Shooting Round Balls Without patches

[GregLaRoche]

There are people shooting round balls without patches. I have heard you can roll the ball between two rasps to raise points on it, so it stays tight in the bore. I’ve also heard that what counts is that it rolls down the bore when fired. I guess this is to start it spinning to give it more stability. I would like to know what others think about these methods.
Thanks

 

[hawkeye2]

What you are describing is done on smoothbores only. The raised "points" make the ball fit the bore and more or less hold it centered in the same. Any spin picked up by rolling down the bore even at high speed wouldn't be enough to contribute any stability at all. Shooting a naked ball is generaly done only if rules don't allow a patched ball such as N-SSA matches where a shooter cannot use a patch or wad in a smoothbore.

 

[Carbon 6]

Tried it,
Waste of time, big P.I.T.A
went back to patches.
Who really wants rough balls anyway ?

 

[bang]

Not much point. Loose fit even roughed. Slippage on riflings. Lead fouling. Limited gas seal. Accuracy questionable. Pretty much makes it a smoothie. Even in a smoothie a patch will stabilize the ball in the bore and provide gas seal.

 

[GregLaRoche]

I plan on shooting a .69 cal smooth bore, with the ball on top of cream of wheat. The COW should make the seal in place of the patch. Shouldn’t it?

 

[hawkeye2]

No, you'll need a snug fitting wad and if you want decent accuracy you should shoot a round ball with a lubed patch for a snug fit. If you are planning on shooting a .69 smoothbore then this discussion really belongs in the smoothbore section.

 

[GregLaRoche]

I didn’t realize I was in the wrong section. Is there a way it can be moved?
Thanks

 

[Carbon 6]

I plan on shooting a .69 cal smooth bore, with the ball on top of cream of wheat. The COW should make the seal in place of the patch. Shouldn’t it?

No! been there and done that too.
Have you considered tow?

 

[GregLaRoche]

What is tow?

 

[GregLaRoche]

I’ve just reposted this thread in Smooth Bores.

 

[Sunkmanitu Tanka]

I plan on shooting a .69 cal smooth bore, with the ball on top of cream of wheat. The COW should make the seal in place of the patch. Shouldn’t it?

If you need to use a cow to have a good seal on the ball ... then I would suggest you use a larger caliber ball! Sorry ... couldn't resist it ....

 

[Carbon 6]

What is tow?

A traditional type of wadding, it is the waste fibers left over from linen, from the stalks of the flax plant..
Traditional shooters use it for both smooth bore wadding and for cleaning the barrel.

Another option for you would be to use paper cartridges. Which is what would have likely been used if your gun is something like a Charleville musket.

 

[Zonie]

This topic rightfully should have been posted in the Smoothbore section because shooting a bare ball in a rifle, as some of the posts above indicate can cause leading in the rifling. Accuracy shooting unpatched balls out of a rifle is poor at best and terrible at worst.

The OP re-posted the topic in the smoothbore section so I'm closing this topic in the rifle section.. Here is a link to it in the smoothbore section for those interested.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/shooting-round-balls-without-patches.116422/#post-1592215