TEST: PRB accuracy in Jug Choked Smoothbore

[roundball]

GM .62cal/.20ga Flint smoothbore barrel (with rear sight)
Jug Choked 'Full'

100grns Goex 2F
.018" Oxyoke prelubed pillow ticking
.600"/325grn cast lead balls (Eddie May/Georgia)

Wiped the bore after every shot
Ran a couple of 5 shot groups at 25yds
Got single ragged holes 1.75" - 2.00" across

From this morning's test, my conclusion is with the above components in a Jug Choked .62cal GM smoothbore barrel, Jug Choking didn't have any noticeable affect on PRB accuracy.

 

[Leonredbeard]

Roundball,
These tests you have done are just the type of testing that keeps me coming back to this board.
I am likely going to a smoothbore shoot next weekend and I know I won't shoot like that. Of course, I can't use a rear sight.
volatpluvia

 

[roundball]

Roundball,
These tests you have done are just the type of testing that keeps me coming back to this board.
I am likely going to a smoothbore shoot next weekend and I know I won't shoot like that. Of course, I can't use a rear sight.
volatpluvia

And to be sure we're clear, this wasn't offhand, it was from the bench of course

 

[paulvallandigham]

I am impressed with your results. I am trying to see how I can apply that information to my overbore fowler. I suspect I am going to have to use .610" balls, rather than the .600" balls I have, to get best accuracy in my .627 bore.

 

[rkmeyer]

How deep is your jug? Modified etc.
Thanks,
Dusty

 

[roundball]

How deep is your jug? Modified etc.
Thanks,
Dusty

I had it choked 'Full' to mainly use as a turkey barrel...I believe he said it was .025"...sure does a job too...averages 75 pellets in a sheet of notebook paper at 40yds

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Thanks for the post Roundball, I appreciate your effort. I do wish you had done your testing at 50 yards as 25 yards is just too close to reveal any real difference in accuracy. My own 28 gauge jug choked barrel will also group five shots in one hole at 25 yards but opens to 5" or 6" at fifty. I feel your choice of the 25 yard range largely negated any usefulness of the test. One cannot extrapolat group size from 25 yards to 50 yards, it just doesn't hold and especially not with a smoothbore.
I've never done much work with balls from a smoothbore as I have always preferred a rifle for ball shooting and limited my smoothbores to shot loads. However, the interest in smoothbores has really grown lately and now we are seeing smoothbore matches even here in Colorado, remote though we are from the mainstream muzzleloading back east, so I guess I'll have to start casting some big balls. :grin:

 

[roundball]

I made a lengthy reply before the server crashed and won't bother trying to recreate it in its entirety...I agreed that only an actual 50 yard test is a true 50 yard test...but I also added that in my personal experience at that shooting range, going back and forth between 25 & 50 yards over the years with many calibers and loads I have yet to ever have one of my muzzleloaders and hunting loads that made a single ragged hole at 25yds, suddenly go bonkers between 26 and 50yds.

The reason may be, judging from most posts on forums over the years, that it's because I really drive my PRB loads hard & fast compared to many folks who seem to use mild, mid range powder charges, and there's not much chance for wiggle when a ball is still being driven under a strong head of steam to 50yds.

Anyhow, I did some work, posted information for free, folks can get something from it or ignore it...no biggie to me either way

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Thanks RB, I wasn't even aware there had been a server problem. :thumbsup:

 

[cordite]

Thanks for posting this roundball. I just got a 12 ga flintlock fowler and am anxious to work up some roundball loads. I also want to use it for turkeys. Suggestions for who might jug choke the barrel would be appreciated.

 

[roundball]

Suggestions for who might jug choke the barrel would be appreciated.

This is who did mine, $75

Lowell Tennyson
209 E Lotte St.
Blue Grass IA. 52726
563-381-3711
[email protected]

 

[cordite]

Great! I will contact him.