Next I would wind some 0000 steel wool on the jag and run that up and down the bore a few times.
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Patch or lube issue
- Thread starter TarponStalker
- Start date
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Siringo
32 Cal.
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2014
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In my 54 (rice), I used a 0.020 patch and a 0.530 ball. I settled on patches from October Country, lubed with their bumblin bear grease. I use 90 grains of Old Eyndford. Any thinner patch burns or gets blown to bits.
So did you try a firewall?
No Britsmoothy I haven’t tried that yet. I ran out of time and I’m down to five round balls. Now I wish I’d gone ahead with my plan to start making my own. Should’ve bought that mould years ago.
If it still shreds and burns after using a firewall, that barrel is possibly the world's worst I'm sorry to say.
I hope I am wrong.
OMG sound the ALARM!
The other day I thought I was out of balls so I walked over to the casting bench and uncovered my mold, (my cooling towel was laying on top of it) what did I discover when flipped the towel open ? 100 nice shiny balls sitting there that I had forgotten about.
The casting Gods shine down upon me.
user 43911
45 Cal.
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Hi,
Many have already commented on crown being sharp, rifling being sharp, patch thickness, ball size, all can be the problem and often are a problem. I would like to add a couple more thoughts based on seeing the same problem on a couple of rifles and a person also chasing that problem. The patch looking this way can be caused by skidding over the rifling (cheese grater effect) and I've seen this on a fast twist gun with shallow rifling combined with a thick patch and too small a ball, I have seen this on an 11 thou rifling barrel also and in both cases the fix came down to using 3F powder. I tested one of the guns (my Pedersoli 535 ball, 12 thou patch) by dropping 5 gr of 4F first followed by the 3F load, this helps with obturation and in my case and the other guys fast twist the problem was solved.
PLEASE NOTE : if you try this adjust your powder drop to allow for the 4F if used and the 3F being a little faster as the pressure will come up a little (that's the point), I only use 3F in anything I shoot.
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Progress is often finding what does NOT work. I applaud your progressive forward motion.
Next I recommend (before beginning any bore sanding) doing Brit's recommendation ... that would be to load with a fire stopper between the charge n prb. 5 balls will tell the tale whether your problem is sharp rifling or bad patch's or wrong lube.
After shooting with a nice wad over powder and still getting burnt and shredded patch's ... I would commence with operation smooth those sharp rifling edges.
Take an oily tight patch and run down n up a couple times on an undersized jag (undersize jag because you do not want the patch to rub through from lite patch thickness on a jag that normally fits the bore).
After you have your undersize jag with tight patch's oiled and run up n down ... take FINE valve grinding compound and coat your tight oily patch. Run this up n down 10 times ... refresh the compound and repeat 10 times ... do this a total of 5 rounds.
Now clean thoroughly and completely with soap n hot water. When your sure it is clean ... clean it again.
Now go try the hummer again. If you still get shredded patch ... repeat with 5 more rounds of 10 up n downs.
bldtrailer
Pilgrim
Old timers would use wasp nest or corn meal as a buffer fire wall
user 43911
45 Cal.
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In case anyone is interested (chart that is).
What I was finding when the problem I was trying to solve was being addressed (post 47 above), 2F GOEX was shooting mild (Swiss was hotter).
Note that this number should only be used with cast lead plain-base bullets. It does not apply to jacketed or gas-check cast bullets. Below is a chart containing various bullet alloys, the BHN, and the PSI required to expand a bullet to the bore:
What I was finding when the problem I was trying to solve was being addressed (post 47 above), 2F GOEX was shooting mild (Swiss was hotter).
Note that this number should only be used with cast lead plain-base bullets. It does not apply to jacketed or gas-check cast bullets. Below is a chart containing various bullet alloys, the BHN, and the PSI required to expand a bullet to the bore:
| Material | BHN | Pressure | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (psi) | (MPa) | ||||
| Pure lead | 5 | 7,110 | 49 | ||
| 1:20 tin/lead | 10 | 14,200 | 98 | ||
| 1:10 tin/lead | 11.5 | 16,400 | 113 | ||
| Pure copper | 40 | 56,900 | 392 |
Buckskinn
45 Cal.
A bit of wasp nest was my first remedy before using a tighter weave and thicker patch with moose milk. The wasp nest worked wonderfully, I would give that a try before you start dulling your rifling...
The wasps around here get very irritated when you try to steal their home. Lol.
Buckskinn
45 Cal.
If you use nests with larvae in it you can reduce the amount of lube needed...
user 43911
45 Cal.
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This information applies to round ball, many people don't think so or just don't know about it. A patched ball load can be worked out with the correct powder type and burn rate to create a pressure curve that allows for a less tight load (easy to push down) to be used, the ball is compressed from front to back and the patch does exactly what was intended, a gas seal that is compressed between the ball and barrel.
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I'm going to the post office tomorrow to ship some powder horns. If you can reimburse me for just the postage I can send you some (50 - 100?) round balls. I cast buckets of them. Don't post your address here. P.M. me if you need them.
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Man up
Ames that is so generous of you to offer. However I found a gun store about 10 miles away that had one box. I’m gonna try to get them tomorrow. Thank you very much anyway.
years ago I have had patches do that in my 62 jaeger with a Colerain barrel. I was using .018 patch. I went to .020 ticking and no more problems. to lube I saturate the ticking with straight ballistol, let it dry, then spit on it to load. I have only 2 flintlocks the 62 and a 40cal with a rice barrel. I can and sometimes do reuse the patches over,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Since I’m from the South, will grits work as a firewall? I don’t have cream of wheat. Lol. I may get to shoot tomorrow. I’ll take some grits or corn meal with me. I did run some 4/0 steel wool down the barrel a few times.
i found a box of .530 at local gun shop. I still want to try some .535 balls.
I also want to try shooting 3F from this rifle to see how it does. I’ll probably start with 65 grains.
Im trying to change only one thing at a time so I can see what works best.
i found a box of .530 at local gun shop. I still want to try some .535 balls.
I also want to try shooting 3F from this rifle to see how it does. I’ll probably start with 65 grains.
Im trying to change only one thing at a time so I can see what works best.
Mr. Flintlock is the greatest lube around.
Provided it is used liboriously to enlubern the patch, it WILL NOT produce burn thrus or other issues.
Please, DO NOT soil the name of Mr. Flintlock. It is the TOP muzzle loading flintlock lube ever made IMHO.
Provided it is used liboriously to enlubern the patch, it WILL NOT produce burn thrus or other issues.
Please, DO NOT soil the name of Mr. Flintlock. It is the TOP muzzle loading flintlock lube ever made IMHO.
