round balls in .50 cal.

[kayja]

does anyone use .498 or .500 RBs and what are the advantages or disadvantages?

 

[roundball]

does anyone use .498 or .500 RBs and what are the advantages or disadvantages?

I don't use them but one disadvantage in using them with a patch in a .500 bore would be difficulty in starting them...probably have to use a mallet to hammer them in.

 

[Gemoke]

I own a 50 cal. browning mt. rifle that has an over sized bore, I`ve tried 490,495,498, and 500s the 500s with a 15th patch gives me the best groups.
Browning recommends a 595 ball with a 25th patch,but that combo just does not work.

 

[redriverclerk]

My 50cal is .508-.510 between the rifling (if I remember correctly). I use a .490 ball with pillow ticking, which is a little inconsistent, but around .015-.018.

On the other hand, my father uses .490 balls and .010 patches and his rifling is .512-.514. He just started using .020 patches two weekends ago and his grouping improved. Imagine that...

 

[RetiredMedic]

One of ML's in my collection is a T/C Renegade .50 with the 1:66 barrel.
I use .490 balls with .015 patches. Great Shooter.
I've tried large balls,.495 and .498, but found the .490 balls are more accurate and easier to load..

The biggest problem I'm having is finding pure cotton pillar ticking.. All materials are not pure cotton anymore..

Here is picture of my T/C::

 

[roundball]

I own a 50 cal. browning mt. rifle that has an over sized bore, I`ve tried 490,495,498, and 500s the 500s with a 15th patch gives me the best groups.
Browning recommends a 595 ball with a 25th patch,but that combo just does not work.

Browning recommends a "595" ball??? or might that be a typo...I just hunted last season with .595's & .018" patch in my .62cal(.20ga).

 

[paulvallandigham]

YOu have to tend to ignor the caliber designation on the gun barrels. It tells you the least amount of information. Always measure the bore of the barrel with calipers to find out what you really have. I had a reputable dealer show me an original gun that he had marked as a .36 caliber rifle. When I measured it, it was .34! The gun went from something I was interested in because I could buy cheap lead balls, to one that would require me to either cast my own, or find a custom caster who would cast of balls for me. I was less interested in the gun, and didn't buy it.

 

[redwing]

JB Mtn. Rifle had a number of different barrels over its short production life. The early ones used Bliss Titus barrels made at Heber City Utah these were good tubes.
Later barrels were GM, Douglas or what ever. The barrel channels were very iffey and would shoot loose after a time. They should be glass beded.
I live near Browning and had pals working there at the time of production. These rifles were so poor they were sold off at bargin rates in the end. The price is up now due to Browning collectors buying them. If you want one to shoot measure the bore very close and check the barrel channel and loose breech hook. I have one of many left its a .50 with a bore of almost .500 and yes they listed use of .025 patches.
They are poor at best rifles. And yes before you attack me I know some of them shot very well. We were buying these for $75.00 bucks each in the end so I tried out more than a few.
We did find the .50s would with a heavy loads shoot the Buffelo Balletts Ok. They did lead very bad with this load. :shake:

 

[playfarmers]

My Lyman Deerstalker has a slightly oversized barrel, so I tried the .498 ball. A friend lent me the mould, so I ran off a few hundred balls. I used them for a few years, and shot a few deer with them, and found them very accurate. But they where hard to load after a few shots, so I got a .495 mould, and found it worked best all round. I still have a few of them, but don't use them anymore.

 

[Slamfire]

YOu have to tend to ignor the caliber designation on the gun barrels. It tells you the least amount of information. Always measure the bore of the barrel with calipers to find out what you really have. I had a reputable dealer show me an original gun that he had marked as a .36 caliber rifle. When I measured it, it was .34! The gun went from something I was interested in because I could buy cheap lead balls, to one that would require me to either cast my own, or find a custom caster who would cast of balls for me. I was less interested in the gun, and didn't buy it.

Sounds like the perfect bore for 00 Buck which is usually around .330. They're a bit loose in my .35 bore, but nobody makes a .340 ball.

 

[Headhunter]

I have two TC 50 Cal's and one Bill Large 50 Cal. I use .490's for all of em. My Bill Large takes a little thicker patch but generally, .018 Ticking works with everything.

HH

 

[faw3]

Ive thought it kind of funny the ads for the Brownning sell offs in MUZZLE BLAST back in the ?80s? , 250 bucks and it took months to get rid of less than 500. Fred :hatsoff:

 

[redwing]

fw, you hit the nail. They were even sold thru non-shooting magazines. The last of the parts were sold off at auction in Ogden. Utah years ago. I think they wanted to compete with the Green River Rifle made in Roosevelt, UT. which was and is a real winner.
They had L&R locks and Davis Single set triggers. I thought about rebarrleing one but look at the stocks too thin in the channels. I did glass bed one but decieded not to waste any more money on it. As I said some of the first runs had good barrels and stocks shot well, the later ones not so good. :shake:

 

[Joel/Calgary]

I had a reputable dealer show me an original gun that he had marked as a .36 caliber rifle. When I measured it, it was .34! The gun went from something I was interested in because I could buy cheap lead balls, to one that would require me to either cast my own, or find a custom caster who would cast of balls for me.

A long-after-the-fact thought, but might triple-ought buckshot have possibly worked with appropriate patching? It's usually listed as .33".

Joel

 

[Joel/Calgary]

does anyone use .498 or .500 RBs and what are the advantages or disadvantages?

As others have said, it depends on your barrel. I have an early Pedersoli Kentucky .50 with a bore of approx. .510" and grooves of .520". I prefer .500" balls with .015-.018" patching, but .495s in .018-.020 work well and .490s work pretty well in a couple of types of denim in the .025-.032 range. All patching thicknesses are uncompressed measurements.

FWIW, I normally use a second patch as an over-powder "wad". Being cheap

 

[paulvallandigham]

I am sure that one of the buckshot numbered pellets would have made good cheap ammo for that .34 cal gun. However, the gun was pitted, and had other problems with both the lock and stock. I was not prepared to tackle them at the time. And, because Illinois did not allow buckshot to be used to hunt any game, I was not fully educated about sources of buckshot, and their diameters. I am now, and keep a chart handy so I can figure out what size buck shot will work the best. I am working on " squib " loads for guns so that kids, women, and smart men can do a lot of cheap shooting to get to know their guns, be they muzzle loaders, or suppository bangers. Plinking with a light round ball load in a .30 cal. rifle can be both educational, and as much fun as using that .22 rimfire gun. Depending on your source of buckshot, the cost is almost as low as .22 rimfire ammo, and certainly far less than the cost of commercial ammunition. On bottle neck casings, only the neck has to be resized, and then sometimes even that step can be skipped.

 

[Gemoke]

YES 595 WAS A TYPO, SHOULD HAVE READ 495