Smoothbore

[DJ/IN]

Hello.......I just finished building a smoothbore Tulle. 20 ga. .62 cal. While experimenting with loads I discovered that a .610 roundball on top of 65 grains of 3f swiss and two over powder cards followed by an over shot card shoots 1 1/2 inch groups out to about 40 yards!! I would have never thought about trying a roundball without a patch if the darn thing hadn't of got so dang hard to get a patched roundball down after a shot or two....very dirty. Anyway most of my experence has been with rifles and smoothbores are a whole new ball game. Does anyone else shoot a roundball from a smoothbore without a patch??

 

[Rebel]

Yep, i did it in both of my .20 gas smoothbores. I do use a patch in my .12 ga. Seems to work well either way. If you are getting that kind of accuracy, i woldn't worry about it.

 

[Leatherbark]

I was using a similar load in my Jackie Brown Carolina Smoothbore in 20 gauge and it did about the same.........But BEWARE.......My over shot wad(which was the thin .025 white ones) would not hold the ball against the wads........The .610 ball would roll and push the wad toward the muzzle when I walked with the gun...........Test it..............Bob

 

[Mike Brooks]

For years I had a 20 ga fowler with an old Gostomski barrel in it. The only way it would shoot is with 60gr of 2ff and a .600 bare ball plopped on top. I won alot of shoots with that gun and harvested alot of deer. Even tied a national Flint Feather Duster record at Friendship with it.

 

[musketman]

Does anyone else shoot a roundball from a smoothbore without a patch??

Yep, me too, a .735 roundball pre-dipped in beeswax...

I shoot a few shots with patched .715 round balls, then switch to the larger pre-waxed ones when the bore gets dirty while out in the woods, this saves me from having to drag out all the cleaning stuff while afield...

For serious competition, I clean between each shot and use patched roundballs only...

 

[DJ/IN]

Thats sounds interesting....what is the purpose of the waxed ball? Lubrication, ruducing fowling or just filling space?? Thanks,

 

[musketman]

Thats sounds interesting....what is the purpose of the waxed ball? Lubrication, ruducing fowling or just filling space?? Thanks,

Yes to all three, well, sort of... :haha:

I wax them (double dip) to help reduce leading of the barrel with an unpatched ball, I figure the wax will slide against the barrel offering some protection from lead streaks, it must work, I have no leading in my musket...

I melt bee's wax and slow dip them twice to build up a few layers, then stand them on their spure flat to dry...

 

[woodsrunner1778]

I shoot a tulle 20 ga. with a 44" colerain barrel and off the bench with 70gr FF .600 ball with .015 patch, I can put three balls in the 10x ring at 25 yards and at fifty two inside and one just outside.