Coned barrels/shredded patches/accuracy

[smokehouseman]

Does your coned barrel produce shredded patches and still have no effect on accuracy?

 

[rabjr]

I've never seen a shredded patch from my conned guns. As far as accuracy, they are more accurate than I can shoot them.

 

[Swampman]

My coned barrels all shot great. No problems at all.

 

[stfilcek]

Smokehouse. I have coned three barrels, one of them a smooth .69 one .32 and one .54. I did not notice any difference in blown patches or accuracy only noticed easier starting. One thing I have been doing that seems to help is use over powder patches on all. This seems to keep things going longer before "swabbing" and I can use thinner patches where the guns agree (accuracy doesn't change). The only adjustment was to add a couple grains to adjust for the weight of the wad.

 

[jtmattison]

I've never seen a shredded patch from my coned guns. As far as accuracy, they are more accurate than I can shoot them.

Same here.

HD

 

[tg]

"Smokehouse. I have coned three barrels, one of them a smooth .69"

Was there any change in the pattern of shot loads?

 

[Herb]

What caliber is your rifle and what loads are you shooting in it?

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

> 10 coned, mine and friends, ZERO shredded patches, and all maintained previous accuracy. In fact, most are probably MORE 'accurate' ... 'cuz the owners enjoy shootin' them more! Hence, more practice :thumbsup: .

 

[bingo1952]

If you are shredding patches either the lands are too sharp or your patch & ball combo is too loose letting a lot of gas get by the patch. Or it could be a combination of the two.

 

[MSW]

i wouldn't hesitate to cone any barrel- it makes loading easier (and practice more enjoyable). if the barrel was shredding patches, coning can't hurt and might help, since some patch problems come from a rough bit just as the lands transition into the crown, and coneing will remove the short portion of the offending lands and smooth everything out.

i've put a cone on everything i own and i've seen no measureable change in accuracy.

good luck- make smoke!

 

[smokehouseman]

I coned a barrel on a new GM .58 caliber. Shooting round balls .562 patched with Walmart pillow ticking (018) over 70 grains of 777. Currently bench rest shooting at 30 yards and have obtained excellent groupings (cloverleaf) will now take it to 50 yards to see what I get. My problem is I'm still shredding my patches, some I can't find others have the middle blown completely out of them. In an older article in "Muzzleloader" magazine I read were coned barrels tend to shred patches. My thinking is so what if the patches are blown as long as my groups remain consistently accurate. Almost forgot, I did work the barrel over with 0000 steel wool giving it about 75 strokes in hopes of taking the edge off the lands. The 50 yard test should prove to be interesting.

 

[jtmattison]

I coned a barrel on a new GM .58 caliber. Shooting round balls .562 patched with Walmart pillow ticking (018) over 70 grains of 777. Currently bench rest shooting at 30 yards and have obtained excellent groupings (cloverleaf) will now take it to 50 yards to see what I get. My problem is I'm still shredding my patches, some I can't find others have the middle blown completely out of them. In an older article in "Muzzleloader" magazine I read were coned barrels tend to shred patches. My thinking is so what if the patches are blown as long as my groups remain consistently accurate. Almost forgot, I did work the barrel over with 0000 steel wool giving it about 75 strokes in hopes of taking the edge off the lands. The 50 yard test should prove to be interesting.

Your patch problem is likely the 777. Try a lubed felt wad over powder and see if it solves the problem.

HD

 

[paulvallandigham]

I agree that your problem is OBVIOUSLY that you are burning that 777 powder. MY GOD man, that stuff burns at over 700 degrees! And you are wondering why the center of your patches are burned out completely??? :surrender: :shocked2: :nono: :rotf:

Either change to using read black powder, or use some kind of fire barrier- an OP WAD, or any filler, or the suggestion of a folded over, lubed cleaning patch on top of the powder. Any kind of fire wall between the powder and the PRB is going to protect your patch from burning up in the barrel. And, use a patch that is at least .015" thick, too. Anything thinner can also burn using FFFg black powder when you get to 70 grains and more.

 

[Herb]

I don't believe that bit about coned muzzles shredding patches. I've done maybe a dozen of them, .40, 50, 54 and .58. But HD and Paul are right, that Triple 7 burns hotter and it does tear patches. A thicker patch AND an overpowder wad will cure your problems. I got a set of gasket punches from Harbor Freight and use the 3/4" one to cut wads from either split leather (from a saddle shop) or thick wool. I got a shrunk down sweater of real wool (too small to wear), about .2 thick, that makes OK OPWs. You can also cut them out with scissors if you are patient enough, maybe using a penny for a template. I lube mine with a mix of Murphy Oil Soap and alcohol (about 1 to 3), start the wad into the muzzle concentrically, then seat the patched ball onto it. We bet that will cure your problems.

 

[paulvallandigham]

YOu can buy /125" thick " A" OP Wads from Track of the Wolf for $7.50 for 1,000 wads !! At that price, its a bit hard to spend the time and energy to find a properly sized punch, and then use second hand materials to make your own.

If you are going to make them yourself, consider using Roundall's suggestion of going to the next larger caliber size for those wool felt wads. They seal better. ( ie, in a .50, use .54 caliber wads; in a .54, use .58 caliber wads, etc.)

You will get a better seal using the harder Vegetable fiber wads in your rifle than if you use the wool wads. The wads for the .50 caliber, for example, are cut to .510, which happens to fill the grooves in most .50 caliber rifles correctly. I shoot real Black Powder in my rifle, and the OP wad not only seals the gas well, but serves as both a fire wall, and a way to boost chamber pressure, so I get more complete burning of my FFg powder.
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(0...tId=2&subId=37&styleId=121&PageSize=25&Page=2

 

[smokehouseman]

Thanks for all the advise. Real black stuff not a LEGAL option where I'm located at but if it were I would give it a go. I'll report back when I give some of these suggestions a try.

 

[tg]

". My thinking is so what if the patches are blown as long as my groups remain consistently accurate."

There is a lot of truth in that if you have a gun putting the balls in a tight group and the pathces show damage it may no be an issue, I had a .45 that would put the balls in the same ragged hole at 30 yds if you could hold it that steady but it tore the patches some, there can be room for improvement but sometimes you may be getting as good as it gets, and still get some patch damage.

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

I have one barrel that was making small disturbances in two places on the backside of the patch. It did not mess up the accuracy. I tried the steel wool trick but could not get it out.
I put a Joe Woods cone on the barrel and it still does it! It still does not effect the accuracy
it is a tack driving monster! So I do not worry about it any more. I would like to have normal looking patches after I shoot em, But I ain't going to fix what aint broke!!!. It is a Colerain
62 cailber barrel with round bottomed riflings.
:thumbsup: