Patched ball in a smoothbore?

[TLanoy]

Could you please explain the loading sequence for using shot? Say I'm going to turkey hunt, obviously powder first and then what?

 

[gunmaker43]

Yep, 40 60 gr. 3f. heavy 10 oz. cotton canvas patch from fabric store, crisco lube, .530 ball. Or equal powder to shot (little more shot) & #6 to #8 lead shot over 2 hard 1/8" cards & one split over load. Remember questions are free--answers 50 cents each. ..Tom :grin:

 

[TLanoy]

:rotf: Better get to prospecting then to fund all answers to my questions! Thanks for the explanation. I'm gonna start looking for someone hopefully near by that I can start muzzleloading with.

 

[nwtradegun]

my load is 60 gr 3f , fiber wad, 70gr load of no. 5 or 6 shot, and another fiber wad. track of wolf has everything u need.

 

[Lonegun1894]

These are my loads, but please keep in mind that my .54 Smoothbore is a 15/16" straight octagon GM barrel, so thick, heavy, and made from modern steel, and NOT a lightweight thin-walled birdgun, so some of these may or may not be a good idea depending on how strong your gun is.

28ga:
small game: 60gr FFFg, 2 cardboard OP cards, 1 oz #6 shot, 1 OS card


turkey: 70gr FFFg, 1 cardboard OP card, 6" jute cord frayed into a ball of fiber for use as TOW, 1 more cardboard OP card, 1 7/8 oz #6 shot, 1 OS card

Deer/hogs: 70 gr FFFg, 2 leather OP wad/cards, patched .527 RB


I almost forgot, the cards I use are made out of whatever cardboard I have available, usually cereal boxes and such, and punched out with punches made by Ohio Ramrod her eon the forum. Once you get your gun, measure the bore so you KNOW what it is instead of guessing, and then contact Ohio Ramrod. His punches are simple, but excellent quality and made to EXACTLY the specs you two discuss. The price is very good, but the best part is dealing with him, as he is a true gentleman and just an all around great guy.

 

[TLanoy]

Very much appreciate the info and recommendations. Will do on the bore measurements. :thumbsup:

 

[THBailey]

Just FYI, there is a pretty good muzzleloader gun shop in Springfield called The Gun Works. I stopped by there the last time I visited my son up in Salem. They had a whole bunch of guns and were knowledgeable and friendly. Don't know for sure, but I bet they have something like what you are thinking about and if nothing else you could try it for heft and fit.
http://www.thegunworks.com/GunIndex.cfm?next=who

 

[TLanoy]

Yep, been there quite a few times and even bought a couple of guns from the in the past. Get my powder from them also. :thumbsup:

 

[tenngun]

You are correct in your assumption. I am definitely not a wood worker! I was figuring on having someone put it together for me once I saved up for the kit. Not really sure what I'm going to do yet. :idunno: T.O.W. does say that their Trade gun is their easiest kit to put together. Does that mean it still requires a lot of wood work and fitting?

Did a TOW north west gun and it took over 100 hour. I have been building ml since the 70s and am no expert as it's been less then a dozen guns. It saves you 30 hours or so and aNwg is the easiest type of build.

 

[dwr]

Roundball,

Just wanted to say excellent post!

Good info in the text and great informative pic.

 

[Spikebuck]

Could you please explain the loading sequence for using shot? Say I'm going to turkey hunt, obviously powder first and then what?

You'll want to play with different types of wads but in the most basic terms it's powder -> wad ->shot -> overshot card.

There are several types of wads. Personally, I have the best luck with two 1/8" lubed wool-felt wads vs the longer fibre wads. The fibre wads always seems to put a donut hole in my patterns, even when only using 1/2 the length of one. The wool felt wads don't punch a hole through the shot pattern.

If you read through back-posts you'll see all types of loads people use. See what works for you.

I have a .62 cal/20 Ga early Virginia style smooth rifle and like 50 grs of 2F, 2 lubed felt wads, 1 1/4 oz #6, and two overshot cards for squirrels and for turkey up the powder to 75 gr and the shot to 1 3/4 oz. For turkey my smooth rifle patterns really well out to 25 yards, then starts to fall apart. I could probably do 30, but definitely wouldn't push beyond that on turkey.

With a .600 ball and .018 ticking I get around 3" groups benchrested at 50 yards on average.

 

[graybeard]

I mix, by weight, 7 1/2 shot and No,. 6. Works for me in a 20-gauge tulle. graybeard

 

[TLanoy]

Thanks for the great info and recommendations. Once my smoothbore is built, I'll start piecing together things for some serious practice time! :grin:

 

[tenngun]

Smooth bores tend to be forgiving. Your very best perfomancs may take some work to find but hunting ...good..general perfomance is pretty easy and none to picky.

 

[TLanoy]

Do smooth bores tend to foul less than a rifled barrel?

 

[Wes/Tex]

Though I wouldn't say less or more, smoothbores are easier to deal with on follow-up loads if you don't swab between each shot. Unless you're going the very tight ball/patch combo, I've found it easier to deal with. :wink: :thumbsup:

 

[Joel/Calgary]

To start learning about muzzleloading smoothbores, there is no better place to start than our member Spence10's Black Powder Notebook website. Much reading from both original sources and his experiences. And besides the information he provides, his stories alone are worth the visit.

Have fun with all this,
Joel

 

[azmntman]

Book marked, thanks for the info!

 

[Brokennock]

Ditto :thumbsup:
The "notebook" is my go to place for something to read when I don't have a book with me but I have signal for my smarty pants phone.

 

[Grandpa Ron]

My 28 ga. bore measures .540” I use a .018” patch and a .524” ball over a felt wad with 55 to 70 grains of 2 or 3 F powder. Works fine for me.

I have used .520 balls and .015” to .022” patches depending on thumb press or short starter loading.

I have patterned 7/8 oz. loads in my 28 ga. but to be honest, for shotguning, I prefer 1 oz. out of my 20 ga.

There are about 22 balls per lb. of lead in .600” 20 ga. There are 32 balls per lb. of lead in 28 ga. :hmm: I use my 28 ga. for PBR.