What caliber of roundball?

[Bartek]

Hello :hatsoff:
Just one question: what caliber of roundball should i use if my matchlock musket has .62 cal. barrel ?

pozdrawiam (regards) :hatsoff:
bartek

 

[Teleoceras]

Bartek:

I use a .595 round ball with a .010 patch. I've had good results with that combo.

Slowmatch Forever!
Teleoceras

 

[Leonredbeard]

Yeah, Bartek,
.590 balls are a little small for my 20 gauge smoothbores. I have to use .035 patching to make them shoot well. Teleoceras' advice seems good. Experiment with patching.
volatpluvia

 

[arilar]

Hi Bartek!!
Hasnt been posting here for some time (been on the dark side dealing with cartridge weapons for a while). This week though trying a "so called" cal..62 pistol (smooth-bore flintlock) that "liked" a .575 bullet with .015 patch. Also has a flintlock-rifle in caliber .62 that wants another combo. The true caliber seems to differ but I use Jeff Tanners moulds in a serie .575-.585-.595 and patches .010-.015-.020. In that way I always finds the right combo. As Volatpluvia tells....you need to experiment.
Regards from Sweden,
ARILAR :grin:

 

[Zoar]

Thus far I've found the best luck going .010 smaller than the caliber:

In my 58 cal I use .570; in my 54 cal I use .530; in my 45 cal I use .440; in my 41 cal I use .40, ...

And with all I use a .010 lubed wonder patch.

Terrific accuracy and repeatability.

Thus it seems a .610 ball might work for you in your 62 cal

 

[tg]

There is usually a considerable difference in this if you are talking rilfed barrels or smoothbores.smoothbores usuallywill take a much smaller than bore ball than a rifle.