.62cal "Large Buckshot" loads

The ribbon has to be screwed to the ball's base, or into the sprue with a screw, then waded up (folded) beneath the ball, with is then patched, or loaded in a paper ctg.
: You will have to drill a pilot hole before screwing the ribbon onto the ball. I would use a #6 screw, 1/2" with a 1/16" thick small dia. washer. This is the method we used in shotshells with no problems. The patch will keep the ball from turing in the bore and scratching it. If you are worried about this - don't do it.
: There should be no problem patching this combo, with the ribbon folded up beneath the ball. We used 4" long ribbons, 3/8" wide. 1 ribbon seemed to work as well as 2 or more & we tried up to 3 of them.
; It is possible that the velocity of the musket's ball might be too high to work with dimpling - I don't know.
: A load under the speed of sound might work better with that method.
: Depending on the patch/ball combo, you might get over the SOSound with 85gr. 2F & definitely with 3F, but each musket could be different here. My Bro's first Bess was a Lyman, I think, (not sure), and it gave 1,080 fps with 82gr. 2F and .715ball + .022" patch.

 

[musketman]

The ribbon has to be screwed to the ball's base, or into the sprue with a screw, then waded up (folded) beneath the ball, with is then patched, or loaded in a paper ctg.

Daryl:

What if you were to place a wire (copper) loop in the round ball mold (without the spure cutter) and then pour balls that way, trimming the excess lead by hand?

You would then have a loop to attach the ribbon to instead of having to use a screw...

Trial and error is needed to get just the right amount of wire loop sticking out, but it could be worth a try...

 

[Deadeye]

Although I believe this whole idea to be lots more trouble than it's worth your idea of the wire sounds like a much better idea than the screw and washer. :applause: :applause: for MM. I have tried the ribbons in conventional shotgun rb slug loads but never found them to be any better.

 

Looks pretty good - good idea.
: The main advantage is to keep the ball from spinning, therefore increasing the long range accuracy. We did find it worked pretty good in our modern guns and there's no reason why it wouldn't work in the ML's as well.
; It the loop out the top were wide enogh, it would sit on the top of the mould, making casting easier than trying to hold it with plyers.
: Linen ribbons cut with sizzors or a knife worked best, as most comercial-type package ribbon shredded on exit from the muzzle. The stronger types of ribbon might work.
: Yes- it might be more trouble than it's worth, but experimentation is the name of the game and possibly increasing a 20 bore's accuracy to allow 80 to 100yd. shooting on deer would be worth it.

 

[musketman]

If you try it, let us know how it works...

I suggested copper wire because it is close to gliding metal of jacketed bullets, so it shouldn't hurt the barrel like a washer of screw might if it scrapes the side during expulsion...

Experiment on the wire's gauge as well, don't want too fine of a wire so as to loose the tail during flight...

Also, I would make all the wires up prior to pouring, so you don't have to mess with a hot mold to fit the wire in place, keeping the wires on a hot plate until needed will aid the lead flow around the copper as well...

 

Soon as the Sea Service arrives, I'll try them out in it. I do like the copper wire deal. As well, I'll be experimenting with shot-cups and balls of all sizes. For those who haven't experience with shot cups and BP, bear in mind that BP melts plastic shotcups quickly & will coat the bore with plastic fouling. That is the reason for the card base wad between the powder and the plastic cup. As well, the shot cup can be snipped off the plastic wad as it really isn't needed for BP loads. Some of the lads here use 20guage balls and normal shotbups in their 12 bore (.727") double shotguns for moose. Actually, they have them handy when out shooting ducks, just in case a moose wanders by, which happens most days on one particular lake we hunt.
: Another trick that bears promise for ML's and has worked in shotshells, is using the plastic base wads off a 12 bore wad for use in centering the ball in the bore. A card wad is seated, then the plastic base wad, cup side up, then a ball, then a "B" wad to hold the bll on the powder. When discharged, the ball is held in the centre of the bore for it's travel down the tube, instead of bouncing off the walls and careening off on an angle when it leaves the muzzle. There are many things you can experiment with in the attempt to incease accuracy with smoothbores.
Daryl

 

Just a thought, but have any of you guys tried split shot fishing weights to experiment with "tails"? They come in a broad range of sizes and would be easy to use for the relatively small amount needed to test and hunt with.

 

Anvil: Good idea, but where would one find .62 diameter split shot? I doubt split shot would be uniform enough for shooting. Course the fish don't care. :haha:

 

I figured it would be an easy way to apply a tail for accuracy testing. Not sure if they are round enough, though. The split shot we buy at the tackle store goes up to about 1/2 diameter and the big stuff is sold for off-shore so you may have to find a store near the coast.

 

I've only tried them in shotshell loads. We had a hard time keeping the balls attached to each other without using stainless wire. Within a plastic shot cup, they worked OK, but generally spread apart with the string breaking upon exit from the bore.
: Further testing would be necessary, with the stainless wire perhaps. 90lb. trolling stainelss wire would help but I wouldn't want it in the bore scraping along. Just a personal thing, maybe.
Daryl

 

[roundball]

"WWDD"



(What Would Daniel Do)

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