that way. I use TOTWs cotton patches and mink oil. I do put a felt wad under my maxi balls it cuts down on gas cutting the base. I have been using up my old bore butter to lube the first ring on the maxis.
And to further complicate it, at one point there were muskets, rifled muskets, rifle-muskets, rifles, musketoons and carbines.I argued with someone for three days here some years ago,, turned out to be over a typo I'd made and didn't catch for days...
Cruzatte
50 Cal.
Therein lies the secret. Experimentation is half the fun. It's a real feeling of accomplishment when an experiment yields good results.
