Tanner Ball Mold

[Flint1]

For a patched ball load, I recommend a thick lubricated patch. This would be a 0.018" to 0.020" material that compresses to about 0.012".

In my .54 rifle with a Colerain barrel I use .018 ticking with a .530 ball. I don't know what it compresses to, but I can shoot many shots with no wiping and can easily load with a wooden ramrod. Is the patch material you're referring to ticking or something else?

 

[Texcl2]

I don’t find fouling any worse in smooth bores. Now if you run 1f vs 2f or large powder charge vs small you will see some differences.

 

[waksupi]

I personally find smooth bores foul the breech more than the barrel. I need to scrape the breech face about every ten rounds. I can tell it is fouled, as the accuracy goes away. Cleaning the breech face brings it back.
You do have a strong possibility of leading the bore shooting without a patch.

 

[Grenadier1758]

In my .54 rifle with a Colerain barrel I use .018 ticking with a .530 ball. I don't know what it compresses to, but I can shoot many shots with no wiping and can easily load with a wooden ramrod. Is the patch material you're referring to ticking or something else?

I use the #40 Cotton Drill cloth which measures uncompressed at 0.018 and compresses with reasonable pressure to 0.012. In a smoothbore the specific material isn't as important as the fact that the patching compresses some, is easy to load and performs to your expectations.

 

[Texcl2]

I have issues with leading with shot loads. I’m thinking about using paper shot cups to avoid this and hopefully tighten up patterns.

 

[Flintlock Fellow]

How difficult is that to load, particularly after firing several shots? I have a Pedersoli M1777 I ordered from Dixie about 1 1/2 years ago, and have not yet fired it. It's my first smoothbore and seems like I heard that smoothbore fouling is more prevalent than in rifles. Your patch and ball combo totals .696. Even loading a .570 ball with a .010 patch in my Armi Sport Richmond is like tying to pound a cannon ball down the bore, which is why I stick with minies in it. Also, if firing an unpatched round ball in a smoothbore is there the chance of developing leading?

Applying thumb pressure, I found the gun loaded with relative ease. I utilized blue ticking from Walmart, cut at the muzzle, and lubricated with saliva. Competing against various rifles, I secured first place in the long arm category during our recent club trail walk. It performed flawlessly across all 20 targets, and I didn’t feel the need to swab the barrel at any point during the trail.

Of course, I recognize that the mileage of others may vary. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that muzzleloading is anything but a “one-size-fits-all” hobby.