Smootbore round ball loads

[Bushfire]

I'm sure this has been covered, but hey content is what keeps forums alive.

I've been working on loads with my pedersoli northwest trade gun for round ball and am getting ok accuracy but not great. Now I have been changing powder volume, it's more loading technique or method I'm not set on.

At 40 yards I'm getting about 5". Shots consistently to the right. Not really wanting to bend the barrel either.

I've tried powder, prb and bare ball then a scrunched up oversized patch over the top.

I was thinking of using a bare ball on powder and then a olive oil lubed felt wad perhaps?

 

[Maven]

I'm sure this has been covered, but hey content is what keeps forums alive.

I've been working on loads with my pedersoli northwest trade gun for round ball and am getting ok accuracy but not great. Now I have been changing powder volume, it's more loading technique or method I'm not set on.

At 40 yards I'm getting about 5". Shots consistently to the right. Not really wanting to bend the barrel either.

I've tried powder, prb and bare ball then a scrunched up oversized patch over the top.

I was thinking of using a bare ball on powder and then a olive oil lubed felt wad perhaps?

I have also struggled with my NW trade gun and accuracy, Bushfire. Although not HC/PC, I've had the most successful with a patched RB .598" in a .618" - .619" bore and 65gr. - 85gr. FFg. Here are two such targets fired @ 25 yd. with .598" & .602" R

Edit: I forgot to add that all targets, even the one I mistakenly posted, were shot @ 25 yd. from a rest or semi-rest (smoothbore targets).

 

[Maven]

Kindly ignore the middle target as I mistakenly posted it!

 

[tenngun]

I would suggest it’s your hold that making you shoot right. Without a rear sight I always shot right.
I think there is about a hundred thousand best loads for a smoothie

 

[Bushfire]

I would suggest it’s your hold that making you shoot right. Without a rear sight I always shot right.
I think there is about a hundred thousand best loads for a smoothie

Not wrong,

If I buy this english fowler I'm looking at it has a vnotch near the breach for centreing the front sight. Can only imagine it would help.

 

[bud in pa]

Try putting a rear sight on it. I make paper cartridges for mine. I was shooting a .575 ball and 70 gr. of 3 F. It is good out to 50 Yds. or a little more

 

[Bushfire]

Try putting a rear sight on it. I make paper cartridges for mine. I was shooting a .575 ball and 70 gr. of 3 F. It is good out to 50 Yds. or a little more

I wouldn't do that, only because I use it for bird hunting with shot too and feel as though it would be a detriment to that.

 

[bud in pa]

Try using a brass corner bracket mounted under the tang screw. Somebody here posted a picture of one. I think its under "rear sights on a smoothbore".

 

[minish]

I put a temporary rear sight on mine to take that out of the equation and then worked on loads. My best so far is 80 grains of 2f, a thin over powder wad, a thick olive oil soaked fiber wad and a .60 rb with .015 patch lubed with olive oil. Shot several 3 shot groups under 3" at 45 yards. Now to figure out how to put a decent sight on it.

 

[Bushfire]

If I can hit in the vitals at 50 yards I will consider it an acceptable substitute for my bows that I never have time for anymore. If I can hot a deer's vitals at 75 yards consistently I will be a happy man!

 

[Nobade]

I put a rear sight on mine and it helped considerably in shooting balls. And as a bonus for shooting flying my eyes are so bad now I can't see the rear sight anyway so it doesn't hurt anything.
Not sure a lubed wad in front of the ball would help, kind of like the Skychief load. But it's a smoothbore and you never know until you've tried it.

 

[Brokennock]

My best loads are, in order they go down the tube:
67 or 85 grains 3f, 2 overshot card, lubed felt wad, .610 ball 2 overshot cards. The different powder volumes only seem to effect things past my hunting distances. Interestingly nothing grouped well in between those two numbers.

This was before I filed the rear sight to bring elevation down.
Or,
67 grains 3f, overshot card, .595 ball patched with lubed .010 drill cloth.
This is in my .615 bore smoothrifle.

