Thicker patch with smaller ball in a .58 cal rifle

[Leadball loader]

I am thinking about trying a thicker patch with a ball under .570. Does anyone use a similar combination with reasonable results?
I'm hoping for a thumb pressure loading combination for a Colrain barrel with radius groove rifling without coning the barrel.
LBL

 

[Many Klatch]

I have experimented some with that. I tried a chamois leather patch in my .54. Had to step down to a .50 ball. Leather patch was well greased with I can't remember with what at this point. Basically hit the same point of aim. The patches could be reused too.

My .54 is a Getz barrel with radius groove rifling. I shoot a .526 ball with a .012 spit patch. I went to this load to allow me to dispense with a short starter. FWIW the barrel is a 1 in 55 twist and I load either 55 grains for 25 yards or 75 grains for anything over 25 yards.

 

[EC121]

Undersize balls work. I use a .526 ball with a .020" canvas patch in a .54 barrel. It will load with a push from the short starter. No pounding. I radius and polish the crown for even easier loading. A thinner patch would be a thumb starter combo. I shot these groups last week while sighting(filing the front sight) in a Getz barreled rifle. 50yds. benched. 85grns. of 2F. 80-90grns. of 2F with the appropriate ball seems to work in my rifles from .54 to .62 cal. .562 for the .58s and .590 or .595 in the 60s and the .62. I only shoot 50-60yd. shots.



Here is a 50yd. benched( wish I could do this offhand!!) group from a .58 Rice barrel. .562 and a thick patch. Top shot is a clean barrel and 4 more in the lower group.

 

[Art Caputo]

I have been able to quite easily press(with no pounding) a .570 LRB in my 58 cal Green Mountain barrel with straight cut rifling. I use a Mink Oil(TOTW) lubed .015” cotton Ox-Yoke patch. This patch actually measures .013” compressed. Good accuracy, spent patches look good, and no swabbing for about a dozen shots.

 

[EC121]

A lot depends on the brand of barrel. Some brands run smaller or larger than others. Also If I remember correctly, the Green Mountain brand has wider grooves than lands. That would allow a larger ball. Other brands have equal lands and grooves. They would take smaller ball. You just have to try yours and see if it likes it.
The crown has a lot to do with easy loading also. I roll the crown and polish it on all my rifles. Until it wears some, the sharp edges of the crown will grab or cut a patch with a larger(for your bore) size ball, and make it hard to load.. So, I speed up the muzzle wear.

 

[Leadball loader]

Knowing that some have been successful with this process makes experimenting a lot easier.
Thanks all for your input. I have a much better idea what may work when I get ready to do this.
LBL

 

[eggwelder]

.562 with a double .17 crisco lubed patch in original 1863 remington .58. Hit about 4 inches higher than Minies from the same.

 

[ohio ramrod]

While shooting a woodswalk with four others the one shooter shooting a fifty caliber lost most of his balls from his ball bag. The rest of our group only had 45's. He borrowed some of our balls and triple patched them. He shot better with that load than his origonal load.So I would recommend you try a smaller ball and thicker patch and see how it shoots.

 

[tjduff]

I’ve been shooting .535’s with thick deer hide patches lubed with bear grease out of a .62 fusil. Plenty accurate, thumb pressure only.

 

[Sparkitoff]

So from .50 -.54 and .54-.58 you need about 3 patches (.015-.020)? Or more thinner patches?

 

[Stubert]

I used to have a .58 Cabellas, I used a .562 ball with good results .015 patch.

 

[smoothshooter]

I have been able to quite easily press(with no pounding) a .570 LRB in my 58 cal Green Mountain barrel with straight cut rifling. I use a Mink Oil(TOTW) lubed .015” cotton Ox-Yoke patch. This patch actually measures .013” compressed. Good accuracy, spent patches look good, and no swabbing for about a dozen shots.

By straight cut rifling, do you actually mean no-twist rifling?
If so, please elaborate on the accuracy you get out to 100 yards.
I have been contemplating having a barrel made up with straight rifling to experiment with. There is a lot of discussion from time to time on this subject, but first hand knowledge is nearly nonexistent.
Lots of talk, but no one wants to take the plunge.