.527" or .530" in Traditions 54 cal.

[TN.Frank]

I picked up a Traditions 54cal percussion rifle in a swap and I'm going to keep it to use as my "thumper" for hog hunting or when I want to go for big deer. Question is, should I give a .527" bullet mold a try instead of going the "normal" size of .530"? The reason I'm asking is that in all of my guns when I use a normal size ball I end up using .008" linen for patching and I have a couple yards of blue pillow ticking that I'd like to use so by going with the smaller ball I may be able to use it up.
I may even end up going with a .433" ball for my 45cal rifle since I have to use the .008" patch with the standard .440" ball. By going a bit smaller I can get pillow tickin' that's a bit thicker and that'll hold more lube in the fibers. Not that I have a problem with the thinner stuff, I just want to make sure that I'll not run into any problems in the future. Anyway, what do ya'll think. .527" and see if a thicker patch will work or .530" and probably end up using the .008" stuff for patching. :hmm:

 

[Many Klatch]

I use .526 in my .54. I like to be able to load without having to use a hammer. I also had the muzzle coned to make it easier to start the bullet.

I am able to win matches with it, so the accuracy must be OK. Go for it.

Many Klatch

 

[rusty]

I use a .526 as well.

 

[Harddog]

Either a .527 or a .530 should work equally as well. All you have to do is adjust the thickness of your patching. I believe that the old timers used a smaller ball than most do today and made up for the size of the smaller ball with a thicker patch. I also think that there method made for easier loading.

Randy Hedden

 

[MikeChapin]

I have an Unberti Santa Fe that is actually a .53. I used .520 balls for a long time but kept getting flyers too much of the time. I checked the patches and was blowing them about half the time. I tried denim that ran about .024" and they worked well but I had to hammer the balls to start them.

I found an old .515 mold I had setting around for the last 20 years. I cleaned the grease out and ran about thirty balls. With .027 denim the ball starts with a slap on the short starter and now I have no more burnouts on the patches. The rifle always shoots where the sights are at. Me keeping the sights on the target is the problem now.

 

[Russianblood]

I recently switched to a Lee .527 mould for my GPR as I was burning thru .015 wonderlubed patches with a .530 ball. Now I use .018 pillow ticking and Moose Juice and all is great!

 

[TN.Frank]

Sounds good, I think I'll go with the smaller ball, that'll save on lead a bit too,LOL. :thumbsup: