Changed my mind. Want to shoot wads instead of patches.

[webstell]

So what size mold would I choose if I decided to shoot rb with wads instead of prb? Bore measures .686 with calipers at the muzzle of my Japanese charleville.

I realized the versatility of being able to take small game and large game during the same hunt out weighs the accuracy achievable from a prb. I know, I know... but I have no interest in a double even tho it would be the best of both worlds.

In the field I would be loaded with rb first. Mule deer, snowshoe hare, spruce, ruffed and blue grouse is the game I regularly encounter. There are some whitetail on my side of the river but primarily mule.

Again, I live in Canada and I can't order a bunch of different sized balls from across the line as its, not legal, even if it were, shipping is stupid expensive. Seems the best I can do for size trials up here is what hornady carries and that isn't much.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I'm not sure the justification for skipping the patch. If you use a bare ball you can't pull the ball with a screw and it likely won't just slide out (especially in a dirty bore) if you want to swap the ball for shot unless it's so loose it would be useless on a deer sized target past 25 yards or so.

I make paper cartridges for my smoothies. As would have been used with the Charleville. Plain 'ol typewriter paper works. If I change my mind I can pull the ball with a screw puller and switch to shot.

But, if you have a .686" bore a .678" bare ball or .675" for patch should get you there. And unless you are using a Jeff Tanner mold and making your own you have the choice of 0.672", 0.675" or 0.678" (Track of the Wolf)

 

[webstell]

Ah, I see. Hmm. I guess I could just load the powder and a wad then load what ever lead I needed as I needed it but that won't really work while hunting deer as it will spook before I manage that. Paper cartridges would be OK but often times its fairly dry and hot out early season here (September). Back to the drawing board I go...

 

[tenngun]

By making a nest of your wadding you can be forgiving of ball sizes. Just for s&g I shot .570s in my ,62 centermark tulle and it shot close to the recommened .595 with deer dropping accuracy out to 50 yards. You can do that with paper just taking the time to form your nest at the muzzle. After all you aint shooting lobster backs and you don't have to load 4 per minute.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Paper cartridges would be OK but often times its fairly dry and hot out early season here (September).

I dip the ball end of my cartridges in beeswax and the untreated paper is torn off at the muzzle.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

It has been more then once that I and my friends have been deer hunting with wadded ball, wanted to take a turkey and used the worm to pull the top wad to let the ball roll out and load from there with shot. If you have to patch a ball why not do so in a rifled bore so some spin can be imparted. JMO : )

 

[Homesteader]

Didn't I read in one of the Lewis & Clark diaries that they would dump their shot and reload with ball if they came across big game? I know it's easier and quicker to do that than the other way around.


But to be fair I do more squirrel and paper target hunting than anything these days, so what do I know..?

 

[larryp]

Actually you can pull the ball with a screw. I do it all the time. I use the screw to pull the top card and more often or not the ball will come with it. Whith a bare ball it doesn't take much of a bite into the ball for it to come out like it does when it's patched.

 

[Billnpatti]

I just can't recommend a bare ball. A patched ball is so far superior to a bare ball in all respects. Use a ball that is about .010 smaller than your bore and a patch that is about .018 thick. Lube it with whatever your favorite lube is. A wad is a good idea if you don't find it to be too bothersome. Personally, I find it to be worth the small extra effort in terms of improved accuracy. I make my wads of a 100% wool felt that I order from a company called Duro Felt They sell felt that is specifically for making wads. http://www.durofelt.com/image_26.html You can get a punch from many different companies or have OHIO RAMROD [email protected] on this forum make one for you. His custom punches are extremely reasonably priced.

 

[teakmtn]

What would be the problem with loading and carrying a shot charge, then if larger game was to present itself, loading a patched ball directly on top of the shot charge?

 

[Oudoceus]

I was about to suggest something similar teakmtn. One can even load one over the other if you're out and are not sure what size game you're apt to encounter. That way you're ready for whatever target you are presented with. On a blog I frequent the writer suggests doing just that.

 

[54ball]

Well I disagree. There are many things wrong with such a load.
Lets see, Powder say 80 to 90 grains depending on the load...a over powder card or wadding...1 to 1 1/2 the 90 grn measure by volume of lead shot....over shot cards or wadding on top of that... Now you going to drop a ball pus the overball wad on top of that?

IMHO that's asking for trouble. Counting wads and shot, I think this is pretty close to a triple ball load. I think it is risky and puts too much stress on the gun and shooter. There is also more of a chance for a void between loads which trust me can be BAAD.
I have not mentioned how this load would shoot. Any load needs to be confirmed and developed by practice, I do not know many who would practice with such a load.

webstell

I use bare ball with Spanish moss wads, I have posted several times about it. It works well for me.

 

[Grandpa Ron]

The historic load for the trade gun in native firearms was powder, wadding, ball or shot, a little more wadding. There are many reports of swapping out the ball for shot and vice versa. Wadding was grass, hair, tow, paper or a host of other materials.

I have never seen documentation on loading a smooth rifle but I would guess they would have used a PRB.

The patched round ball in a smoothbore trade gun or fowler has little historic documentation. How do I know this? I shoot with a group of very hard core reenactors from time to time. As for ball size, the Hudson Bay Company considered a ball appropriate for use if it was .015” to .064” under gauge size.

My own testing; my .540” bore smoothie showed very little difference at 40 yard with a .526” or .490” ball when loaded powder, wad, ball and thin top wad.

My standard load, which I am always trying to improve on, is power, cushion wad, and .526" ball in a .018" patch.

I believe that for hunting, Stump killer’s paper cartridges would be hard to improve on.

One of the problems in the field is handling all the materials for a second shot. That is one of the reasons why the PRB and loading block are so popular.