Loading problems on my flintlock

[Bugman]

I've shot cap and ball for 20+ years, no problem. So, I bought a .44 flintlock from TOTW. This is my first encounter with a patched ball. In the description, the builder recommended the use of a .433 ball with a .015 patch.

Today was the first day I have had to take it out for shooting. Loaded my powder charge, mink greased my .015 patch, placed patch and ball on the muzzle and proceeded to "try" and seat the ball. No go using my thumb - the ball would not move up to it's diameter. Used the starter - same result. I tried several times and the ball/patch would not insert into the barrel. I'm pissed.

Come home and checked the barrel, measured .44" across the flats; my machinist micrometer measured the ball at .4313".

The ball is Hornady's 44 Cal (.433" dia.)
The patch is Eastern Maine dry .015" patch from TOTW.

I'm familiar with force fits, and I'm sure that if I hammer the patched ball into the muzzle it will not go all the way down the barrel without breaking something. Surely it isn't natural to have to pound the ball home is it? It'll break the rod.

What am I doing wrong? Should I go to a smaller diameter ball? If so, what would you recommend?

 

[stubshaft]

I sometimes use a mallet to load a tight patched ball at the range and you would be amazed at how malleable the pure lead ball is. This is for paper punching only. I would recommend dropping the patch size down to .010". It may still need a thump with the short starter but should slide down the barrel relatively easily. If you are going to "thumb" the ball in you will have to cone the barrel and/or go to a smaller ball.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I too generally have to give my ball starter a smack to get it started. I have a home made starter with a short piece of ramrod/fowl about 5/8 inch long and a long rod about 6 inches long. I thump the ball patch combo into the muzzle, then push it down with the short 6 inch rod. I then seat the ball with the ramrod using short (6-8 inches at a time) grips on the rod onto the powder. I use short grips to keep from breaking the ramrod.

You will be surprised how easy the patch and ball seats once it is past the muzzle.

 

[Bugman]

I'm just wanting to make sure that I don't end up with a ball stuck halfway down the barrel with no way to retrieve it as a ball puller would just strip out the threads from the soft lead.

 

[mooman76]

I would go to a smaller ball and patch combo. You can always go up later after you have a better understanding of what will work in yours. Might try .440 and a .012 patch.

 

[stubshaft]

He's shooting .433" and .015 now.

 

[Silky921]

I'd try going down to a .430 ball and a .010 patch. That formula works in all mine.

 

[Bugman]

Would going to a .010 patch make a real difference?
5 thou isn't a large amount.

 

[Zonie]

You might want to try a .010 or .012 thick patch with that ball.

Even these will need a good solid whack on the short starter ball to get them started into the muzzle.

Once started though, ramming the patched ball down the bore is fairly easy.

The soft lead the ball is made from will deform after the patch is crushed to its max so it is no longer a press fit. In fact, often some impressions of the rifling will be seen on the outside of the ball.

After the ball has deformed the fit with the bore becomes more of a "line to line slip fit" and ramming it down a clean bore shouldn't be a problem at all.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Make a note of Zonie's clean bore statement.

You have a very tight 44 cal rifle. I am going to recommend that you wipe the bore with a damp patch between shots to clean fouling from the bore. If you don't wipe, then the fouling will build up and you run the risk of having a stuck ball half way down. Use a jag that gives you a loose fit going down and will bunch up to pull the fouling out. Expect to have to take some brass off your 45 cal jag to prevent pushing fouling to the breech and blocking your touch hole.

 

[mooman76]

He's shooting .433" and .015 now.

Chalk it up to a Brain fart moment.

 

[Bugman]

Yeah, I bought .45 jag, worm and ball puller. They didn't fit so I turned them on my lathe to .42 and they now work just fine.

I may go down a size in the ball and see how that works first. I may lose some accuracy until I see what works and what doesn't.

 

[azmntman]

If you have to use a thinner patch a felt wad can help keep the patch from blowing apart or burning up too.

 

[Bugman]

Where are you finding a .430 ball? Hornady and Lee only have .433 balls no matter where I look. The next size down for bullet molds is Lee with a .395 which is too small.

 

[coloradoclyde]

By chance did you measure your patch thickness?....one mans .015 is another man's. .020
If you measure it tightly compressed then you'll have no room for compression in the barrel, resulting in a very tight fit...
I have no rifled guns that I can thumb start....they all need use of a ball starter.

 

[mooman76]

Measure the cast RBs too. Mine usually come out a few thou. larger.

 

[stubshaft]

Dropping down from a .015" to .010" patch changes the overall diameter by .010". The patch surrounds the ball. A .015" ball adds .030" to the overall diameter.

 

[nwtradegun]

TRAC OF COYOTE https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/127/2

 

[Redstick Lee]

I solved this problem in mine by dropping down to old bedsheet patch.......fits like a glove now, 1 smack w/each end of the ball starter and it's ready to ram.

old cotton diaper works as well too

 

[nuttbush]

The link to the TOTW round balls. You may try the .429 balls and the .010 and .015 patches. You'll find the right combo with a little time.