MORE Bess questions

[Tonyd]

Still got a couple more questions:
one question is how to pull a ball. Have done a number of times with rifles, but there is no problem cause the rifling holds the ball firmly so can screw the tip in and pull. In a smoothie, does the looser ball ( without the grip of rifling) tend to just spin around as you try to screw in the puller? Way to dump fine powder in through the channel like with percussion guns and blow it out? Suppose CO2 works well cause the relatively loose ball/patch would blow out easily?

Loading question--anyone try a .735 ball with a thin patch such as .005 or .10 in that .750 bore?
Or will thin patch burn through wih moderate target type loads? Assume the fitting goal is get a ball or patch and ball combo that can be loaded with a firm push and not have to hammer it down? Tighter is usually better?

Thanks for all help and decided to go ahead and get starat - up suppplies from Track--better selection and in the past have always found them helpful.

Tony in Seattle

 

[Grenadier1758]

Uh, well, from a purely, uh, theoretical point of view, uh, not saying it ever happened to me, but I have personally witnessed several ocaisions when balls needed to be pulled.

Most of the time the ball can be held firmly enough to get the screw from the puller started. You can tap the ball with the puller to get it to seat firmly. Be aware that the screw will expand the ball and really fill the bore. Use plenty of oil, water or somther lube to help get things moving. One case with a very fouled bore the ball couldn't be pulled. The owner, who was a very competent gunsmith, took the gun back to his shop and unbreeched the gun. That is the only case where pulling the breech was the option used. In most cases the ball comes easily with the puller. The second choice is to shoot it out. The large touch hole on most besses is large enough to push powder from the pan with the vent pick into the touch hole and behind the ball. Be sure to seat the ball on the powder before you try to shoot it out. It only takes a couple of grains (weight) of powder to shoot the ball out. I have a flash guard in place and that makes it difficult to use a CO2 discharger. That would work. The large touch hole complicates getting a good seal at the touch hole.

You won't need a flash pan guard unless you plan on shooting volley fire with other shooters standing next to you. It is annoying to catch the pan flash from the shooter on your left.

 

[Rebel]

If you use a bare ball with no patch all you have to do is pull the wads. If you use a patched ball you can usually get a puller to go in and pull it, if not then next choice is to shoot it out or use an air compressor or CO2 discharger.

 

[J.D.]

Loading question--anyone try a .735 ball with a thin patch such as .005 or .10 in that .750 bore?
Or will thin patch burn through wih moderate target type loads? Assume the fitting goal is get a ball or patch and ball combo that can be loaded with a firm push and not have to hammer it down? Tighter is usually better?

Since there are no riflings in smoothbores, tighter is not always better.

IMHO, a .735 ball with a .010 patch is probably too tight, and will require hammering to seat the ball on the powder. Especially after a few shots.

.735 + .010 +.010= .755, that's pretty tight in a .750 bore. IMHO, that .010 patch won't provide enough crush for easy loading.

Most folks seem to use the .735 for bare balling. Bare balling does not use a patch.

Most folks that I know who shoot patched balls in Petersoli besses use the .715 ball with a .015-.020 patch with good results.

.715 + .020 + .020 =.755. However, the thicker patch will crush more to provide the same accuracy as the .735/.010 combination, but will load MUCH easier.

This combination loads easily and shoots very well in most guns.

A few people shoot balls as small as .690 with thick patching more accurately than those who try to shoot larger diameter balls with thin patching.

IMHO, a smaller ball with thicker patch will allow more crush to the patch, centering the ball in the bore, but still allowing for easy loading.

My suggestion would be to buy a bag of .715 as well as a bag of .735, and maybe even a bag of .700's and try them with different thicknesses of patching. Since each gun prefers different patch/ball combinations, and different powder charges, so it's very difficult to advise someone as to which loading information will provide the best accuracy without actually shooting the gun in question.

I would also suggest buying a cheap micrometer to measure cloth thickness. It's much less expensive to buy a yard or two of fabric, once the best patch thickness is determined, than buying pre cut, prelubed patching.

Another variable is patch lubes. Though not as critical in smoothbores, patch lubes can make a huge difference in ease of loading and accuracy.

J.D.