Loading problems on my flintlock

[Rifleman1776]

Do you know who made the barrel?
But, keep in mind, in this game there are few exact standards. What might be referred to as a '44 caliber' or '45 caliber' might actually be a .42 caliber barrel. A soft lead ball can be loaded safely, albiet with effort. Your bore needs to be measured accurately. Either using a micrometer or with a lead slug. Get a brass rod (e.g. 3/8"), put in barrel and force an oversized lead ball about two inches down the bore. Then turn the rifle muzzle down and bounce the rod up and down until it drives the slug out. Once out measure carefully with a micrometer. That will tell you what you have caliber wise and give you a starting point for ball size selection. Tell us what you find out.

 

[Darkhorse]

Try this....Get some LeHigh Valley patch lube or some canola oil and lube those dry patches.
See if it loads any better now.

 

[Bugman]

I had the chance to fire it last Saturday. I used the balls and patches already listed above. Initial starting of the ball in the muzzle was a chore, but I finally got it down. At 50 yards, standing, unsupported, I was hitting target about 6 inches low. It's me I'm sure and not the rifle. With some experience, I hope to improve that. Now that I know how hard I must force the ball down I'm ok.

 

[Darkhorse]

Your getting there Bugman. But the way I read your post you are using a dry patch with no lube?
You must lube those dry patches. If not you will get a stuck ball. Lot's of lubes to choose from, for general shooting I like the LeHigh Valley. Cuts right through the fouling and is slick so it makes seating the ball easy. For hunting I use other lubes.
If you are using a lube and like it, please ignore my previous comments.

 

[JBird]

he mentioned using mink grease in his firstpost. assuming mink oil from Totw? ive had good luck with the mink oil and the same patches in my .45, though I do need to swab the bore more often with the mink oil if I don't want to struggle to push a ball down. Ive got some Lehigh valley lube I'm gonna test out for range use. save the mink oil for squirrel hunting

 

[Darkhorse]

My bad. All I could see was .015 dry patch.
I've used mink oil for hunting with no complaints but LHV is my favorite lube for any shooting besides hunting. Reason being it dries out.

 

[Hawken-Hunter]

Did you try dropping the ball down the barrel without patch? It should free-fall to the bottom, and then when you tilt the barrel muzzle-down, it should roll back out. If it doesn't, then the caliber of the ball or barrel is off.