I put both the lard and stumpy’s moose snot in the freezer overnight to see how both do in cold temps. I really like to cut my patches at the muzzle Hense why I thought about melting it, soaking strips then squeezing off the excess. I think it is too creamy to lube from a tin unless beeswax was added to stiffen it up some or it may run out of the tin and make a mess inside my pouch.
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Pedersoli Scout .32 cal Accuracy Help
- Thread starter Leadriver
- Start date
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I use a cap tin and it has been very runny this summer. No leaks though.
Its up to you buddy.
hanshi
Cannon
There may be some misunderstanding of recommended steps suggested for you to try. First, spit patch is a very good lube and it's free. In my old age I'm now too dry to rely on it. Windshield wiper fluid is cheap and works very well. Some that use the WW fluid add a bit of oil to make sure it works in cold weather (some grades are good at temps well below zero). I use Hoppes or TOW mink oil with no problems.
Smoothing the muzzle crown probably needs more explanation. If the ends of the lands come all the way up - even in a recessed muzzle - and are not smoothed down to a depth of at least 1/16" (1/8" is even better) it likely won't help the situation. If you twist a finger in the muzzle and feel the lands, it's not smoothed. The entry into the bore MUST be a smooth slope. This takes time but not much. 30 minutes is enough or certainly an hour is more time than what's usually needed. Use sandpaper and finish up with very fine grit. A finger may not go far enough into a small caliber such as a .32. It works to wrap a cone shaped piece of wood or screw head with sandpaper (I've used a "plumb bob" successfully) and turn the barrel as you count the number of "twists" evenly all around.
All screws on the rifle should be snug and not so tight. Over tightening a screw introduces another another unneeded problem. I like well lubed/wet patches that are not drippy. Any excess lube will be squeezed out on the muzzle anyway. And a .311" ball - I cast my own with a Lee dbl cavity mold - is a good place to start. If you do these things you should get to where you can shoot many shots (say 30 to 50) without swabbing the bore. This is because with the right size patch thickness and a .311" ball fits fairly snug and each load seated wipes the preceding shot's fouling down on the powder. This will give you a bore with never more than one shots worth of fouling.
Smoothing the muzzle crown probably needs more explanation. If the ends of the lands come all the way up - even in a recessed muzzle - and are not smoothed down to a depth of at least 1/16" (1/8" is even better) it likely won't help the situation. If you twist a finger in the muzzle and feel the lands, it's not smoothed. The entry into the bore MUST be a smooth slope. This takes time but not much. 30 minutes is enough or certainly an hour is more time than what's usually needed. Use sandpaper and finish up with very fine grit. A finger may not go far enough into a small caliber such as a .32. It works to wrap a cone shaped piece of wood or screw head with sandpaper (I've used a "plumb bob" successfully) and turn the barrel as you count the number of "twists" evenly all around.
All screws on the rifle should be snug and not so tight. Over tightening a screw introduces another another unneeded problem. I like well lubed/wet patches that are not drippy. Any excess lube will be squeezed out on the muzzle anyway. And a .311" ball - I cast my own with a Lee dbl cavity mold - is a good place to start. If you do these things you should get to where you can shoot many shots (say 30 to 50) without swabbing the bore. This is because with the right size patch thickness and a .311" ball fits fairly snug and each load seated wipes the preceding shot's fouling down on the powder. This will give you a bore with never more than one shots worth of fouling.
Thanks, I did get pillow ticking for patches. With the new .310 balls I got the fit is excellent, so good I picked up the last yard of it at Joann’s. Also, I have a metal lathe so if these next 2 lubes I have don’t work then I’ll pull the barrel and recrown. I wished I had 3F powder to try, nobody around me has any so I’m stuck with 2F. I made a batch of Stumpy’s Moose Snot and bought some lard to try. Though I’ll prob mix some beeswax with it to stiffen it up.
Does anyone know the angle at which a muzzleloader is crowned in order to start a ball with your finger? I have re crowded modern rifles but not a muzzleloader. I am not sure of angle of what the lead in should be. I can figure out the depth just unsure of lead angle.
