Ball size for 20 ga. fowler

[duelist1954]

I've got a 20 ga fowler from TVM...love that gun. I mostly shoot it with shot, but when I do use balls, I've been shooting 0.600".

They are wicked tight, even with really thin patching. I've been thinking of using .58 caliber balls with the same pillow ticking I use to parch my rifles.

Do any of you use .58 caliber balls in a 20 ga?

 

[roundball]

I've got a 20 ga fowler from TVM...love that gun. I mostly shoot it with shot, but when I do use balls, I've been shooting 0.600".
They are wicked tight, even with really thin patching. I've been thinking of using .58 caliber balls with the same pillow ticking I use to parch my rifles.
Do any of you use .58 caliber balls in a 20 ga?

I don't...was wondering a couple of things:
1) Do you use a short starter?
2) Have you had a chance to accurately measure your bore diameter?

Reason I ask for example, is that my .62cal Rice smoothbore barrel is a true .620" bore, and a .600"+.022" patch is a perfect, very accurate PRB combo in it. (requires a short starter of course)

 

[paulvallandigham]

Gun builders have no control over what diameter barrels or barre "stock" is sent to them, and few can afford, or have the on premises locations to do such testing. Until you personally measure the bore diameter of your own barrel, YOU HAVE NO CLUE WHAT SIZE BALL TO USE. :shocked2: :idunno: :surrender:

It sounds like your bore diameter is on the small size- say .605". If so, you want to use balls that are .585, .590, or maybe even .595". Generally, you want to use a lead ball that is sized .020" SMALLER THAN the bore diameter. That leaves room for a thicker fabric patch, which can and will hold sufficient lube to grease the entire bore, going (down), and coming(out)! :bow: The thicker patch also allows you to push the ball and patch into the barrel's muzzle with your thumb, and dispense with the need to have a short starter for a smooth bore. :hmm: :hatsoff:

 

[hanshi]

I have one of TVM's smoothbores, .62, and yes, .600" ball is tight. On the rare occasion I use soft lead .600" ball, .010" patching seems to work fine. It does require a short starter but so do most rifles. I've even used WW ball (.605") which is really tight. However in the woods you'll probably shoot only one shot anyway and it can be reloaded with only minor difficulty.

I bought Jeff Tanner mold (.590") and it thumb starts with .020" ticking and shoots okay as well. Use a good lube such a Hoppes.

 

[Snow on the Roof]

My TVM measures .615. A .600 RB can be thumb started but after 3-4 shots it requires a shot started. I have used .575 RB with .020 ticking with very good results. Try it...

 

[Rifleman1776]

As you have seen, bores do vary. My Jackie Brown fowler uses .600 balls quite nicely.
Check the vendors, a .595 mould is available.

 

[rwiliff]

I use .562 patched round ball in both my .58 rifle and my 20 gauge Northstar West trade gun. They perform well for me.

Warmest Regards,
Robert

 

[matt denison]

Take one minute to call TVM and ask what the bore measures, they will know exactly. Go from there.

 

[matt denison]

"Gun builders have no control over what diameter barrels or barre "stock" is sent to them, and few can afford, or have the on premises locations to do such testing."

Um, not so true. Outfits like TVM and the other dogs in the industry know exactly what they are buying, or having made for them, trust me.

 

[fyrfyter43]

I use a bare .610 ball in my TVM fowling piece.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Au contrare, mis amis! The gunsmith who built my fowling piece had just ordered a "20 ga. barrel" for his own gun. He ordered 2 more barrels for my gun and the gun he made for my twin brother, from the same supplier. His barrel came in at the nominal .615" diameter. Ours came in at .626" or almost 19 gauge! He was even more shocked and disappointed to learn that, than we were.

 

[armymedic.2]

my barrel from tvm is .619, takes a .600 HC ball and .010 patch thumb started as man times as i want to do it. a .015 patch requires a starter.

use a liquid lube and get a real measurement. calipers are worth their weight in this game.

 

[matt denison]

Au contrare, mis amis! The gunsmith who built my fowling piece had just ordered a "20 ga. barrel" for his own gun. He ordered 2 more barrels for my gun and the gun he made for my twin brother, from the same supplier. His barrel came in at the nominal .615" diameter. Ours came in at .626" or almost 19 gauge! He was even more shocked and disappointed to learn that, than we were.

