Round Ball Size

[longcruise]

In mine i shoot 495 and 017 patch.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

I am new to the percussion world. I just bought a TC 50 cal Hawken. What size round ball mould do I need? I plan on making my own and shooting round balls and patches. I know it seems like a dumb question, but I am great at asking them.

Mine shoots .490 and .495. Don't buy a mold until you tried both sizes to see what works best for you.
Larry

 

[Grenadier1758]

What are the best web sites to buy supplies from?

The answers will depend on what specific supplies you want to buy. It may also depend upon where you live.

For the supplies to be out shooting, Track of the Wolf, October Country, Log Cabin Shop, and Dixie Gun Works. Some sites are good places to go for Black Powder and primers, such as Graf's. Sometimes otherwise reliable sites are out of supplies, such as the shortage of percussion caps and powder. Trying to locate completed firearms and kits has been a struggle of late.

As soon as I suggest a site, all too often it won't have what you need.

 

[flconch53]

T/C usually has .006 depth difference between the lands and grooves of the rifling. Estimate a .50 bore and the grooves will be .5006. A .010 thick patch will work well with either the .490 or the .495 round ball. Or, if you want a tighter fit use a .015 thick patch with whatever type of choice of lubricant.

The rifling is .006 on a side so the overall diameter would be .512 A .490 ball and .015 patch would work. Try a .01 patch if you want easier loading

 

[Urban Coyote]

I'm with the .490 ball and .010 patch crowd, as a place to start. My 46 year old T/C Hawken has digested literally thousands of this combination. If you're not satisfied with this combo you might experiment with some different patch material first, (the least expensive component), before changing ball diameter. Ticking works well for a lot of shooters I like the red stripe stuff about .017. If you buy material from a fabric store wash the sizing out.

Others may have had a different experience but with T/C barrels having a 1 in 48" twist and relatively shallow rifling thinner, .010, patches seem to work better for me. This being said I'd be the first to agree every gun shoots a little different.

Best place to buy supplies? Lots of good recommendations here. I just bought several hundred Speer balls, various sizes including .490, from Midway for a very good sale price.

 

[Ohio Rusty]

For patch material I usually grab my micrometer and head to the thrift store. Often I will find all cotton really tight weave shirts/blouses. A quick thickness check with the micrometer tells me if it is the right thickness. I have found some nice pillow ticking kids shirts that make great patches. The ticking measured .012 thousands thick. That is when I am currently using in my .48 caliber flintlock.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I tried using 0.15 patches and a 0.490 ball in my TC 50 cal last week and it did not work well. I could barely load it on my second shot. You might have better luck with it, but I would recommend bringing 0.10 patches with you as well.

Of course, sometimes one gets a BP barrel, that simply needs to be wiped after every shot. It's an odd phenomenon, because you could literally have the barrel made at the factory just after yours, when yours needs wiping, and that other barrel for some reason is good for two or three shots then a wipe.

You also might try a different brand of BP OR a different granulation... if either are available...

LD

 

[Fossilsn]

You're right. It was my first time using that rifle which led to a few "learning experiences" during the match and the cleanup at home. I was using FF Goex with varied loads usually around 50-60 grains. I've since picked up some 0.10 patches and have some FFF powder on the way, but it's Graf's so I'm not expecting that to improve the fouling. Mostly I learned that I need swab the barrel more often.

 

[Little Brother]

I have some .015 patches so I am guessing a .490 round ball will work. Unless I need thinner patches.

Those are fine.

 

[Shadowalker164]

Flconch53..
“Try a .01 patch if you want easier loading”
I never heard of them, what are they?

 

[Snydly]

What are the best web sites to buy supplies from?

TOW.. Dixie gun works ..some local gun shops always seem to have some ML supplies

 

[beyu]

October Country is where I get roundball for my Charleville.

 

[arjay]

Flconch53..
“Try a .01 patch if you want easier loading”
I never heard of them, what are they?

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/163/1

 

[flconch53]

Flconch53..
“Try a .01 patch if you want easier loading”
I never heard of them, what are they?

10 thousandth just left off the 2nd 0 because .01 and .010 are the same size

 

[Fossilsn]

I realized I did the same thing and left of a 0.

 

[tenngun]

Mine shoots .490 and .495. Don't buy a mold until you tried both sizes to see what works best for you.
Larry

Yup, try a bag of ball from a suppler like Trac of tge wolf. I had a .50 that used a .500.
One of our members Black Powder Maniac shoots .480
The standard is .01less than the bore. .440 in a .45, .490 in a .50, .530 in a .54, but guns and loading methods vary.
And what you want from the gun can vary too. Your most accurate shots may be 75 grains 3f and a .497 ball with .01 patch. But it’s difficult to load, so you reduce for ease of loading even if it cost you a half inch to your group.

 

[Encore50Cal]

I fully understood the .01 patch would be way off. I have both .010 and .015 patches and ticking to try. I have some .490 and I will try to get some .495 to see which one loads and shoots best. I also have tripple seven 2F and 2f swiss to play with.
I can't wait to get to the range and start the process. Next year deer season is going to be so much fun!

 

[TDM]

With those patch and ball combinations you’ll find something that works.

 

[arjay]

.01" = .010" = .0100" = .01000 .....etc.