Fusil des Chase, also 20 gauge, seems to like 75 grains 3f, dry felt wad, lubed felt wad or lubed tow wad, .610 ball, overshot card...
I still feel this one could be better. Need to try the lubed tow with the documented practice of a 1x2" strip of paper sack folded to 1x1" and placed on powder under the tow wad.
It does shoot a patched .600 ball quite well but I'd like a more historical load if I can get one up to standards.

This load shoots so well at 25 yards one would think it couldn't be that bad at 50,,,,,

But it falls apart at 50 yards.

 

[ohio ramrod]

If your shots are consistantly to the right, try moving the front sight right.

 

[Brokennock]

If your shots are consistantly to the right, try moving the front sight right.

How? Most traditional smoothbore guns have the front sight soldered on.

 

[Brokennock]

I wouldn't do that, only because I use it for bird hunting with shot too and feel as though it would be a detriment to that.

I put a very small brass rear sight on my Fusil des Chase. I put it back far enough that it is slightly blury in my vision (it would be anyway as I focus on the front sight when aiming).
Between being small and being where it is hard to focus on unless I do so very deliberately, I don't notice it when shooting at flying pheasants.

 

[Brokennock]

Shots consistently to the right. Not really wanting to bend the barrel either.

Okay, I'll start the dust up if no one else will.
Look up the numerous posts by @Britsmoothy about lightly filing a minut bit of material from the edge of the muzzle.

Folks get all worked up about it bit it is better than missing. The amount of material removed is so small that finished right it should be barely noticeable. And, it is easily returned to square.

But, I would try the rear sight 1st.

 

[Timber Wolf]

I have just started working with my new Pedersoli Trade Rifle but it shows promise. Using a .610 PRB (spit .018 patch cut at muzzle) over 80 grains of 2f shot just fine accuracy wise. I have to bump the butt on the ground a time or three to get powder down around the touch hole. If I don’t do the bumpity-bump I don’t get reliable ignition. I may try tapering and smoothing the inside of the touch hole liner as well as using 3f for my main charge to see if it helps. At our club match last month I had five out of six in the black and pulled one shot 3” left. Off hand that is all I could expect of most anything I am shooting, let alone a smooth bore. I did not do that well this month with my .32 Crockett, with the advantage of a rear sight and rifling!

 

[Bushfire]

I have just started working with my new Pedersoli Trade Rifle but it shows promise. Using a .610 PRB (spit .018 patch cut at muzzle) over 80 grains of 2f shot just fine accuracy wise. I have to bump the butt on the ground a time or three to get powder down around the touch hole. If I don’t do the bumpity-bump I don’t get reliable ignition. I may try tapering and smoothing the inside of the touch hole liner as well as using 3f for my main charge to see if it helps. At our club match last month I had five out of six in the black and pulled one shot 3” left. Off hand that is all I could expect of most anything I am shooting, let alone a smooth bore. I did not do that well this month with my .32 Crockett, with the advantage of a rear sight and rifling!

Using a .600 ball and a 0.020 patch I find tight enough in mine, what's loading yours like?

I can honestly say mine is the most reliable flintlock ignition I own out of my 3 flinters.

 

[Bushfire]

Okay, I'll start the dust up if no one else will.
Look up the numerous posts by @Britsmoothy about lightly filing a minut bit of material from the edge of the muzzle.

Folks get all worked up about it bit it is better than missing. The amount of material removed is so small that finished right it should be barely noticeable. And, it is easily returned to square.

But, I would try the rear sight 1st.

I'll look it up thanks.

How do you secure the rear sight?

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Okay, I'll start the dust up if no one else will.
Look up the numerous posts by @Britsmoothy about lightly filing a minut bit of material from the edge of the muzzle.

Folks get all worked up about it bit it is better than missing. The amount of material removed is so small that finished right it should be barely noticeable. And, it is easily returned to square.

But, I would try the rear sight 1st.

I really miss Britsmoothy…