Finding the Right Ball for your Rifle?

[bang]

Sadly, not everyone has the proper equipment to measure the bore of firearms. New comers to the world of firearms are the least prepared for such tasks. Even many old timers don't have the right tools.

Dial calibers are inexpensive and will get you on mark. Patch thickness might vary but only if the barrel has really deep riflings and narrow lands. Pillow ticking isn't expensive and can get in both 0.015 and 0.018. just take the dial calipers with you and get smallest amount of each. Always check for end of bolt remnants, cheaper.
If you have to bruise your palm on the short starter it's too thick.

 

[mooman76]

Ball Moulds don't always drop what their size states, especially if you aren't running 100% pure lead. Alloyed lead will drop slightly larger.

 

[Greg Blackburn]

Eddie May's info, but I have not called the number yet.

https://www.go2gbo.com/threads/62-caliber-smoothbore.89156/

 

[SDSmlf]

If you don't put any value on your time.

I do value my time, that is why I cast most of the roundballs I use. I control the lead, the temperature and the mold used. Don’t have to worry about size or weight variations from individual or multiple suppliers. Changing nothing else except ball lots and or suppliers, have seen groups open up 6” or more at 100 yards.

And when shooting paper patched conicals, casting my own bullets has been the only thing that really worked, at least for me.

Everything we do in this muzzleloading shooting hobby all comes down to delivering a projectile on a distant target. Not putting the extra effort into that projectile being the best to perform like we want wastes a lot time at the range and in the field. But if what you are doing works for you, great. You are ahead of most of the crowd.

 

[user 36911]

I do value my time, that is why I cast most of the roundballs I use. I control the lead, the temperature and the mold used. Don’t have to worry about size or weight variations from individual or multiple suppliers. Changing nothing else except ball lots and or suppliers, have seen groups open up 6” or more at 100 yards.

And when shooting paper patched conicals, casting my own bullets has been the only thing that really worked, at least for me.

Everything we do in this muzzleloading shooting hobby all comes down to delivering a projectile on a distant target. Not putting the extra effort into that projectile being the best to perform like we want wastes a lot time at the range and in the field. But if what you are doing works for you, great. You are ahead of most of the crowd.

My way is pretty simple I buy the cast balls from October Country. I've stopped measuring and weigh them they're so consistent. The price is cheap too.

The time I gain by not casting is spent in the mountains scouting or shooting.

 

[DoninNH]

For the best fit of ball to rifling remember that the ball must be smaller than the bore of the lands and that the slack caused by the rifling will be taken up by the patch thickness.

If your patching is fabric, recover one of your properly lubed fired patches and observe the ring where it held the ball. If the fit is correct, the patch will be complete and whole and will show an area where the rifling is impressed into the patch (and into the ball below) by the lands with no blow by of gasses seen or cuts in the patching - the rifling has been filled by the patch which tightly held the ball. If the rifling ring shows cuts in the patch, it will indicate that either gasses have gotten by and perhaps shows burning (not thick enough patching) or perhaps the hole of your muzzle was not properly "honed" to be smooth as like in a funnel and cuts the patch like a knife when loading. The latter can be fixed by proper honing the hole of the muzzle. The former can be fixed by using a thicker patch. Proper fit will also be shown by ease of ramming home. Using a short-starter makes everything easier, too.

Don in NH

 

[MTGUNNER]

If it's a new rifle, do what bang suggested and shoot 100 rounds. Make no adjustments to your sights as you want to smooth the sharp edges off the lands. Pick up your patches and look for excessive shredding or cut holes from the lands. If you are getting cut or shredded patches, shoot another 50 rounds. Are you beginning to shoot a group. Then it's time to find Eddie May and get a sample pack. Go to a good fabric store and buy 1/4 yard of pillow ticking (0.015"), 1/4 yard of mattress ticking (0.020"), 1/4 yard of pocket drill (0.018"), or denim and 1/4 yard of tightly woven canvas (0.022"). Use a simple patch lube of Murphy's Oil Soap and water to dampen the patch.

Load development can take a while. Don't get discouraged. For more details get Dutch Schoultz's instructions for Black Powder Rifle Accuracy. Its 94 pages of good information. Blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com

Buy an inexpensive digital calipers. Harbor has an adequate one for about $20 that is often for sale for $10.

Thanks Grenadier, I already have Dutch's system :>))

 

[Grenadier1758]

Certainly, you could get a 40 caliber jag for your 45 caliber rifle and a package of 0000 steel wool or JB Bore paste rather than shoot 100 rounds. Use a ball of steel wool or coat a patch with the bore paste and run the abrasive up and down the bore 100 to 200 times, but where's the fun in that.

 

[Griz44Mag]

If you don't put any value on your time.

