T/C 56 First Time Loading

[FishDFly]

This morning I made it out with my T/C 56 SB with roundballs and I think I need some help. This is my first outing with a smooth bore and roundballs.

I looked in the T/C manual and used 80 grains, .550 RB and I used a .015 teflon patch. I had to "drive with effort" the ball and patch in to the barrel with a short starter and rubber hammer.

Oh boy, then came the fun of getting the ball down the barrel, thank goodness for a very stout range rod.

Okay, is teflon not good for smooth bores? Do I need an oil lubed patch? Do I go to a .010 teflon patch? The tightness of the patch I used is not correct for hunting.

Help.

I shot some #6 shoot, this is for another discussion.

RDE

 

[Slamfire]

Smoothbores don't have the riflin' grooves where the excess patch material accumulates. Either git a smaller round ball or thinner patches. :winking:

 

[roundball]

When I had a TC 56cal SB, I used the following:

70grns Goex 3F
.58cal Oxyoke wonderwad
.015" Oxyoke cotton patch
Warren .550 ball

I always use a short starter so needing to use one was no difference...the combination did require a sharper rap on the short starter than normal but was about as accurate as a rifle at the 50yds I tested it.

If you're going to experiment, an alternative might be a .535 and .020"-.022" patches

 

[[email protected]]

Hey,
I have a T/C 56 SB and use .55 balls w/ .018 lubed pillow ticking patches. I get very good groups with every thing from 60 to 90 grains. My father has one too and he uses the same load.
I know this is not totally useful to you other then that it means that you just have to get some different thickness patches and shoot it a whole bunch. :grin:
Oh, I would like to hear how the shot went.

Have Fun
H

 

[silverfox]

I may be way off target here. The only teflon patches I have are at least .20 to .24 this could be part of the problem. The other part is I understand if you use teflon you will need to wet or damp patch after every shot. It just something that has to be done with teflon. Experiment and see what works best.
Fox :hatsoff:

 

[FishDFly]

Thanks to all.

On the way home I considered doing the following:

1. Thinner patch, teflon, .010
2. Thinner patch, oiled, .010
3. Smaller ball

The least cost is to go to a thinner oiled patch to start with.

In a rifled barrel, the patch material is riding on the rifling and in a SB the patch material is in full contact with the barrel. When loading a patched ball, in which barrel (rifled or SB) is going to have more resistance when loading?

Thanks

RDE