New Englander .54 problem

[cynthialee]

Your patches condition after firing suggests the material is not up to the task of being a patch.


I have used my wheelbarrow and a cart I picked up from Costco for hauling deer after a kill to get it back to the house. If it is a small deer I grab the wheelbarrow and if it is larger I grab the cart. Cart isn't quite big enough as deer legs and head hang off the sides but it works well enough.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Dutch meant to type "It works".

 

[Wes/Tex]

What you are suggesting is to use an old patch between powder and patched ball which is what we have been calling a "Wad".
The cure all for the too thin shooting patch

Pt works but its like taking your sister to the Prom.

Dutch

Not sure it's a cure all for a too thin patch but when you decide maybe you can go up to 150 grains or higher to see what kind of velocity you get it will keep the regular patch from burning out. It just acts as a protector to get the patched ball out without totally destroying the patch around the ball. It's certainly no cure all and only a get-by but will tell you if an over burned patch is a result of too much powder or bad or too thin material.

I don't even have a sister to take to the prom but that's a whole 'nuther issue! :shocked2: :haha:

 

[Wes/Tex]

And I said "Oh honey you couldn't kill a deer ..."

And she put her hands on her hips and proclaimed "You want to bet ...!"

I bet she could! :wink: I'm privileged to participate in a state sponsored shoot to introduce high school kids to the shooting sports. Pal and I do muzzle loading. I've learned it's those little tine ones who don't weight 80 pounds with their pockets full of buckshot and fishing sinkers that are the real snipers! :haha:

 

[OBX-TXN]

I just checked my field notebook and my .54 GPR groups great with 100 gr 2f w/ .015 patch and .530 ball (apparently it's just a tiny bit bigger bore than the NE) at 50 yds and is easily within a minute of a deer at 100 and the patches are fine. I guess if Mastodon season ever opens in NC I'll just have to use the GPR instead of the New Englander ...

 

[Dr5x]

When you are firing 150 grains of any kind of powder, that will be me standing behind a distant tree.

I only saw one fellow putting that kind of load in a peculiarly over sized long rifle and he couldn't get on the paper at 50 yards because we decided the blast was so powerful it liquified the lead ball.

Yo soy un pollo grands when it comes to tempting fate.

Dutch Schoultz

 

[Dr5x]

Obx-Ten,

Pt is how essentially blind people type the word "It".
I apologize and guess you're right.
I should hire a secretary and quit typing posts on the Forum.

Just trying to hang on a bit longer.



Dutch

 

[OBX-TXN]

I shoulda figured it out but thought it was an acronym for something ... (30 years a soldier and every new Commanding General has to invent a bunch of new acronyms to signify or something).

My wife, being a teacher, is always trying to proofread my stuff but has given up except on the most public material ...

 

[azmntman]

My wife was a PROOF READER and editor. I dont let hr read much of my stuff

 

[Wes/Tex]

Didn't do it a lot, and I leave a loose feathers behind too, but every kid from Texas sooner or later has to see what a barrel full of powder will do. I can honestly say I've never once dry balled a load but have twice completely scorched all the hair off from my chin to about two inches in my hairline from not making certain there were no sparks in the bore. The fact I had to use the term "twice" proves I'm lucky to be an old fart! :wink: :haha:

 

[hawkeye2]

"And she put her hands on her hips and proclaimed 'You want to bet ...!'"

I guess by now you know that you'll never win an argument with that girl. :grin:

 

[rdstrain49]

You don't say what kind of down range results you are getting. If you are shooting "patterns" you need to read Dutch's research. If you are shooting "groups" and they are satisfactory, who cares what the patch looks like.

My TMV Pennsylvania is now shooting groups of about 1/2" at 50 yards. (thanks Dutch) .522" to be precise. The patches show quite a lot of damage, they are cut, burned, and in general blown apart. I don't care what the patches look like, but I sure do care about the groups and I'll take 1/2" at 50 yds any day.

 

[Dr5x]

I have had numerous good folk write me upset that while they are getting essentially one hole groups are concerned that their expended patches are cut, browned or otherwise smudged.
My only assumption is that they have intended to recycle and use those patches for a second run..
Recucling is good normally but I would skip in the case of second hand shooting patches.

Excuse typos.

Dutch

 

[Stumpkiller]

I have a New Englander in .50 that was a real bear to get "worked in" for an accurate load. I went to all the trouble of working up my own lubes, even. Eventually I came up with a very accurate combo. Maybe it just needed 500 shots to smooth out the bore?

Change one thing at a time and keep a log of what is better or worse. Mine likes 0.490" ball and 0.017" patching with a minimum of lube.

For many years it was my "regular deer season" rifle. We could only use shotguns with slugs or a m/l in my county.