Getting started with patched round balls

[BigCity]

I have a .58 Enfield repro and I have only used minies with it. What do I need to get started with PRB's. I have no experience in this matter. Any help would be appreciated. Is it worth it to switch to PRB? It seems in looking thru past posts that there is more to it than just a patch and a ball. There is different thicknesses of patch and ball, lubes, etc. I'm so confused!!

 

[Stumpkiller]

Easy as falling off a log.

You need yourself some 0.570" lead balls and sone cotton cloth. If you have a micrometer, anything in the 0.015" to 0.018" range that doesn't have synthetic fibers (they melt) will get you going. Cotton pillow ticking is the standard choice. Flannel, old T-shirts, bed sheets, linen table cloths (don't tell your wife I sent you), Woolrich shirts, any natural fiber will work.


Lube? Saliva, Crisco, oilve oil, Murphy's Oil Soap, about anything wet will work. Natural Lube 1000 Plus (aka Bore Butter) is a very good store-bought lube. I have a couple favorite home-brews (search on "Moose Milk" or "Moose Snot").

Round balls are much cheaper to buy and easier to cast yourself. The weight is different from a Mini

 

[roundball]

.....Now, it will take you the rest of your life to perfect it. Ain't muzzleloading wonderful? :haha:

(TMA Charter Member #36 . . . Beat 'cha!)

Don't be intimidated...he's exaggerating...you'll have it figured out is less than 20 years.
::

(TMA Charter Member #22)
:: :: ::

 

[Slamfire]

Don't be intimidated...he's exaggerating...you'll have it figured out is less than 20 years.
::

(TMA Charter Member #22)
:: :: ::

Maybe he's like me and ain't sure if he's got 20 years left. :cry:

 

[merdean]

Less than 20 years for that rifle. Another 20 to 30 for the next one, then another 20 to 30........This is just a great sport. You will live forever if you just buy another rifle every 20 to 30 years.................
:relax:

 

[Rat]

Generally speaking you will also want to keep your loads light, sometimes the ball will "skip" the shallow rifling.

Light load is a relative term of course, I like powder charges right in the 100 grain range in my .75" musket, .62" flinter and my .58" minnie rifles. You may already be shooting the powder-puff 60 grain service charge.

Having said that, I've heard from many on this forum that they don't have that problem. I tried round balls in my Zouave years (many) ago and could not shoot much over 60 grains and maintain accuracy.

I now have a 1861 (man I love that rifle) and will probably try it again just for fun, I've learned a lot about round-ball shooting in the last four years that I did not know way back last time I tried it. Actually I would be happy with 70-80 grains behind a ball in my .58's for hunting, although I'm not sure why I'd use a ball for that purpose instead of a minnie or slug, in a minnie/slug rifle.

But for target practice and just plain shooting for fun there's no reason not to try it. With a .570" ball and a .018" patch you will probably need a short-starter, and with the shallow rifling a tight ball/patch combo is probably best.

Rat

Rat

 

I have an early Lancaster in .58 and shoot only PRB. Rest assured that a .577 PRB on top of 60 grains of 2F will kill deer all day and you will probably never recover a ball inside the animal.

Any accurate load over 50 grains will be sufficient for deer.

 

[Rat]

Yeah I'm kind of an overkillisjustright kind of a guy.

I only shoot roundball in my Jaeger, and obviously only in my Brown Bess...I consider them round-ball guns and have no desire to shoot a slug.

However, in the minnie rifles/rifled muskets the minnie or a short slug is just what seems "right" in them, so that's what I shoot in them. If I had any type of long rifle or Hawken in .58" I'd definately stick with round ball....as I am a believer in the roundball.

Now after saying all that, and with the Ghost ("El Fantasama") shooting through deer all day with a RB over only 60 grains, I may be inspired to see if I can get my little short snorter half stock once-was-a-Zouave to shoot good with 70 grains and a round ball, as I do have a .570 ball mould I'd like to keep using, and then the 1861 can be the official slug gun.

Rat

 

[WV_Hillbilly]

I was just curious... I know round balls are less costly to shoot, but the Minie is traditionally the bullet of choice in these type of Muskets. Have you ever shot, or considered shooting a lightweight (315gr) Minie? These usually work quite well in a Zouave. Although you would probably have to get a mould and cast them, OR find someone who does to make them for you. The .570 round balls are available commercially, but your gun may like a .562 round ball (which sometimes shoots better).

You have gotten some good information in the other replies, regarding the procedures necessary for round ball loading. (along with some humour as well!).

Shoot Safely! (but have fun too!)
WV_Hillbilly