I have had some very good targets over the years w/o "thumping" or otherwise damaging the patched RB. One thing I noticed years ago was that if I used a flat-ended ramrod rather than a cupped end that fit the ball, the flattened (?) balls shot just fine out to 50yds or so . At least I could not tell any difference. I never did get very good groups at 100yds. (6-8" at 100yds from a rest). When I switched to a cupped end...just pushing the ball down hard....groups tightened up at 100yds immediately. Having seen several dry balls extracted or blown out with compressed air, and flattened/smashed faces due to loading, I am convinced that it is easy to damage a pure lead ball to where it does not fly consistently at distance. I push..and use a curved end on my ramrod.