I experimented with the following:
MUZZLELOADER: T/C .50cal 32" x 1:66" Flintlock
POWDER CHARGES: 20/30/40/50grns Goex 3F
PATCHES: .015"/.018"/.020"/.022" TC precut pillow ticking, prelubed with NL1000
CONDITIONS: Bright and clear but extremely windy
20 grns was so slow that the wind pushed the little 22grn balls around so much they were all over the place...began increasing powder charges in 10grn increments.
Each incresase in powder charge improved accuracy.
Each increase in patch thickness improved accuracy.
I found that .50grns 3F + .022" pillow ticking gave the best group...3" @ 20 yards shooting semi-off hand from a chair in extreme wind...so the .500" rubber balls seem to be a viable short range alernative to lead for fun shooting, punching holes in paper, shooting cans, etc.
Its important not to lose sight of the purpose of these experiments...which is to try and find at least some sort of low cost alternative quality ball that is available in volume in case lead becomes cost prohibitive which I believe it soon will be...or worse case somehow becomes unavailable, banned, etc.
Ligtht weight rubber balls will never be as good as heavy lead balls of course...these .500" only weigh 22grns and are easily effected by wind...for example, the extreme wind today may explain why I had to go up to 50grns 3F to start getting predictable, repeatable groups...on a calm day maybe 30-40grns will be fine.
I only took 50 balls to the range this morning and wish I'd taken more as I ran before getting a chance to try 60 and 70grns...more info as it becomes available in the future...and if anybody else wants to run their own tests, PM me.
MUZZLELOADER: T/C .50cal 32" x 1:66" Flintlock
POWDER CHARGES: 20/30/40/50grns Goex 3F
PATCHES: .015"/.018"/.020"/.022" TC precut pillow ticking, prelubed with NL1000
CONDITIONS: Bright and clear but extremely windy
20 grns was so slow that the wind pushed the little 22grn balls around so much they were all over the place...began increasing powder charges in 10grn increments.
Each incresase in powder charge improved accuracy.
Each increase in patch thickness improved accuracy.
I found that .50grns 3F + .022" pillow ticking gave the best group...3" @ 20 yards shooting semi-off hand from a chair in extreme wind...so the .500" rubber balls seem to be a viable short range alernative to lead for fun shooting, punching holes in paper, shooting cans, etc.
Its important not to lose sight of the purpose of these experiments...which is to try and find at least some sort of low cost alternative quality ball that is available in volume in case lead becomes cost prohibitive which I believe it soon will be...or worse case somehow becomes unavailable, banned, etc.
Ligtht weight rubber balls will never be as good as heavy lead balls of course...these .500" only weigh 22grns and are easily effected by wind...for example, the extreme wind today may explain why I had to go up to 50grns 3F to start getting predictable, repeatable groups...on a calm day maybe 30-40grns will be fine.
I only took 50 balls to the range this morning and wish I'd taken more as I ran before getting a chance to try 60 and 70grns...more info as it becomes available in the future...and if anybody else wants to run their own tests, PM me.