It's a hobby - pure and simple.
It's parallel to fishing.
God does not deduct time spent fishing (or shootin') from a man's allocated time here on Earth.
If that is the way you look at your time spent on your hobby - then it is not your hobby......

 

[user 36911]

I doubt God told you that.

 

[Griz44Mag]

I doubt God told you that.

Just to clear your confusion -
I would give you my testament as to my personal dealings with God, but that is forbidden on this forum.....

"If you don't put any value on your time. "
YOU said that....

What value do you put on your time hanging around with old fools like me on a publically open forum????
Is hanging here on the forum NOT part of your hoby time? Do you get paid for that?
I am fortunate enough to be able to spend time casting, shooting, hunting, making sausage and hanging around here.....

"God does not deduct time spent fishing (or shootin') from a man's allocated time here on Earth."
I don't see where I said he did - My Grandfather told me that - (A Baptist preacher) said that - What I do doubt is that you understood it ...

"If that is the way you look at your time spent on your hobby - then it is not your hobby...... "
God did not say that either - I said that -

We straight now???

 

[tenngun]

If you don't put any value on your time.

How much value is your time sitting around the house on your days off. Pouring ball beats the heck out of watching tv, or just lounging around

 

[Tanglefoot]

We all have the same number of hours in every day. How we choose to spend them is up to us. Like sharpening my own tools, making my own pouches and horns, powder measures and leather needfuls, I find that casting my own round ball is a good time for thinking, it saves a few pennies here and there, and it helps me be less dependent on traders. There floats my stick.
Tanglefoot

 

[SDSmlf]

Casting roundballs and bullets have been part of the hobby for me since I started as a kid. Muzzleloading is time consuming, at least for me. Preloaded cartridges would save time. Smokeless powder would reduce cleaning time. Automatic loading guns even more time. Guess if my time was so valuable I could just have Amazon deliver my meat and meals instead of wasting time hunting. Maybe hire someone to cook for me. If out and about no point wasting time in a restaurant, would use a drive through. Probably wouldn’t waste my valuable time on forums, once everything that can learned was learned, why bother?

 

[user 36911]

This was taken out of context. Someone said casting balls is cheaper and you have your money back in two casting.

I said if you don't put any value in your time. If you're comparing what something cost. You have to figure in your time. Unless to do everything for nothing in your life.

I'd prefer to hike, shoot, fish, or hunt than cast balls. I'm free to make that decision. I don't have days off. I've been retired for over 20 years. I have lots of time to spend on forums and still do anything else I want to do. Retired and single means i'm only responsible for myself and my dog.

If you'd rather cast balls better than anything else you could do. Go right ahead.

As a Christian. I doubt God cares if you cast balls or not. It never should have been mentioned.

 

[tenngun]

Gave you a like. I cast my own and enjoy it. But this is a hobby and if ain’t fun there is no reason to do it. Lots of folks on this forum do military, but I don’t care for marching, having my camp laid out, or specific equipment to be acceptable to the group.
There is enough room in this sport for everyone.

 

[user 36911]

Yes, we're all different. I enjoy the fur trade era. It fits where I live and the guns that I like.

 

[rich pierce]

On topic: the form of rifling influences what ball size can be used. If not interested in target accuracy, read no more. Lots of loads will shoot into 3” at 50 yards. No worries.

Ok let’s consider 3 forms of rifling.

1) Original rifles often show wide lands and narrow grooves. They are likely that way because it’s easier to cut narrow grooves by hand. Less metal to remove.

2) Many modern ML rifles have lands and grooves about equal in width.

3) Some modern ML barrels have grooves much wider than lands. Narrow lands, wide grooves.

If 3 barrels displaying these three rifling forms had equal bore diameter (.450 for example) and equal groove depths (0.010” deep for example) here is my approach and expectation:

Barrel 1 with narrow grooves probably needs a .440 ball that is 0.010” smaller than land to land dimension because it takes a lot of work to impress wide impressions into the ball. It would be very hard to start a .445 ball that is 0.005” smaller than bore diameter with a decent patch.

Barrel 2 with about equal lands and grooves will start a .440 ball easier than barrel 1. A .445 ball is worth trying.

Barrel 3 with narrow lands and wide grooves needs a .445 or possibly a .450 ball for best accuracy.

Now let’s consider patch thickness. Could rifling form influence optimal patch thickness?

Barrel 1 has very low groove volume. Barrel 2 has medium groove volume. Barrel 3 has maximal groove volume.

I can and will use thicker patching with wider grooves. It’s the only way to fill the grooves well.

 

[Flinty Scot]

I doubt God told you that.

But perhaps should have.

 

[Flinty Scot]

A friend just got a CVA brass barreled blunderbuss (an old kit), smooth bore. He wants to try a ball as well as shot. It's marked .69 but, because of the deep bell, I haven't been able to actually measure the bore.
What is the common ball size for .69 musket? At least that's a starting point. Thanks.