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Ball diameter ???
- Thread starter wrm66
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
.530 or .535
have fun!
have fun!
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If it's a new GPR, I can offer these details from my own.
When new, use some carb cleaner or brake pad cleaner on cleaning patches to get rid of ALL the packing grease Lyman has put in there. It's tough to get out completely with any other solvents, but easy with one of those cleaners. And you have to get it out for good results.
You might find that the sharp muzzle or sharp lands will cut your patches at first. If so, figure on shooting 100-200 rounds to smooth it out, or take matters in your own hands. I laid a piece of 400 grit emery cloth over the muzzle of mine, pressed on it firmly with the ball of my thumb, then rotated half a dozen turns. Presto, sharp edged gone, patch cutting mostly stopped, and good accuracy.
The sharp rifling will smooth out with time, but lotta guys like to use a small piece of those green Scotch kitchen pads with their jag to speed it along a little. Takes 50 or so strokes, but worth it from what I hear. I've always chosen simply to shoot my GPRs. More fun, if not as accurate right away.
Both my 54's wanted to start out with .530 balls and .015 patches. Using that ball with .018 patches prooved too tight for my tastes. After a couple of hundred shots I noticed balls starting was getting pretty easy, so I switched up to the .018 patches. Presto! Exceptional accuracy even if they weren't so hot when the rifle was new.
I have several thousand rounds through the rifles now, and starting is pretty easy once again. I'm tempted to move up to .535 balls and .018, but haven't got there yet.
Long and short, if you go with the .535 balls while the rifle is new, you're likely to need really thin patches on the order of .010. I'll almost guarandamtee that if you do so, you're going to run into patch cutting problems.
When new, use some carb cleaner or brake pad cleaner on cleaning patches to get rid of ALL the packing grease Lyman has put in there. It's tough to get out completely with any other solvents, but easy with one of those cleaners. And you have to get it out for good results.
You might find that the sharp muzzle or sharp lands will cut your patches at first. If so, figure on shooting 100-200 rounds to smooth it out, or take matters in your own hands. I laid a piece of 400 grit emery cloth over the muzzle of mine, pressed on it firmly with the ball of my thumb, then rotated half a dozen turns. Presto, sharp edged gone, patch cutting mostly stopped, and good accuracy.
The sharp rifling will smooth out with time, but lotta guys like to use a small piece of those green Scotch kitchen pads with their jag to speed it along a little. Takes 50 or so strokes, but worth it from what I hear. I've always chosen simply to shoot my GPRs. More fun, if not as accurate right away.
Both my 54's wanted to start out with .530 balls and .015 patches. Using that ball with .018 patches prooved too tight for my tastes. After a couple of hundred shots I noticed balls starting was getting pretty easy, so I switched up to the .018 patches. Presto! Exceptional accuracy even if they weren't so hot when the rifle was new.
I have several thousand rounds through the rifles now, and starting is pretty easy once again. I'm tempted to move up to .535 balls and .018, but haven't got there yet.
Long and short, if you go with the .535 balls while the rifle is new, you're likely to need really thin patches on the order of .010. I'll almost guarandamtee that if you do so, you're going to run into patch cutting problems.
Little Wattsy
69 Cal.
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I prefer a .535 ball and a .015 patch BUT I take a piece of steel wool to a new barrel and all my barrels at this point have a few hundred or more ball shot through them... :hmm:
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Wattsy said:
Good feedback.
I'm pretty sure mine would do just fine with that combo now, after so much shooting. I'm yet to try it, but hoping that I can also manage with a .535 and .018 ticking rather than something thinner, since I have a whole bunch of ticking on hand.
My .54 does best with a .530 RB and a .018 patch of mattress ticking.
Look at it this way, if ya gotta wonder,,
Get the 530's :wink:
Eventually to find the best accuracy for your rifle you'll have to try them both.
Each loader develops his own technique and peculiarities that will lend the best accuracy with one size or the other.
But for starting out the smaller size is easier to work with.
Get the 530's :wink:
Eventually to find the best accuracy for your rifle you'll have to try them both.
Each loader develops his own technique and peculiarities that will lend the best accuracy with one size or the other.
But for starting out the smaller size is easier to work with.
I have and can shoot both in mine. I get the best accuracy when patched tight. .015 and .535 and .018 and .530's. I tend to use easier to load combo's when hunting and tighter when shooting in matches. I should add that they all shoot well.
Geo. T.
Geo. T.
I agree with necchi. If you are uncertain go with the smaller. If it's a little loose then next time go with .535 but if you go with the larger first and it's too big you are stuck with it. I can't use a 535 in my 54 unless I went with a supper thin patch.
wrm66 said:
None of the other posts are incorrect. But, in reality, only you can determine which ball/patch/lube combo is best for your rifle. Being a factory made job you will probably end up with similar components to what others use in their GPRs.
Buy a box of both .530 and .535 balls and a couple patch materials and your lube of preference. Spend time at the bench shooting and testing. Even though it might 'seem' things should give same results, a thin patch with larger ball will not necessarily give identical results as the smaller ball with thicker patch.
My practice, using .54 cal. as an example is to use larger ball (.535) and pillow ticking patching at the range. This requires a mallet and short-short starter to load but gives optimum accuracy. For the field I use the smaller ball (.530) which loads easily and still gives great 'minute of deer' accuracy.
stinkyfeet
50 Cal.
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Well said my friend well said
Billnpatti
Cannon
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Rifleman nailed it. You have to determine what your particular rifle wants. Mine seems to like a .530 ball wrapped in thoroughly washed pocket drill that is lubed with straight Ballistol. When anyone asks what the best load for their rifle is, I always refer them to "Dutch Schultz' Muzzleloading Accuracy System". You can Google it. I think his current price is $20 and it is the best $20 you can spend on this sport of muzzleloading. Get it and thoroughly read it. Then read it again. Then do exactly as he says and in the order that he says and when you are through, you will have the best and most accurate load for your rifle. Any further accuracy adjusting will have to be done to the "nut-on-the-trigger" :haha:
