Ammunition for a muzzleloader.

[Loyalist Dave]

I like many often wondered if patching a ball in a smoothbore was done back in the day. General conclusion was it was a twentieth century thing.
While looking for something else I came across a quote from an HBC officer named Levin.
He mentioned patching a ball in a smoothbore in 1847 as common in Canada
What that got to do with the story here, only his mention that a rifle wasn't needed since to sixty yards a patched ball in a smoothbore will shoot as well as a rifle, and that at sixty yards or less was where most hunting took place
Sam observation as Forstyth forty years later

Indeed, while the longrifle eventually became paramount in the United States, it appears the .58-.62 smoothbore trade gun was paramount in Canada at the same time.


LD

 

[Absoroka]

You can hunt free ranging buffalo in a few western states with a muzzleloader. The journals of several mountain men talk of 5 to 7 shots to bring down a buffalo not being unusual. The same for grizzly bear. The key to being successful is getting close and placing your shot, both to maximize penetration to the vitals. A mature bull will go well over 1500 pounds and will definitely give you a lesson in "dead weight". Suggestion, if you do go for it, bring some young strong friends or a chain saw and a 4wd pickup truck.

 

[sethwyo]

I have a .54 Minnie mold and a T/C Maxi-ball mold, if interested

If you have a minute PM me a picture of the 54 mini please an price your needin

 

[sethwyo]

I like many often wondered if patching a ball in a smoothbore was done back in the day. General conclusion was it was a twentieth century thing.
While looking for something else I came across a quote from an HBC officer named Levin.
He mentioned patching a ball in a smoothbore in 1847 as common in Canada
What that got to do with the story here, only his mention that a rifle wasn't needed since to sixty yards a patched ball in a smoothbore will shoot as well as a rifle, and that at sixty yards or less was where most hunting took place
Sam observation as Forstyth forty years later

I did not know that out to 60 yards, A pachd ball in a smooth bore was as accurate as a rifle at that distance.

It does help to explain how accuracy was obtained when the fellas just simply spit a ball down the bore of their rifle and then post drove the rifle up and down on the ground a few times, but it got accuracy.

I remember reading about Buffalo hunters taking their muzzleloaders when they were trying to kill Buffalo quickly they would just dump the powder down spit a ball down the bore without a patch and drive the rifle butt into the ground a few times and shoot, I've read about or heard about events of soldiers doing this in battle when the enemy was getting pretty close.

 

[tenngun]

I did not know that out to 60 yards, A pachd ball in a smooth bore was as accurate as a rifle at that distance.

It does help to explain how accuracy was obtained when the fellas just simply spit a ball down the bore of their rifle and then post drove the rifle up and down on the ground a few times, but it got accuracy.

I remember reading about Buffalo hunters taking their muzzleloaders when they were trying to kill Buffalo quickly they would just dump the powder down spit a ball down the bore without a patch and drive the rifle butt into the ground a few times and shoot, I've read about or heard about events of soldiers doing this in battle when the enemy was getting pretty close.

What’s accuracy mean?
A rifle will cloverleaf tat that range, and a smoothie several inches, so a rifle is far more accurate shooting the x, but if Bambi at sixty yards there is no difference to the shooter, or to Bambi, the guns are shooting equal accurate

 

[Secesh]

So I got a handful of these today,
not sure how authentic they are for early 1800s, looks like I need to pack them with some lubricant.View attachment 336465View attachment 336463

I used to shoot that type in a .45 I had and they were extremely accurate.

 

[sethwyo]

 

[sethwyo]

I used to shoot that type in a .45 I had and they were extremely accurate.

Did you lube them up and use a cloth patch?
I'm going to try making some of them a hollow base,

 

[Secesh]

Did you lube them up and use a cloth patch?
I'm going to try making some of them a hollow base,

I just lubed the grooves real good and shoved them home. I didn’t use a patch with them. I guess you could use a paper patch if your grooves aren’t too deep but I don’t think it would be practical with the bullet design. My barrel had very shallow grooves but the bullet engaged the rifling very well and I got great accuracy from them. They will lead the barrel through.

 

[Secesh]

I would think that hollow base would also do quite nicely.

 

[Bad Karma]

I'm not a fan of the Maxi. The Maxi has a flat bottom base as opposed to the Hornady Conical and the Minie. Those latter ones have a hollow base that expands when the BANG happens, and engage the rifling.

Any lead or lead alloy up to and including 20:1 will expand into the rifling under the kick in the pants of a reasonable for caliber charge of blackpowder. Obduration is a real phenomenon. The magic of the Minie is that it can be significantly under bore size for repeat loading into an increasingly fouled bore and still provide “minute of man” accuracy at a hundred yards. It is combat expedient.

 

[Bad Karma]

View attachment 341146View attachment 341149View attachment 341150

Unless you’re really accurate drilling your hollow base it will most likely be a wasted effort. The slightest bit of misalignment there will utterly destroy accuracy. Besides the flat based maxis work just fine. Lube only the smaller bottom groove and use an oversized wool wad over the charge. Those are elk killers right there.