Ball and patch size question

[DonP]

I'm fairly new to black powder and before I went to the range to test fire my "new" rifle, I thought I'd check with some of you folks with more experience.

Last week I picked up a pretty nice tiger stripe Kentucky Rifle at the LGS. It was in a rack with all black rifles and was a rose among thorns visually.

It has a pinned (no wedges) 42 inch barrel, 58 inches overall length and a nice full slender stock with plain (iron?) hardware. "Primitive" sights. I'll get some pix when I find my camera battery. Don't think it's an older kit gun, but who knows?

There isn't a mark anywhere on it except a name on the top "Ron Poe". Maker? Owner? Nothing online I could find about that name.

I'm cleaning up the bore and some surface rust and dirt in the stock, behind the lock. The nipple was solid rust, so I'll add a new one, maybe a musket nipple, if I can find one that fits, to match the one on my .50 Cal Hawken style so I don't have to keep 2 different caps organized

I slugged the barrel this AM and found the bore is about .454 x .464. I'm thinking a .440 ball with .010 patch? Sound about right? Or is there a better combination of ball and patch for a .45?

Any help is appreciated as always.

 

[mooman76]

440 ball and a .010 patch is a place to start. You can always go to a thicker patch if you want. It doesn't sound like a kit gun from your description. You shouldn't have any problem getting a musket nipple to fit. Not needed for either of your guns but I see your point of not wanting to have to have both. A few places to try for nipples are dixiegunworks, track of the wolf or cainsoutdoors. All have a good lot of supplies. Good luck and here's hoping it's a shooter.

 

[longcruise]

I suggest a .445 ball and an assortment of ticking thicknesses for your first foray. I think .440 might be on the small side.

What type of rifling does it have?

A rifle with just a makers name on the barrel does not seem like a kit gun to me. Removing the barrel to look for marks on the underside might tell more though.

 

[Zonie]

Welcome to the forum.

A .440 ball and some good .010 or .015 patches will be a good place to start.

The common suggestion for a powder load is about 45 grains of 3Fg powder (or one of the pistol grade synthetic powders like Pyrodex P).

Somewhere between 50 and 75 grains you will probably find the "sweet spot" where it shoots its best.

I mentioned "good" patches because over the years I've run into some of the "Pre Lubricated" patches that had sit on the shelf for years.
When I shot them, they shredded into pieces.

The moral of the story is, buy unlubricated patches unless you know they were recently made.

Oh. And the patches for your .50 will probably work all right. Just make sure to fold the loose ends over the ball after it is started.

If you put your ramrod tip against the ball and let an oversize patch cling to the outside of the end of the ramrod, the ramrod can end up pulling the ball back up the bore as you remove it.

Firing the gun with the ball half way up the bore can "ring" or swell the barrel, ruining it.

 

[pjc1816]

I have a similar Kentucky Rifle, .45cal and use a .440 round ball and .010 patch with 60 grains of powder and it is one sweet shooter! Very smooth and accurate!

 

[zimmerstutzen]

The patch and ball to use actually depends a bit on the rifling. Wide round grooves and very narrow lands can often shoot better with a larger ball and thinner patch. .445 ball and .007 patch.

Some barrels had wider lands than grooves, in which case a smaller ball and thicker patch are usually called for

 

[Yellowhouse]

Lay a candidate ball over a chunk (12x12)or a wide strip of ticking and try thumb pressing it into the muzzle. If it goes in too easy you need a bigger ball and/or thicker patch. Go up to the size that takes a short starter to press in but where you can readily pull/pop the "patched ball" out. The tightest you can do will be very close to ideal. This method isn't final but can save a lot of time.

 

[hanshi]

Yep, a .440" ball and a lubed .015" patch is the way to go.

 

[DonP]

Thanks for all the input. I've ordered several size patches from Track of the Wolf and will start with the .440 ball and some .10 patches and see how it goes at 50 and 100 yards.

If I need to I can always order some .445 ball.

Mayber later, when I have more confidence in not screwing things up, I'll drive out the pins holding the barrel in and see if there are any markings on the underside.