Patches, powder & balls ..OH MY!

[Bigcrush]

Hello to all,
parden my whimsical topic but thsi "old technology" has me stymmied.
I have a traditions Fox river Fiftey, 1:48 twist.
traditions said that i might try a great Plains type of bullet.

But on patches, am I supposed to trim them and if so how much? Found the right patches and balls .490

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Stumpkiller]

For a .50 round ball a patch of about 1-3/8", round or square, will do fine. You can lube the patch material and press the ball flush to the muzzle and then slice the material off with a sharp knife. Always centered and just the right size that way. I tear my patch material into long strips and fold them for ease of carry.

No patch necessary with any o'them modern comical bullets. I learned to hunt so I can get within round ball range and swore off bullets. :winking:

My favorite method is to use a ball-block and carry five +/- pre-patched balls ready for use. The holes in the block are bore size to hold the ball snig but not so tight that all the lube is squeezed off.

70 to 90 grains of FFg ought to get you there with enough oomph to hurt sumpin.

 

[Sharp Shooter]

Hey Stumpkiller, how do you finish those so the wood wont soak up oils in the lube? I just started making those.

 

[bwhoffman]

I sand the dog turds out of the ones I have beenn making.
I have had great success with multiple rubbings with olive oil, I can sand the holes a little larger if need be,
And real good results by warming the block in the non-pc microwave for about 25 seconds, rubbing it with bees wax and rubbing that into the block by hand, second coat if needed, polish off with paper towel polish job.

FWIW,

Brett

 

[sledgemeister]

thats a good question, I could only imagine using a very dense wood or a wood that has a fair amount of natural oil in it. Then again I am most likely wrong.
I suppose you could coat the wood with lube a few times before use and season it some how?
Look forward to the answer..

 

[dlemaster]

Here is mine. It's made of mahogany and I coated the inside of the holes with 3 coats of Tung Oil Finish, the outside is 3 coats of boiled linseed oil cut with a little bit of turpentine. The Tung Oil Finish keeps the block from absorbing any of the patch lube.
Hope this helps.

Regards, Dave

 

[musketman]

But on patches, am I supposed to trim them and if so how much? Found the right patches and balls .490

Bigcrush, if you cut at the muzzle (some do), the patch will be trimmed when you cut it flush with the barrel...

If you are using pre-cut patches, the ones for .50 to .54 caliber roundballs will do fine, a little too much patch is better than not enough...

The main concern is sealing the gasses produced by the powder burning, if it doesn't seal then velocity will suffer...

 

[Stumpkiller]

Hey Stumpkiller, how do you finish those so the wood wont soak up oils in the lube? I just started making those.

Yep. First I wipe with Minwax or Laurel Mt. stains. Couple wipes with tung oil when new, then a rubbing with beeswax occasionally thereafter. The purpleheart block (five in line) is not stained or oiled, just rubbed with beeswax. That's just the way the wood looks. It's my favorite.

 

[sidelock]

Good lookin stuff Stumpkiller. I have enjoyed your posts. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Rocky Johnson]

I read the other good post here and I like round balls also but have some fun with that 1 in 48 twist and try all your options.Some have accuracy problems with PRB's in the faster twist.
Here we go again LOL :winking: Rocky

 

[Bigcrush]

:bow:
Thanks to all.

I hope to get a good load worked up for this little smokke pole in the next day or 2.

 

[sledgemeister]

I read the other good post here and I like round balls also but have some fun with that 1 in 48 twist and try all your options.Some have accuracy problems with PRB's in the faster twist.
Here we go again LOL :winking: Rocky

I was wondering what sort of accuracy probs you have using round balls in the 1 in 48. I noticed that 25-50 yrds is reasonably ok but shooting past that they seem to swing to the right. I assume the rifling was causing the ball to spin and therefore move in the air like spin placed on a cricket ball or in your speak a base ball.
I shot at a much longer distance just for fun one day about 250yrd and the ball was moving about 8' the the right.
Using a minie it is pretty much dead on at any distance flying straight and true.
regards
Rob

 

[musketman]

I shot at a much longer distance just for fun one day about 250yrd and the ball was moving about 8' the the right.
Using a minie it is pretty much dead on at any distance flying straight and true.
regards
Rob

I wonder if that is just wind drift moving the roundball to the right, a minie is heavier and would be less effected by the Autumn winds that are kicking up in your area...

 

[roo shooter]

Ive only shot targets out to 100 yards but have never noticed any ball drift,wind drift yes.