Wads, balls, shot, tow and MORE

[Steveoko922]

Could someone explain to me the different uses and purposes for wads ( lubed or dry), card wads, and tow paired with ball and shot for use in Smoothbores? Is a combination of Wad and patch or wad and tow a thing for roundball?

I've hunted primarily with .58 minies and recently got an 1842 smoothbore to challenge myself. Never taken a deer past 80yds with a rifle anyhow...

For hunting loads, do smoothbore shooters use a series of the aforementioned or stick with something simple?

What sort of ranges have you taken game? How do you align your front sight with no rearsight?

 

[Brokennock]

Most of us do something different, but slightly. It is like variations on a theme in music or art.
I'll stick with roundball loads as that is what you referenced.
The general purpose of the various cards and wads would be separating powder from ball (this helps with gas seal but some don't do this and use larger charges of powder to compensate) , carrying lube to keep fouling soft and minimal, and holding the whole mess in place.
For example, a generalized buy typical roundball load for me using cards and wads would look like this....
Powder, thin card (often sold as "overshot cards"), lubed wad (either felt of tow), ball, thin card or two to hold it all in place.

As said, some forego wads and cards altogether. Some drop ball on powder and just use wadding or a card to hold it there. Some just use tow or similar between powder and ball and over the ball.
Again, just speaking in generalities, the less seal created below the ball the larger the charge I see people using. My typical loads run from 65 grains 3f, 75 grains 2f, to 80/85 grains. Folks shooting with no wads or just tow seem to report charges anywhere from 90 to 120 grains (for reference this is in a 20 gauge).

I have little knowledge of what a historical load for your gun is as it is later than my time period of interest,,, but I'm betting it would be a paper cartridge.


Shot loads are similar just replace the ball with shot. I seem to have best luck with a powder measure of shot that is about 10 grains less than I used for powder. Like, 62ish grains powder under 70 or so grain measure of shot (remember this is all volume measurement)

 

[Steveoko922]

That's a great explanation Brokennock, thank you. I'd like to have my initial load be a tight-fitting, nicely sealed ball load then have something quick and convenient for a follow up shot if need be.

 

[Brokennock]

That's a great explanation Brokennock, thank you. I'd like to have my initial load be a tight-fitting, nicely sealed ball load then have something quick and convenient for a follow up shot if need be.

1st rule of smoothbores,,,,, forget the "rules" of rifles.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

Here is a great article written by a master on the subject.

http://home.insightbb.com/~bspen/SmoothboreLoads.html
ADK Bigfoot

 

[Rob M.]

Yeah , everyone , but esp. smoothbore shooters , seem to have their own routine when loading.... Mine is simple , 65 gr. of 2F , wadding of hornets nest outer material , round ball down , then more wadding tamped down , ( thats for naked ball ) . I use this at one of my favorite stands or blinds , short range shots . If I may have a longer shot past 50 yards. , i will load with a patched round ball .... Powder charge , 65 gr. , patched round ball , .600 ....shove it all down and tamp ...Shot load .... Powder , same , wadding , shot , wadding then tamp .... Prime with same as charge powder .....good to go . Trade gun I have now I put on a rear sight so ....conventional sighting . When I had a trade gun with just a blade up front .... I just put the front blade on the target and centered the blade with the tang .... pull the trigger slow .... Good to go..

 

[uno676]

So this maybe a stupid question but most don't use a patch like used on a rifled gun??? I'm new to smoothbore I have been using a patch like a rifled gun. My accuracy hasn't been great but I've been blaming myself witch totally could still be true. Would accuracy be better with a wad then dropping the ball down???

 

[Grenadier1758]

@uno676, smooth bored guns are unique to themselves. There are so many options that we can use when we shoot them. Some of us have acceptable results with a loose patch and round ball. Some will find that using nests of tow work well. Some will load them as if they were loading loose shot with over powder wads, the shot being one round ball, and an over shot card. Some will use a loose nest of tow with the bal over the over powder wad.

The only way we can determine is accuracy would be improved with a specific load method is to try it. Sometimes, I am convinced that accuracy changes with the temperature or humidity and loading procedure be damned. I think that is me. It's going to take some load development. In any case accuracy for most of us isn't going to be great. Accuracy may be acceptable, but it is unlikely to be great.

 

[uno676]

@uno676, smooth bored guns are unique to themselves. There are so many options that we can use when we shoot them. Some of us have acceptable results with a loose patch and round ball. Some will find that using nests of tow work well. Some will load them as if they were loading loose shot with over powder wads, the shot being one round ball, and an over shot card. Some will use a loose nest of tow with the bal over the over powder wad.

The only way we can determine is accuracy would be improved with a specific load method is to try it. Sometimes, I am convinced that accuracy changes with the temperature or humidity and loading procedure be damned. I think that is me. It's going to take some load development. In any case accuracy for most of us isn't going to be great. Accuracy may be acceptable, but it is unlikely to be great.

Thanks I appreciate your wisdom. I'm still getting use to only having the front sight to aim with so at this point its a cr*p shoot.

 

[Mwal]

I have success using. Powder over powder card then tow then ball then tow.

 

[Alexitt]

My personal preference for my smoothbore is powder then a 3/16th" thick leather lubed wad, ball then a felt or thinner leather patch on top... Accuracy is pretty good out to 50 yards and my eyes don't do so great much past 75... I keep waiting for someone with a chrono to show up in the woods but no luck so far... Patching a ball in a smoothbore is a fairly recent idea in my opinion as (extra) cloth was a luxury back in the day...

 

[Rob M.]

So this maybe a stupid question but most don't use a patch like used on a rifled gun??? I'm new to smoothbore I have been using a patch like a rifled gun. My accuracy hasn't been great but I've been blaming myself witch totally could still be true. Would accuracy be better with a wad then dropping the ball down???

Yeah ...just try a couple different combinations . I had a few Zornes barrels that were stupid accurate with patched ball but I've had other barrels that it just did not make a difference whether the ball was patched or naked so I never bothered patching the ball again with it ...just try a couple different things and see what it likes .... Lots of load combinations on this forum .... A LOT ! And some weird ones !! LOL ...but try em out ! Shootem all will be fun anyway !/