GM .62 cal .smoothbore

[twotoescharlie]

I have one of these on the way for my T/C Renegade.
Does anyone have any starting loads for shot and/or roundball for this barrel?
I have four barrels .50 rifled, .54 rifled (GM) , .56 smooth, and the .62 smooth (GM) on the way. tried the .56 this week with 70g ffg black,followed by 3 OS card wads, 1 1/8 oz. #6 shot followed by a single OS wad. got good results at 25 yards.

TTC

 

[roundball]

Check this thread in the 'Smoothbore' category...
[url] http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/209374[/url]/

 

[bart_anastasi]

got one of these things last year for xmas a hoot.

Am working up some loads again and

80 gr of 2f goex with a 600 round ball and a .10 Wonderlube patch. No other anyting on or over the ball very good out to 50 yards.


85gr same basic results.

no wiping between shots.

60 an 70 grains of powder and not worth a heck.

Since I have the same barrel as you a renegade these could be some good starting loads.

Next week am going to try 90 gr but thing with the heavy bullet even if it groups it may be more than I want to put up with.

 

[Cutfingers]

I recently picked up a smooth bore made by Dave Conte from a Caywood kit about 10 years ago. Used 70 gr. of 3F, a.600 round ball made with a Rapine mold and a .20 patch. At 25 yds I got a 1 inch grouping with three shots and the holes were touching and at 50 yds a 2 inch group. This was benched. Offhand I shot well but not nearly as tight as benched. (human error ) Tried one shot at 200 yds and hit about 2 feet below a 1 ft. sq. steel plate. Hope this helps some.
Cutfingers

 

[paulvallandigham]

Bart: As you will note in Cutfinger's answer above, he is using a much thicker patch than you are using. That can make all the difference in the world in shooting accuracy with a round ball out of a smooth bore gun.

Measure the bore of the gun with calipers, and then use the thickest patching you can force down the barrel with the appropriate sized ball. A .62 barrel, or " 20 Gauge " should run between .615", and .620" in diameter. The ball diameter is traditional chosen to be .010" smaller than the bore diameter, which is why most of these guns shoot a .600" ball, well. If you cast your own, and the lead is not pure, the ball may be a bit larger. Measure the balls- whether you cast them, or buy them. It affects the thickness of the patching you must use.

If your bore is a true .620", then I would recomment that you try .015, .018 and .020 thick patches, lubed of course, with that .600 RB to see what accuracy you get. You might also try a 20 ga. OP wad to better seal gases behind the PRB. Then, 70 grains of FFg powder should give you the kind of accuracy that Cutfingers is getting out of his gun. If you can get that kind of accuracy just using the thicker patch, then don't bother with the OP wad.