blown patches

[Old Charlie]

I recently got a trade gun. I have been shooting .595 balls in it. With three over shot cards over the powder and .015 pillow ticking patches. I am getting blown patches and the gun is shooting low. I am going to try .600 balls for a tighter fit to try to stop the blown patches. Do you guys think it will help?
Old Charlie

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Try a real wad under the ball, those overshot cards just wrap around the back of the ball and thus do not seal the bore. There is a reason why they make "over-powder wads" and "over-shot wads", one is not a good substitute for the other. When shooting ball from a smoothbore is the only time I use a fiber wad, it seals the bore because the front end will indent to the ball rather than just wrap around it like a thin card. Also a thicker patch would do more to prevent blow out than would a larger ball.

 

[Rebel]

My patches in my smoothbore are burning up no matter what kind of patch or wad i use. I have tried thick denim patches and even leather and they still come out burned. I have used thick overpowder wads under the patched ball, a thick wad and a lubed fiber cushion wad, and they are still burned. Whats up with that. The charge is only 70 grs of Goex 3f.It is getting good accuracy though so i guess it isn't a real issue. Just wondering how the patches can be burning with the wads under them. I use the same powder charge, or even more, in my rifle with no wad and they aren't burned.

 

[Roy]

I have no idea, I found three of the patches from today's shooting and besides having a little ring from fowling I could basically re-use them. I take it that your wad fits tight down the bore?

 

[roundball]

I recently got a trade gun. I have been shooting .595 balls in it. With three over shot cards over the powder and .015 pillow ticking patches. I am getting blown patches and the gun is shooting low. I am going to try .600 balls for a tighter fit to try to stop the blown patches. Do you guys think it will help?
Old Charlie

Do the patches you're using have plenty of lube on them?

Do you have any .018" pillow ticking you can try before ordering a bunch of .600s?

 

[Rebel]

Only thing i can think is the patches don't have enough lube on them, but with the wads under them i didn't think that would matter.

 

[Roy]

Thats odd.

 

[Rebel]

Yea, i thought so too. Never had this happen with any of my other smoothbores.

 

[nchawkeye]

You might try 2 lubed .010 patches....My .54 would burn through one lubed .020, but not 2 .010s....Go figure...

 

[Rebel]

Worth a try. Thanks.

 

[renovato]

A tighter fit will sometimes end burned patches. If much flame gets around the patch/ball, it tends to burn a ring in the patch. I've always had good luck using a lubed wad in guns that blew patches. That was after getting the ball size/patch thickness correct first.

 

[redwing]

I had the same problem. Blown patches and shooting low at 25 Yds. with 70 G/2F and a .600 ball. I use a .014 cotton drill patch. The lube is Black powder Plus as I shoot in very dry air.
I found by using a Blue & Grey 5/8s lubed over powder wads under the ball it ended the problems. The patches no longer flame and the gun is almost zero at 25 Yds.
Often times the problem is caused by the patch being torn on the way down. This can be caused by lead that has coated the bore. This stuff can be very sharp and cuts patches. If you have been blowing patches, you have been leading the bore. I would try a good deleading process first. :thumbsup:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Are you getting back pressure when you seat those Over powder wads? If not the wads are not big enough for the bore, and gas is coming around to burn your patches. measure the bore of your smoothie, always before deciding on components, and diameter of ball. My 20 ga. fowler turns out to be over bored, and I have to use 19 ga. wads to seal the powder. No problem, but it was a shock to find it out. Like everyone else, I just accepted the gunmaker's claim that it was a 20 gauge. He bought the barrels from the same supplier who had sold him the barrel on his own fowler. His IS 20 gauge. He was shocked when we told him what we found. He even pulled out his calipers and measure the bores himself to confirm it.

 

[Rebel]

My bore is .516-.517 and i am using .20 ga wads. Yes there is pressure when i seat them, that is why i can't figure this out.

 

[roundball]

"...My bore is .516-.517..."

Basically a .50caliber ??

And 62cal wads fit into it?

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Yeah, Rebel, that is weird. I assume you mean the bore is .617" and regular 20 gauge wads should be fine. I can't imagine how a patch could burn with card and fiber wads behind it. Just shows how unpredictable smoothbores can be! :grin: But if you're getting good accuracy, well, just try not to burn down the woods! :thumbsup:

 

[Rebel]

No, i meant .616 not .516, sorry. It is a .20 ga.

 

[Roy]

more lube!! :grin:

 

[Rebel]

Burning down the woods is the main thing I Am Worried about. Accuracy is fine. I can not understand how the patches, even the leather ones, are burning especially with both a thick overpowder wad and a lubed fiber cushion wad under it. Never had this happen before. More Lube on the patch?

 

[Rebel]

Guess so. But how can any fire be getting to the patch with wads between the powder and patched ball?