That looks very unlike a factory finished muzzle to me!
Definitely needs more lead (leede).
Just do what you wish, how about some of the patch and a ball by the lathe to keep trying.
Definitely needs more lead (leede).
Just do what you wish, how about some of the patch and a ball by the lathe to keep trying.
I stole this image put up by Phil Coffins , a member here.
The one on right is nice.
Yea the muzzle is scratched some from me trying to cut patches at the muzzle last week trying loads. That crown however is factory done, I never touched it.
Yea the muzzle is scratched some from me trying to cut patches at the muzzle last week trying loads. That crown however is factory done, I never touched it.
hanshi
Cannon
The most important thing about "smoothing" the muzzle entry is that it is smooth and sort of has a "rounded" look. This is important because anything sharp about the muzzle will cut patches and prevent loading with strong patches. I'm NOT talking about a cut, straight entry to the bore at an angle as that still leaves too much sharp edge. These two rifles are not mine but do give a pretty good comparison of an unmodified crown (TOP) and after the smoothing is completed (BOTTOM). As you see the result shows a smooth and rounded entry into the muzzle while the top photo a sharp entry that will cut patches. It doesn't have to be deep but it does have to be smooth and not leave any angles or sharp edges at the entry.
Well I went to the range today, tried the moose snot lube. Worked the best so far, hardly any fouling and the patches I was finding looked almost completely clean. However, I think I may have found the culprit to all this foolishness. I think the round balls are bad. I found a good many with defects like the bottoms didn’t swage right, slightly outta shape, lines in the lead. I never closely inspected the balls just assumed they were good and loaded them up. They appear to not be very good quality. My cast .490 balls look a lot nicer than these Hornady balls. I was grouping nice then would get 1 or 2 fliers. 35 grains looked the best and when I reshot the group again I open way up with one either going exactly they one of the holes or missing all together. I think I need to cast my own for the .32, but don’t have a mold and won’t be able to get one for awhile. Click on the pic to see all 3 targets.
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I always heard to load the sprue forward or straight back..but sounds like you got swaged balls. might try treating the flat spot like a sprue......worth try at this point.....Be Safe>>>>>>>>>>>Wally
Yes I am using swaged ball in the .32, I was just comparing the .490 cast to thee Hornady swaged balls.
I just don’t understand what could make it go from grouping decent to shotgun patterns within just a couple of minutes. I checked all the screws and everything mechanical seems good. I can only think it’s the balls. I weighed them and got about 2-3 grains difference but they don’t appear to be nice and round.
A photo would be good. A close up of several balls.
I would think you would notice on loading if they were all shapes, no?
It is good that the patches are in good condition. Did you say there are no holes or tares in the shot patches?
Did you check the bedding under breech?
I would think you would notice on loading if they were all shapes, no?
It is good that the patches are in good condition. Did you say there are no holes or tares in the shot patches?
Did you check the bedding under breech?
Leadriver, I've gone thru you posts from the very start, rereading and ,reconsidering. ( As have several Others here no doubt) We've got Quite a GREMLIN here. You've checked all the boxes several times, and all your getting is Trigger Time. what I'm leaning to is the 2f powder, 3f is designed for these smaller cal. rifles.The way the 2f is laying in your measure could conceiveably make up a significant percentage of your load in these small cals. (this is the reasoning behind using powder drop tubes in reloading.) I'm going to try out this Theroy later if I get a chance. You might try weighing out your charges to see if it makes a difference. But I think the REAL answer is 3f for your .32. Good Luck , Be Safe>>>>>>>>>>>Wally
I think weighing and culling the out of spec balls from your load development / accuracy selection is going to help. That along with a good steady rest and properly fitting lubed patches should achieve the accuracy @Leadriver seeks.
Got any 4f handy 
The only other powder I have is some pryodex p and holy black in 4f. I always understood 4f was never to be used inside as a main charge.
