.480 for .50 cal - Experiences?

[jetcanoe]

Howdy,

I've been reading that you should be able to start a PRB into the muzzle with your thumb. Are you all able to do this? I have to short-starter smack .490 balls pretty dang hard in my .50 cal with .010 or .015 patches. Been thinking .480 balls would be just the thing. Anyone use those for a similar situation? Also, for that size, would either .018 or .020 patches would be best to start testing with? Since I have to order these types of things online, thought I better have a clear plan first.

Thanks as always!

GOD BLESS AMERICA

 

[rafterob]

Everyone at our range uses a starter of some sort. I bought some hand-cast .490 balls I can push in but it leaves a big dent in my thumb. Primarily I have been using Hornady .490 and they need a good smack to get em in.

 

[jtmattison]

The only rifle I can thumb start a ball on is my flinter with a coned muzzle.

In most cases tighter means more accurate. Using a patch/ball combo small enough to thumb start probably wouldn't be very accurate in most muzzleloaders.

I'm not saying not to try it. It might work for you.
I use .495's in my 50 cals and .535's in my 54 cals, both with pillow ticking patches. Very tight to load but also very accurate.

HD

 

[renovato]

I always prefer a load that is tight enough to need a short starter. Just seems to work better for me. If your .490 is too tight on a .010 patch, then that's probably going to be too big of a ball. You might try looking for .485. That should work on a pillow ticking thickness (.018ish) patch. A .480 will work on a thicker patch, and a smaller ball on a thicker patch is usually a good combo anyway.

 

[Many Klatch]

I don't shoot a .50, but I find that a .526 ball works well in my .54. I also have a coned barrel so it loads pretty easy. I don't use my thumb tho because with the .015 patching it's still pretty hard. My powder measure was made from a piece of antler and I left a really short stub on the antler (about 1/2") that I use to set the ball below the end of the muzzle when I cut the patch off, then it rams home pretty easy with the rod. So I don't know if that counts as thumb starting or not.

My smoothbores both the .60 and the .735 will all load with thumb pressure only, no matter how dirty they get. On those I use .010 linen patching.

If you are shooting offhand the .480 ball ought to do everything you need.

Many Klatch

 

[Frank/Pa]

I have shot both .490 and .480 balls out of my 50 caliber Colrain barrel with a .015 patch and I can't tell the difference in accuracy. I have a coned muzzle and they both start easily with thumb pressure.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I have a .54 that I can thumb start 0.530" balls with 0.015" to 0.017" patching and it isn't coned. Mine has a "medium radius crown" from L.C. Rice.

I do keep a 1" stub-starter hooked to my ball-block and that helps. Even when loading "from the bag" with loose components I thumb start and then choke up on my rammer to start the balls.

 

[Charles D. Prokopp]

With my .50 cal Queen Anne smoothbore, a .490 was too snug to fit down the bore without employing a hammer! I switched to .480 with a thick patch and it will start with VERY firm thumb pressure and seat easily on the powder with a rammer. Accuracy with one of these weapons is problematic, but after installing sights I see that the balls do go where I want them to go.

 

[2172]

I had the same problem. If I used anything thicker than .01 patching, I needed a mallet to drive the ball the length of the short starter, and sometimes, to drive the ball all the way home.
While I didn't have burnt patches, and, after working on the bbl, torn ones, I did want to go to a thicker ticking. I bought a .48 mold from Jeff Tanner, and now use a .48 ball and .02 patching. I load with a sharp rap on the short starter. No change in accuracy that I can see, but I only shoot offhand, so it'd be hard to spot.
Tanner's mold is a work of art, by the way..brass, and not only had the caliber engraved, added my name in script. I'm thinking of going to a .433 for my .45 rifle so I can use a thicker patching there...Hank