New member, with first BP long gun

[Gregory Mitchell]

1 in 48" is fine for both RB and Maxi ball. My TC would punch one hole with either at 50 yards. I used a 495" ball and a .010" to .015" patch. Maxi Ball was super. I used 90 gr of FFG with both. My .54 uses 100 gr of Pyrodex to 100 and 120 gr with a sight adjustment for 200 yards.
777 is very touchy and wants no compression at all, just touch it with the ball. Pyrodex needs just a tad compression and every shot needs the exact same amount. I made a tool to seat with a big spring to keep compression even. The tool is good with PB also. I don't know if I have a picture. I can't find it so will take another for you.

I've read Sam Fadala's book on blackpowder, and he talks about a loading rod tool called a "Kadooty" -- which was equipped to provide the same seating pressure every time. Looks like those are no longer made, I can only find reference to them in old articles, etc. Does anybody know about these??

 

[Boomerang]

In order to have the same loading pressure every time, the barrel has to be in the same condition every time. If you let fouling build up at all, then you won't have the same loading pressure shot after shot.

 

[Grenadier1758]

In theory the "Kadooty" was a means to use a slide hammer type arrangement to put the bullet in the same position every time. It wasn't very cheap either. In practice using a working rod and a bathroom scale to measure a 40 pound pressure on the (black powder) load and a mark on the rod worked as well. After loading with the working rod and bathroom scale a few times, the scale was no longer needed.

Being new, you should probably get the Dutch Shoultz system for Black Powder Accuracy. If you want performance accuracy, his system is comprehensive and will produce results.

 

[Zonie]

Here's a picture of a well used (and uncleaned) Kadooty.