A smoothbore will shoot about anything you stuff down the barrel, as long as it does,t weigh much more then the lead ball and doesn't get stuck in the bore of the gun when firing. These projectiles like rocks, glass or nails won't do the nice shiny (assumming you clean) bore any good. The next :m2c: time you use a patched ball you may wonder why it loads so hard and you can't hit the side of you neibors barn from 10'.