Help needed with a pistol question

[gvandersluis]

I recently acquire a 31 cal ss cap and ball pistol. It came with a 31 cal mould and a 100 cast ball. Even using a 5 thou patch I cannot load the gun short of hammering the patched ball into the muzzle. Would there be any downside to loading powder then seating a patch over the powder and finally seating the ball over the wadded up patch? Any thoughts would be appreciated

 

[leadhoarder]

It is rare for someone to use a patch with a cap and ball pistol. If you load just the ball wihtout a patch does it shave a ring of lead? If so just run them bare.

 

[gvandersluis]

Sorry perhaps I should have been clearer this is a Single shot cap and ball pistol not a revolver

 

[Whitworth]

I would use the over powder wad followed by ball and a greased patch for an over wad to hold the ball against the charge and provide some lube. YMMV

 

[Sam squanch]

Sounds like you need a smaller ball. May need a custom mold.

 

[martin9]

Track of the wolf has .283 and .300 balls. I'd put the calipers on the ones you have and see what they measure out at and order some that were smaller diameter.

You could try the patch or wad then the ball but I think you'd be better off getting balls of the proper size .

 

[Sam squanch]

Sounds like this would be a economical plinker and squirrel getter!

 

[bang]

Yeah a .300 or .295 maybe even a .290 and .01 patch.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Your friend here is your digital Vernier Caliper. They are cheap and can do the measurements you need to determine the ball size you need. You definitely need a smaller ball than the 31 caliber ball you have. You may be able to get by with no patch and an over shot card to hold the ball in the barrel.

 

[TNGhost]

You might try some #1 buckshot it is .30. I use it in a single barrel "31" I have. and in one of those cheesy Classic Arms pepperboxes.

That said, if the balls you have will engage the rifling then you could just use a lubed wad over the powder (like in a revolver) and push the ball down on tip of it and see if you get acceptable accuracy

 

[gvandersluis]

Thank you all for your help and ideas I have purchased 2 more Molds a Lee in .308 and a Ballmould in .301 which I haven’t tried yet. I would like to use the .31 ball and I will try some at my next shoot over a lubed patch. I think that they will engrave the rifling but if I’m wrong then it will be the 308 with a 5 thou patch or once I cast them some 301with a ten thou patch. Thanks again

 

[.36Rooster]

Sounds like this would be a economical plinker and squirrel getter!

Let's have a look at the gun!

 

[user 48679]

Your mold most likely throws balls meant for a C&B revolver - which have larger bores than a single-shot rifle/handgun.

As indicated above, I would first try to ram the ball on hand home sans patch, then run a lubed wad down atop the seated naked ball.

.

 

[gvandersluis]

Let's have a look at the gun!

I’ll take a pic and post it

 

[gvandersluis]

Let's have a look at the gun!

Here’s my .31cal

 

[gvandersluis]

And another

 

[gvandersluis]

I forgot to add them here again

 

[Whitworth]

Thanks, nice looking pistol.

 

[Grenadier1758]

What's the measurement of the land to land diameter of the barrel? Have you measured the groove to groove diameter?

 

[gvandersluis]

I don’t know how to do that given that I can’t slug the barrel