Accirate load in 12 bore Fowler

Trying a new load in my Flint 44" Getz 12 bore barrel. I tryed 70fffg..15 patch and .690 ball. At 25 yds she did 2.5" off the rest for 5-shots and at 50yds held 3" high she got a 3-shot 3" group off the rest. Then I went offhand at 25yds and she printed a nice 4-5" group. Good enough for Deer!!!

 

[Musketeer]

Your loads sound plenty accurate for hunting, but a .015 patch with a .690 ball sounds a bit loose for a 12 bore hunting load. You want the ball to stay firmly in place over the powder so it doesn't work it's way toward the muzzle while you're out walkin' around! I'd try a bit thicker patch or even an over-ball wad. Just a thought... :thumbsup:

 

In the getz barrel with a few shots fowling the ball thumb starts,but its not loose. When I ram her down she is not too loose. I know with the double barrel if you shoot one side to much. The other side will need to be reset for it will move forward from the recoil. Much the same as a ramrod going forward after the shot in a stout loaded Fowler from the recoil. But I never had the problem with a single barrel fowler,but I see if it was to loose it could back off the powder and roll down the barrel which would be way to loose of a fit. Then a over card would be usefull in holding every thing down. I like a tight fit on ball,but not overly tight that I would need a ball starter. With my combo of ball and patch it takes two hands to sit it firmly over the powder. All barrels have different I.D. , mine runs about .722 inside Dia. I was happy to hit the target at 50yds and would not worry about shooting at a deer at that distance. The 3/4" plywood that the target was stapled too at 50yds and paper target were punched through with a clean sharp hole.

 

[musketman]

Trying a new load in my Flint 44" Getz 12 bore barrel. I tryed 70fffg..15 patch and .690 ball.

I can't use FFFg in my Brown Bess without burning holes in my patches, no matter how much lube is on them...

My big bore likes Fg the best, but the fouling is nasty, FFg works fine...

Did you get any burnt through patched using FFFg in your musket?

 

[Wes/Tex]

I can't use FFFg i my Brown Bess without burning holes in my patches....

You might give traditional leather patches a try. I've used them off and on for years with a lot of success. Some have used only deerskin but I usually wait for the local auto parts guys to run a sale of chamois and get a few with even leather. You want to stretch the leather a bit as you rub in the lube into the pre-cut patches. Even in rifled bores they usually are so clean they can be picked up and be reused if you so decide. Another nice point is they don't smoulder on the ground like cloth patches. Although the leather patches are considerably thicker than cloth patches, they compress much more than cloth and seal equally well and work as good or better. :hmm:

 

[musketman]

Thanks Wes, the trouble I can foresee with leather is the thickness, it won't be uniformed because of the way the former owner was skinned and fleshed...

Stretching over a beam might help...

I have some extra buckshin and elk scraps, I will try them as patching material...

 

[Musketeer]

Fowler, I've seen 12 bores run as big as .728-.730, so you can see where I was comin' from thinking that your ball/patch combo might be too loose. A .722 bore changes things a bit. Keep shootin' what you've been shootin'! I can't argue w/ your accuracy. That's some darn fine shootin'. :thumbsup:

 

Musketman no burn through,will send you some of my patchs in sheet. Nice Virgin cotton .15 to .17 thick. Nice tight weave and strong! Caywood uses the Getz barrel too. A fine shooting barrel ,even though I waited near year for it.

 

[musketman]

Thanks, but I still have several yards of blue stripe ticking...

I just get burn throughs when I use FFFg...

 

[madstone]

Does the patch burn through after it exits? If so I am OK as long as they don't burn something up. I only cared if the patch had damage, or tears where it nestles the ball "agin'" the bore. I saw an article explaining with pretty pix and everything, how a patch looked if... I must try to find it! With retirement I'm beginning to dig out my old gun books and renew my mania. :huh:

 

[musketman]

The patch burned through because FFFg burned faster and hotter (IMO) than FFg, both were using the same lube and ball size...

FFFg yields higher pressure that FFg, this is where I believe my burn through patch problem originated...

 

[Ohio Rusty]

12 gauge barrels do vary. My barrel was made by Jackie Brown when he was making different size calibers. My barrel
mic's inside at .740. 12 gauge cards are a perfect fit, and I use 2 20 thou's patches around a .690 ball for a tight fit. I also load an over powder card and a greased felt wad behind the patched ball. Helps stop any gas blow by problem, and also keeps the fouling to a minimum.That is good accuracy from your gun. Mine isn't quite as good with ball, but more practice will resolve that problem. I shoot 100 Gr. of 2F Goex to get that big pumpkin ball down range.
Ohio Rusty

 

[Musketeer]

My barrel
mic's inside at .740.

.740! :shocking:That's more like a 12 and a half gauge! :crackup: I'd try a .715 ball in that one. :thumbsup:

 

[Ohio Rusty]

My mould is a .690. I didin't want to spend the $$$ for anothe mould of larger size so just using a second patch to make the loading tight was a much cheaper route to go, and it works well.
Ohio Rusty

 

[musketman]

My mould is a .690. and it works well.

You will gain a tad more velocity with a smaller ball, using the same charge as the .715 round balls...

 

Generally speaking, the larger the ball, the better will be the accuracy. This stands for rifles as well as smoothbores.
: Now, that said, I must also say that the patch used, must be thick enough to allow sufficient lubricant to soften fouling so subsequent shots may be taken without having to swab the bore. "A MOMENT PLEASE, HALT YOUR FLIGHT (or CHARGE) - AS I MUST SWAB MY BORE 'FORE I SHOOT TWICE! Therefore, the ball's size must be the largest that will allow a thick enough patch to be used or clean shooting.
: In a .740" bore dia, a ball .715 to .720 should be about right. .690" is a bit on the small size, but will shoot OK probably- just use a VERY heavy patch. The point is, that a .715 MIGHT shoot more accurately, maybe not - depending on patch material and lube.