69 Caliber Buck 'n Ball Ammo?

[wiscoaster]

After watching a Hickock45 video on shooting .69 caliber smoothbore "buck 'n ball" I thought it might be fun to try doing that, as I've never shot buck 'n ball. I have a .69 cal Charleville repro that would be a great candidate firearm and I've got a supply of 0.648 cal balls and I've got a box of .410 shells each loaded with four 000BK buckshot balls that I could strip from the shells. I'm wondering if this is a good candidate ammo supply for my buck 'n ball newbie learning curve experiments:

Or do you think those buckshot size balls are too large to use with the .69 cal ball?

Thanks ....

 

[Frontstuffer070]

0000 Buck is .375" I believe. But anyway, following to see what the consensus is.

 

[springfield art]

After watching a Hickock45 video on shooting .69 caliber smoothbore "buck 'n ball" I thought it might be fun to try doing that, as I've never shot buck 'n ball. I have a .69 cal Charleville repro that would be a great candidate firearm and I've got a supply of 0.648 cal balls and I've got a box of .410 shells each loaded with four 0000BK buckshot balls that I could strip from the shells. I'm wondering if this is a good candidate ammo supply for my buck 'n ball newbie learning curve experiments:

View attachment 336134

Or do you think those buckshot size balls are too large to use with the .69 cal ball?

Thanks ....

Should be fun! I too have a Charleville, and a replica '42 Springfield, but it's rifled; wish now I'd gotten the smoothie. It's all good!

 

[wiscoaster]

0000 Buck is .375" I believe. But anyway, following to see what the consensus is.

Sorry, I'm a buckshot ignoramus and mistyped what was on the label; they're 000. OP edited to correct.

 

[Whitworth]

Just measured some of Civil War battlefield buckshot I've metal detected and most were around .330 on average. Smallest was .313, largest was .341. YMMV

 

[hawkeye2]

Given current prices of ammunition and .410 specially I suggest you trade or sell the .410s and cast your own.

 

[RiverRat]

Should be fun! I too have a Charleville, and a replica '42 Springfield, but it's rifled; wish now I'd gotten the smoothie. It's all good!

I think that 0000 buckshot would be fine, just hang on! I am looking for a 1842 Springfield smoothbore but they are nowhere to be found.

 

[Billy-by-gosh]

After watching a Hickock45 video on shooting .69 caliber smoothbore "buck 'n ball" I thought it might be fun to try doing that, as I've never shot buck 'n ball. I have a .69 cal Charleville repro that would be a great candidate firearm and I've got a supply of 0.648 cal balls and I've got a box of .410 shells each loaded with four 000BK buckshot balls that I could strip from the shells. I'm wondering if this is a good candidate ammo supply for my buck 'n ball newbie learning curve experiments:

View attachment 336134

Or do you think those buckshot size balls are too large to use with the .69 cal ball?

Thanks ....

You should load buckshot in "layers of 3 pellets". For a bore size of .69 (14 GA) you may need to go smaller than the 000BK. I know a 14GA can use layers of #1Buck, or thirty caliber round balls.
Of course you can just stack the larger balls on top of each other but the patterning will be strange.
Here is a link to CapandBall's research on your topic: 69 cal Buck-N-Ball cart.

Also, from proarmory dot com, here's a chart of modern sizes used in unmentionables:

#4	.24 in (20.7 grain)
#3	.25 in (23.4 grain)
#2	.27 in (29.4 grain)
#1	.30 in (40.5 grain)
#0	.32 in (49 grain)
#00	.33 (53.8 grain)
#000	.36 (70 grain)

 

[wiscoaster]

..... I am looking for a 1842 Springfield smoothbore but they are nowhere to be found.

Wow!! coincidentally that was the last HIckock45 video I was watching just this afternoon!!

 

[wiscoaster]

.....
Here is a link to CapandBall's research on your topic: 69 cal Buck-N-Ball cart.

Also, from proarmory dot com, here's a chart of modern sizes used in unmentionables:

#4	.24 in (20.7 grain)
#3	.25 in (23.4 grain)
#2	.27 in (29.4 grain)
#1	.30 in (40.5 grain)
#0	.32 in (49 grain)
#00	.33 (53.8 grain)
#000	.36 (70 grain)

Thanks for that. Very helpful.

 

[Packrat]

I have shot my 1816 Harpers Ferry many times with Buck & Ball
I used to take 12 ga Buck apart and put three of them on top pf my .680 ball. I really liked that combination

 

[Packrat]

Just for an additional comment, I have a 54 Caliber smoothbore Blunderbuss, I don't remember the ball size, I used my .53 round ball and maybe # 4 shot and at 25 yards all four were scattered on target.

 

[barracudadave67]

I think "Muzzle Loaders" has 1842 Muskets in stock. You might call them and ask.
A member on here turned one down, for some reason, real recent.

Dave

 

[Frontstuffer070]

I think "Muzzle Loaders" has 1842 Muskets in stock. You might call them and ask.
A member on here turned one down, for some reason, real recent.

Dave

I wanted to know why too. But the employee just said " they were not in good shape" ?? Whatever that meant. If it is a kit how can that be? If I was a factory rifle, they WHY. Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[danda0624]

Given current prices of ammunition and .410 specially I suggest you trade or sell the .410s and cast your own.

I agree, lead is cheap and a hand held mold is easy to use.
David

 

[nhmoose]

Buckshot stacking chart

 

[Clark Badgett]

Buck and ball loadings per all the known US ordnance manuals of the era list .65 ball with 3x 00 bucks on top. You most likely have a difficult time getting 3x 000 bucks to stack properly.

 

[RiverRat]

I wanted to know why too. But the employee just said " they were not in good shape" ?? Whatever that meant. If it is a kit how can that be? If I was a factory rifle, they WHY. Inquiring minds want to know.

I ordered a 1842 smoothbore from them and asked the person taking the order to make sure the gun was in excellent shape. He called me back stating that he didn’t feel that the guns were in good shape. He didn’t tell me what was wrong with them but we agreed to cancel my order. I explained it all in my post.

 

[Frontstuffer070]

I ordered a 1842 smoothbore from them and asked the person taking the order to make sure the gun was in excellent shape. He called me back stating that he didn’t feel that the guns were in good shape. He didn’t tell me what was wrong with them but we agreed to cancel my order. I explained it all in my post.

I know you did. But I still wanted to know what was wrong with them. I wasn't throwing any shade your way brother. But since we now know they are not in excellent shape, ya think we can Barter a tad with them?

 

[RiverRat]

I know you did. But I still wanted to know what was wrong with them. I wasn't throwing any shade your way brother. But since we now know they are not in excellent shape, ya think we can Barter a tad with them?

Good question. I wondered why he didn’t offer me the musket at a discount. I would definitely want to know before hand what was wrong with it. So after looking around for a 1842 smoothbore, I ordered a Kimber 20 gauge Fowler instead. I figure that my money will be better spent on a known American product!