What size ball?

[evildog]

A question for someone who can do the math... what size ball would be needed to make a layer of 3 that would lay flat in a 62 caliber smoothbore?

 

[Norskie]

Huh? You mean like a small load of buckshot, and what size shot would fit 3 in a single layer on top of the wad... Man, I don't have my reference tables with me.
Sounds like a perfect cut and try experiment. Take your overpowder wad and start putting shot on top of it, see which size fits best.

 

[evildog]

Ah, there be the problem..... don't have any shot. The closest I have is a .329 round ball mold. That sise ball gives me a nice flat layer of 3 balls in a Brown Bess (75 caliber). Am trying to find out what size to use for 62 caliber rather than just randomly buying molds. Yes, you are correct... a single layer of 3 balls laying flat on top of the over-powder wad.... or maybe 2 layers.... or maybe 3 layers.

 

[Rebel]

#4 buck should give you the layer you are looking for in the .20 ga.

 

[Russianblood]

According to Mike Nesbitt in his article in DGW Blackpowder Annual 2006, four #4 buckshot fit a 20 bore and three in a 28 bore.

Of course, I have a 20 bore and only #3 or 000 buck. :hmm:

 

[evildog]

Hey Bloodhound.... thanks for looking that up for me. He must be talking Eastern #4 buckshot which is 0.240" diameter. Western #4 buckshot is 0.330" diameter and I know for sure that wouldn't work since three 0.329" form a very nice triangle layer in 75 caliber. Now I know what size mold I will be looking for.

 

[Poor Boy]

:blah: I don't have much use for Mike Nesbitt,he does a lot of unsafe and unnatural things with a muzzleloader.....Check out back copies of MUZZLELOADER MAGAZINE Olson

 

...and the answer is something like a .275 ball--I don't know what buck size that is closest to. As for Mike Nesbitt, I don't know why so many folks bad mouth him [another MLing site made a sport of it]. He is a nice fellow and generally has interesting articles (which I don't always agree with, but that is life). He has been around this hobby a long time and deserves a little more respect, IMHO. If you want to "talk" with him direct go to the campfire site sponsored by MuzzleLoader Mag--he is usually there. Good guy. A gentleman.

 

[squirejohn]

Mike's right. Take bore diameter and multiply by .450 should give the diameter of 3 balls that would "lie flat". In a 62 c this equals .28. The closest shot diameter is #2 which is .270