3rd time not the charm

[jamesthomas]

Well, what was your patch thickness? you just say "different" what were they? .015, .018 .021?. If you are using .526 ball. you will need a very thick patch material to fill the grooves completely.

 

[S.Kenton]

I am shooting .526 balls not .530 I was Not trying to duplicate Herb's load but rather, exploring other loads with my new rifle.

I am not unwilling to explore new loads...BUT if it were me I'd explore with a thicker ball and less patch. My 54 cal likes an .018 patch and a 530 roundball for hunting (easier to load especially when cold)...IF I want to target shoot I go to a whole other load set up a .015 patch and a 535 ball. I would suggest you try a different load combo. Also, others have suggested the Dutch Shoultz accuracy manual..I WHOLE HEARTEDLY AGREE! Thats just my 2 cents take it for what it's worth!

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Well, what was your patch thickness? you just say "different" what were they? .015, .018 .021?. If you are using .526 ball. you will need a very thick patch material to fill the grooves completely.

:thumbsup: Ok I think that well may be where I messed up.

I thought I used Herb's Thickness as a starting point :redface: but when I checked it, on the way to the fabric store I only looked at his 1st 2 targets Crushed his was .009 on a .530 roundball. So I got fabric that crushed (1st target .012, 2nd target .011, 3rd target .010, 4th target .013

But Just now I rechecked Herb's targets before answering you and the first 2 targets I checked of Herb's were .009 ...... all the others were .014 crushed.

So instead of starting at .010 & moving up I should have started at or above .015 crushed & moved up

Man I'm so glade I can get feed back here or I might have spent pounds of powder & lead before I found my screw up!

 

[longcruise]

Well, Sean, I think you are just a bad shot!

Nah! Just kidding.

I think its those .526 balls.

 

[F.G. Ford]

Very important!
One should never have loose balls! :shocked2:
Fred

 

[Herb]

I have used the smaller .520 balls, though not in this rifle, and they worked OK. The reason for that is ease of loading in the field, as in repeat shots at game. I just bought a .527 LEE mold at an estate sale and remember that size was popular with the Green River Rifle Works people. Haven't cast any balls yet. I did not cone the muzzle of the rifle in question but used a short starter for loading. Not needing to do that is better in hunting, thus the search for a loading combination that works well with the smaller ball. One possible solution is to load a .530 ball of known accuracy for your hunting but carry several .520 rounds in a quick loader, for speed of reloading should that be necessary.

 

[gwalker]

Sean, I also think it may be your 0.526 balls from TOTW. I've used them before in my .54 cal flintlock and found that some grouped nicely but there were always 'wanderers.' I split a few open and found air pockets in several. I'm not sure where TOTW gets those cast balls, but I no longer use them and went back to casting my own balls, which gives me better quality control.

George

 

[Roguedog]

Sean,
Sometimes I have to remind myself that this "process" is part of the fun. I got a new rifle last year and spent the better part of the summer trying to work up a load. Frankly at times I got quite frustrated. Then one day, I made another adjustment and everything just fell into place and I started touching holes with my shots. Anyway, hang in there and have fun. Lots of great advice on this forum.

Jeff

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Sean I might have missed it but are you holding the rifle the same each time? Might be getting a lighter hold with the last shot. Just a thought. I had a rifle like yours and if I didn't hold very tight the group would open up. Trying new things is what makes it intresting sometimes as well as having another combination ball/patch in case your favorite fixings aren't availbale. Keep on after it :thumbsup: Dan.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Ok I think I found two for the .530





And one for the .526 (maybe still too thin, but .0025 thicker then the thickest I tried last week.)



All 3 are with the ball of my thumb pressing hard to get a compressed reading. They are in the washer now to get the sizing out. I'm hoping to get to the range tomorrow.

 

[jamesthomas]

That blue striped ticking should measure .018 when it comes out of the dryer. It will still be too thin for your .526's but might be O.K. for the .530's.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

It measures within .0005 of it's per washed self (could be washing, could be thumb presser change).

I think your talking uncompressed, and my readings were all compressed. Uncompressed it is at about .0225 after washing.

There were 2 blue striped tickings at the store one was thinner then the other I got the thicker of the two.

 

[longcruise]

You could try double patching with the thinner stuff.

 

[jamesthomas]

Your probably good to go then, I have a digital micrometer and if you put to much pressure on it, it goes nuts.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Have you ever tried drill cloth? Find it at JoAnns. Thicker. Use it in my .54 Rice bbl. with 90grs. 3F .530 ball. Good patch. Dan.

 

[jamesthomas]

Have you ever tried drill cloth? Find it at JoAnns. Thicker. Use it in my .54 Rice bbl. with 90grs. 3F .530 ball. Good patch. Dan.

Yes I have, But the pillow ticking has done me just fine, I can find it in .015, .018, and .024 thick.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Well not the best day for it, wind moved 3x from SW, then S, then SE blowing 12-15 mph + gusts

And when I had a spark without firing (the 1st with this rifle) I found I have developed a flinch

All that said...... Here are 25 yard results with green & yellow patches.


Yellow patch (far right hit was the shot after I found the flinch so :idunno: )


Green patch (that's all 5, top left ragged hole is two hits)

Then the wind came up so I shot a couple 100 yarders & then dry balled it while talking :redface: & used the last ffffG in my primer fixing that & called it a day.

 

[jamesthomas]

Well, what was the combination? Ball dia. , patch thickness, and type of lube? Ya gots to give us some information. It does look good though, stay with it and practice with this combo, maybe you can tighten it up when you stop flinching.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

.530 ball

A Murphy's oil soap based lube

The green patch cloth , so .014 crushed.

80 grains of Goex FFg

As to the flinching, Weatherman says, we are to get rain Monday night & Tuesday so I think I'll make a hard wood flint & dry fire a bunch. See if I can drop that flinch.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Got out today and shot the same load at 50 yards, except lube is 2 parts murphy oil soap, 2 parts olive oil, 1 part alcohol (my hunt is going to be mid winter)

Here is my 50 yard target





I know the rifle is willing to do better, I feel awkward at the bench, have not figured out what I'm doing but nothing feels smooth. I may just take the rifle out stump shooting this weekend, just to get to know her again, the range is starting to feel like a pop quiz or something :idunno: