Need info...75cal fowler

[TNtrapper]

Howdy yall! Ive ot a question for all yall smoothbore shooters. Ive ordered a .75 cal.(11guage) fowler from TVM (jack Garner). Before I pick it up I need to get a few things straight in my noggin. The only moulds I can find are .735 and .730 in roundballs. OK...The only patches ive come up with are .010 and .015 and NOTHIN in a .75 cal patch. What size ball and patch should I start out with? Folks...this is my first smoothie and im kinda lost here. Any suggestions? If any of yall 11guage shooters know of a good load..wad..shot combo Id really appreciate a holler too. Thanks a lot.....TN ::

 

[Rebel]

I have an .11 ga Bess. I have found that a .690 rd ball with a thick denim patch works. I use an over powder wad with a fiber cushion wad glued to it then lubed, over the powder, and then the patched rd ball. Lee makes a .690 rd ball mould. About $18 from www.midsouthshooters.com

 

[Deadeye]

I use a .735 ball and a .015 patch and spit for lube. Load just like a rifle, no wads just powder (70 grs. 2F)and patched ball. Works for me.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Don't panic. Being that you have ordered a smoothbore, there are no grooves to take up all that patching and provide a place for all that fouling to find a place to hide. I have a 0.77" diameter 11 gauge Brown Bess. I use a 0.715: diameter ball with 0.017 cotton drill cloth for patching over 85 grains of ffg black powder. This gives me a nice easy fit and works out just fine for my shooting. You will simply have to build up the courage and go to the dry goods store for a couple of yards of all cotton pillow ticking, denim or drill cloth. Lube can be spit, crisco or any of a number of lubricants.

You can get pretty good results from powder, lubed cushion wad, bare 0.735 ball and over shot card.

By the way I use the same ffg powder for priming the pan in my Bess.

 

[musketman]

In the field I shoot both .715 and .735 round balls in my bess, the .017 thick patch and a .715 ball for the first two shots, once the barrel gets fouled, then I use a bare or wax dipped .735 round ball, this eliminates the need to clean between shots when hunting...

Fot target shooting I use the .715 patched ball and clean between shots...

 

[riarcher]

Everyone is different it seems.
I'm no expert by any means, but I've "experimented" quite a bit, and here's what is working for me now.
Pedersoli Brown Bess (2nd land)
This has a .752 bore (miced) w/ 42" barrel.
Present load is 110 gr, 2Fg with a .715 RB (Lyman mold), .021 compressed denum patch (medium weight denum). I cut these into 1 3/4 squares, and stack them in a can with generouse amounts of Bore Butter in the center of each patch while stacking. Then with the top on the can I'll set it in a pan of simmering water on the stove for 1/2 hr. or so. These patches are well greased all the way through when done. I can "fetch" my used patch and reuse (do it regularly now and can get 4 shots per patch - 5th one gets frayed).
With the bore "buttered" at the first shot, I've shot 56 balls in a row (I got tired!!)without wiping or cleaning. Loading throughout is moderate force. At the end of the shooting it cleaned like I only fired 1-2 rounds.
3Fg gave me a heavy to extreemly hard fouling (can't figure out why though). The .018 Ticking kept burning through. The heavy jean mat'l was too hard to load and I think I was deforming the ball because they were constistantly all over the place.
110 grs, while "authorative", is not an unrully load. Gives fair trajectory and thus far is a good accurate hunting load.
The cheapest source I found for .715 & .735 cast balls is Dixie Gun Works at about $28.00/c plus S&H. Sure justifies casting your own in a hurry!
So far, this is what is working best for me. Hope it helps some. :m2c:

 

[schizuki]

The only moulds I can find are .735 and .730 in roundballs.

Dixie Gun Works will make you a mold in any size you want.

 

[TNtrapper]

Alright yall...Im gonna order a .715 mould and try that route. OOOOH boy now Ive gotta go fabric shopping!My wifes already laughing about seeing me in a fabric shop.Guess theres a first time for everything huh.Thanks a lot fellers!..................TN :grey:

 

[Grenadier1758]

Because they are THE source for #40 cotton drill, most of the time when a man walks into the Jo-Ann's Fabric store with a micrometer in his hand looking very confused, they will take him straight away to the pillow ticking and cotton drill section of the store. Just ask for pillow ticking or the cotton drill cloth in the quilting section. I like drill because of the tighter weave than denim. When you ask for cotton drill, you will get respect.

I think you are making a good choice with the 0.715 mold.

 

Just a point to ponder, as you might have noticed in some of the previous posts, there is a varience in the bore diameter of a 75 cal./11 gauge barrel. You might give Jack a call and have him mike the barrel He's gonna use on yer fowler. Just a thought before you buy that .715 mold, and find out you really need a .710, or maybe even a .690 mold. Although if you buy Lee molds, at about $20 a pop, you might want to try different sizes. :m2c: :results:Bill

 

[Rebel]

Does Lee make any bigger than .690?

 

Not sure, but you can order custom sizes if you call them direct Bill

 

[Rebel]

Thanks Bill.

 

[TNtrapper]

Ya know Bill...youve got a point there. I probally ought to do that.As far as moulds go..Lee is all I ever buy because of the price. Reckon Ill play with the sizes a little and see what I come up with.Thanks again!.........TN :thanks:

 

[musketman]

Everyone is different it seems.

Thats because the .75 caliber can handle a wide range of loading styles and still shoot good...

I have seen two identical Pedersoli Brown Besses shoot differently with the same load in each, one prefered patched roundball and the other liked bare ball between wads...