Changed ball size for my 20 ga

[rich pierce]

With my .620 Ed Rayle barrel, I was shooting a .600 patched round ball. Today I tried a .605 patched round ball - thinner patch, about as tight as the previous load. Either I was having a really good shooting day or I chanced upon a better combo. I use 75 grains of FFG. Left to right was very good. I always have more trouble with vertical spread at my age.

 

[IanH]

Everything I do to a smoothbore regarding larger ball and thinner patch for a tight combo has grouped better in every one of my guns. One of these days I'm going to dry .010" pocket drill and .513" in my .622". .602/.018" works better than .595/.022.

Running .465/.018 in my .580 and it makes half-caliber groups at 25 yards and 3" groups at 50.

 

[rich pierce]

Everything I do to a smoothbore regarding larger ball and thinner patch for a tight combo has grouped better in every one of my guns. One of these days I'm going to dry .010" pocket drill and .513" in my .622". .602/.018" works better than .595/.022.

Running .465/.018 in my .580 and it makes half-caliber groups at 25 yards and 3" groups at 50.

Ian, did you mis-type some numbers? Using a .513” ball in a 20 ga? Just checking.

 

[IanH]

Yes....oops. Long week. .613" is what my .610" mould casts from 99.5% pure foundry lead; I use those same balls when running bare ball loads but haven't tried them patched yet. Smallest ball I tried in the 20 gauge was .575" with .34" denim twill and all it did was burn rings in the patches and throw the balls approximately in the same direction the muzzle was pointed.