I feel your pain. That left you scrambling around looking for a ball/patch combo that would work, a PITA. I'd wonder if those barrels all came from the same supplier. Barrel reamers are expensive. Most makers have one for each caliber that they make. I had to have a special order reamer for my 16 gage barrels and it was nearly $1,000.00 !! Same with other gages. So a maker will use the reamer thay have. But different makers have different reamers like GM has a .610" so their barrels are that size (which is tight in my opinion.) The next guy may have a .620" which some think is loose. Your .626 is IMHO very large for a 20 bore. Here's where I'm going with this: TVM should know who/where they got the OP's barrel and should know what they ordered and the size. One question you should ask before buying a barrel is "what size is the bore?" I have had long conversations with my barrel supplier (Longhammock) about nominal bore size and how he achieves it. I'd guess that Matt Avance has too.

 

[roundball]

One question you should ask before buying a barrel is "what size is the bore?

Amen...after finding that my GM .62cal drop-in barrels were really .610" I was gun-shy...so when I got ready to have my .54 & .62 smoothbore Virginia's built, I called Rice and specifically asked for confirmation that the barrels would be .540" and .620"...they said they were, I bought them, and they are...outstanding barrels.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Why all the twisted up shorts? :shocked2:
Aren't we supposed to be, at least sorta, playing the game of acting old fashioned, like in 'back then'?
Gun barrels varied considerably in bore size when they came from the factory, master builder or blacksmith. They got what they got. And, we know, it was often customary for a matching ball mould to be provided with the new gun. When/if (long story) my fowler with a new in the white, made circa 1820 damascus forged Belgium barrel in apx. 17 1/2 ga. is ever finished, I'll have to get special wads and ball mould for it. OK, kinda like in the old days. And that is good. :grin:

 

[armymedic.2]

Rifleman. While i agree on many points one thing i have noticed in my pursuits like making buckskin clothing and trapping is they had more "time" sustinence farming and communal survival. This is true even when considering the old methods vs the new ( i am a farmer and have looked at this extensively. As a way i aspire to live. Somewhere around hour 3 or so scraping a hide i really wish i had a few more sons to bring the cattle around. Mho

 

[Rifleman1776]

Yer taking us off into a whole 'nuther philisophical discussion.
These days we do rush and cram way too much into our lives. We want everything standardized. When it comes to shooting, if ye want standard, get a 30-06 and then you can swap ammo with yer buddy. Ain't that a boring notion?
I raised cattle for 25 years. My best times were from 5 a.m. (I actually looked forward to getting up early) to noon when I did my chores and was around the cattle. They never talked back. Then I would come home, clean up and start my day with the (un?)civilized world. That's when the stresses started.

 

[matt denison]

No twisted shorts here. I'm only saying that if you want to know what your bore will mic. out to all you have to do is ask.

In this day and age if you are going to sell guns like I do you have to have your ..ahem.. together and offer something that people understand and can find components for. If my barrrels varied from 19 gage to 21 gage as in the old days I'd soon be looking for other employment.

 

[62tulle]

Just try .595 with a few patch combos then .590 and see what works best. Don't bother with nominal sizes in between,your balls will vary by a few thous. anyway. Shouldn't be so complicated.

 

[roundball]

No twisted shorts here. I'm only saying that if you want to know what your bore will mic. out to all you have to do is ask.

In this day and age if you are going to sell guns like I do you have to have your ..ahem.. together and offer something that people understand and can find components for. If my barrrels varied from 19 gage to 21 gage as in the old days I'd soon be looking for other employment.

Amen again.

To follow the other 'logic' means there's no need to have powder measures, powder granulations, patches, or wads either.
Sounds like all that's required is to just put any undersized ball in the palm of the hand, (flat or cupped), cover it with some unknown/inconsistent amount of any granulation of powder, stuff some leaves down bore for a wad (or not), wrap the ball in a green leaf or a piece of hunting shirt (or not), seat it down, stuff some more leaves/grass on top (or not) and go shoot some clover leafs at 50yds.
:grin: