Kibler smoothbore bare ball

[Ballshooter]

Shot some .577 bare round balls @ 40 yards. Load was 120 grains of my homemade brew, 50 grains of corn meal thin Over powder and corn meal wad. Not bad for 6 shots on steel. I also shot 6 @ 65 yards on an old target someone left same load as above could cover all 6 with my hand. All in all I would say it shot ok.

 

[Timber Wolf]

Interesting. Where are you getting .577 balls?

 

[Ballshooter]

Interesting. Where are you getting .577 balls?

I made them .575 mold with two thin aluminum tape spacers on each side. Gives a .577 ball

 

[TDM]

I'd be happy with those results.

 

[hanshi]

Your results are excellent. Smoothbores are far more accurate than the "rank-n-file" shooters realize.

 

[Ballshooter]

I am still playing around with bare ball sizes the .577 was snug but, not hard to push down the barrel and would not roll out. Next up is a .576 and maybe more .575 testing. I have a good PRB load with a .562 ball but want a bare ball load as well.

 

[Buckskinquin]

No patch?

 

[Ballshooter]

No patch?

No patch just powder, corn meal , thin shot card with a bare ball on top.

 

[Greyrider]

I understand powder, bar ball, and wasp’s nest or other stuff. To be fast and easier. Doing what you are doing seems slower and more work what’s the reason? Haven’t been into this a long time and trying to figure out why thangs are done certain ways. Just curious

 

[Ballshooter]

I understand powder, bar ball, and wasp’s nest or other stuff. To be fast and easier. Doing what you are doing seems slower and more work what’s the reason? Haven’t been into this a long time and trying to figure out why thangs are done certain ways. Just curious

Not much slower I pre measured the corn meal and powder in vials pop the top off pour. Only reason I am using the corn meal is to make sure I get a good seal. Plus to see if it helps in the accuracy department. I tested 85 grains of powder, 45 grains of corn meal a felt wad .008 muslin fabric patch and a .562 ball. Shot the best 45 yard group ever out on my smoothbore!. It made me rethink the corn meal and to keep testing with it.

 

[CapPopper]

I shot mine the other day bare ball. 80g ffg goex .562 ball with half a folded up Walmart receipt rammed on top. Put 4 out of 5 on a 4 inch gong at about 30 yards shooting rested off a tree. Was fairly happy with it considering the very undersized ball.

 

[Grenadier1758]

No patch just powder, corn meal , thin shot card with a bare ball on top.

I'd want a thin, overshot card over the ball to hold it in the barrel.

 

[Ballshooter]

I'd want a thin, overshot card over the ball to hold it in the barrel.

I normally do but the .577 was not going to roll out it had just enough resistance that it would not roll down the barrel. I had to push it down.

 

[Ballshooter]

I shot mine the other day bare ball. 80g ffg goex .562 ball with half a folded up Walmart receipt rammed on top. Put 4 out of 5 on a 4 inch gong at about 30 yards shooting rested off a tree. Was fairly happy with it considering the very undersized ball.

I like the .562 in paper cartridges or patching. The .570 works well in paper cartridges as well.

 

[Greyrider]

I have used corn meal mixed in with my shot to get a better pattern for turkey.

 

[CapPopper]

I like the .562 in paper cartridges or patching. The .570 works well in paper cartridges as well.

Thought about trying it. Even if it would just mean faster follow up shots if necessary.

 

[Ballshooter]

Thought about trying it. Even if it would just mean faster follow up shots if necessary.

I sometimes carry a few cartridges when hunting for that reason

 

[flintlock lover.]

Not much slower I pre measured the corn meal and powder in vials pop the top off pour. Only reason I am using the corn meal is to make sure I get a good seal. Plus to see if it helps in the accuracy department. I tested 85 grains of powder, 45 grains of corn meal a felt wad .008 muslin fabric patch and a .562 ball. Shot the best 45 yard group ever out on my smoothbore!. It made me rethink the corn meal and to keep testing with it.

I've used corn meal held in a toilet paper wad that was dipped into a 1 to 5 mix of bee's wax and anhydrous lanolin. Made them undersized to the 54 caliber smooth bore I own and just compressed them to fill the bore with seating the ball. Easy to carry in a belt pouch that was already sort of greasy anyway and fast to load with.
Good option incase I don't want to pay for or can't find 28ga fiber wads.
They're about half the length of my little finger and a little like loading a small yellow turd but they work rather well.
Push them down to the powder but don't compress them with the ramrod. Use seating the ball to do that or you'll bring half the corn meal back up when the toilet paper breaks.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

What's up with the cornmeal

 

[Ballshooter]

What's up with the cornmeal

It seals the bore better than a patch alone.Even bare ball loads it has proven to increase accuracy at least in my gun.