What size is .62cal?
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Mine is .620 and I find .595 balls much better fit than the .600s. :thumbsup:
paulvallandigham
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NOMINAL diameter for t 20 gauge Smooth bore is .615". Generally, you want to choose a RB that is .020" SMALLER THAN YOUR ACTUAL bore diameter. Go to the .595 and a thin patch and see how that works. If you have burned patches, use a felt or vegetable fiber wad for an OP wad and firewall behind the PRB. That should improve accuracy, and eliminated the burned patches.
If you do a lot of RB shooting, you might want to order a mold from Tanner in that .590 caliber.
If you do a lot of RB shooting, you might want to order a mold from Tanner in that .590 caliber.
Never mic'ed my Jackie Brown barrel but it takes a .600" ball easily with .010" patch and kinda snug with a .015" patch.
hanshi
Cannon
Best I can measure mine is .615". a .600" lead ball can be patched and loaded with a .010" patch. It's tight but is possible to seat with the gun's wood rod and that's what counts for me. I have a Tanner .590" mold and, cast from WW, the ball seats easily with a .020" patch. It will even seat flush with the muzzle by firm thumb pressure. .600" (actually .605" from WW) WW ball has to be pounded in with a .010" patch and is not practical for field use. It does, however, shoot well as a bare ball.
I have 3 .62s, a .610 (.007 patch) a .620 (a .015 patch) a .625 ( .020 patch) all with a .600 ball.
All patches, my measurement, yours may vary. All very accurate, all load easily. Getting the proper material and thickness to match your ball and barrel is the secret to sucess along with the best lube (spit).
Deadeye
All patches, my measurement, yours may vary. All very accurate, all load easily. Getting the proper material and thickness to match your ball and barrel is the secret to sucess along with the best lube (spit).
Deadeye
Keb
50 Cal.
I have a .620 bore & use .600 ball & .018 pillowtick with spit. Been using that combo in this gun since the early 90's.
paulvallandigham
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Not to you in particular, KEB, but Nominal dimensions Relevant to 20 Gauge barrels are close, as follows:
19 gauge - .629"
20 gauge - .615"( 62 cal.)
21 gauge - .605"
22 gauge - .596"
23 gauge - .587"
24 gauge - .579"( .58 cal.)
Because of the wide range of measurements of both Actual bores sizes, and the size of balls being use, its important to keep in mind that which size ball used, which thickness of patch to choose, or even whether to shoot "bare" balls in your smoothbores, depends on what that Actual bore size IS.
Because you are basically shooting pumpkins( balls), as there is no rifling to put a spin to the ball, some people have successfully used .58 caliber round balls with double patches in their .62 cal. smooth bores. Gas seal is not good; and yardage needs to be shortened. But, they work at short yardage to take deer when you don't have a choice.
The heavy weight of these large bore Lead Balls insures adequate penetration, even at lower velocities. Most Whitetail deer are killed at distances well under 50 yards, even using modern shotguns, rifles, and handguns. :hatsoff:
19 gauge - .629"
20 gauge - .615"( 62 cal.)
21 gauge - .605"
22 gauge - .596"
23 gauge - .587"
24 gauge - .579"( .58 cal.)
Because of the wide range of measurements of both Actual bores sizes, and the size of balls being use, its important to keep in mind that which size ball used, which thickness of patch to choose, or even whether to shoot "bare" balls in your smoothbores, depends on what that Actual bore size IS.
Because you are basically shooting pumpkins( balls), as there is no rifling to put a spin to the ball, some people have successfully used .58 caliber round balls with double patches in their .62 cal. smooth bores. Gas seal is not good; and yardage needs to be shortened. But, they work at short yardage to take deer when you don't have a choice.
The heavy weight of these large bore Lead Balls insures adequate penetration, even at lower velocities. Most Whitetail deer are killed at distances well under 50 yards, even using modern shotguns, rifles, and handguns. :hatsoff:
paulvallandigham
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Generally, a ball that is at least .015", and better, .020", SMALLER than your actual bore diameter will give you the range of options in choosing the thickness of your fabric patches, so that you can get the best accuracy.
The key to success is to actually MEASURE your bore diameter- and don't trust what the maker says it might be. Rarely will you find any barrel maker actually test firing barrels before they go out the door. And, Gunmakers rarely do that kind of testing for a customer.
It should be no surprise to any buyer that the bore of that barrel isn't the same as the Nominal diameter the Barrel is SUPPOSE to BE!
The key to success is to actually MEASURE your bore diameter- and don't trust what the maker says it might be. Rarely will you find any barrel maker actually test firing barrels before they go out the door. And, Gunmakers rarely do that kind of testing for a customer.
It should be no surprise to any buyer that the bore of that barrel isn't the same as the Nominal diameter the Barrel is SUPPOSE to BE!
Grandpa Ron
45 Cal.
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My barrel is .620. I load a .600 ball with washed ticking. It is short starter tight.
I can shoot a .605 ball but it is very tight so I seldom use them unless I am using wadding and bare ball.
I can shoot a .605 ball but it is very tight so I seldom use them unless I am using wadding and bare ball.
George91946
40 Cal.
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Yes indeedy. I have 3 of those barrels and just went out and measured them with a micrometer. All measure 0.61 at the muzzle. I've been shooting a 0.595 ball from TOTW with an 0.02 pillow ticking over a cellulose wad. Don't think the wad is too important since I'm not burning the ticking through without the wad. I'm not a very good smoothbore shooter. I originally had guns with 42 inch Colerain barrels, but these long guns were monsters for me to hold on spot while I pulled the trigger. I just got in a 36 inch Colerain with same dimensions in order to replace one of the original 42'a. I am going to cut my gun shorter. Hope that works. I've got a lot of time into that gun, and don't want to put it out of service just yet, but so far, I've been disappointed with my ability to hold a 42 inch gun on target.
Lisle George
Lisle George
George91946
40 Cal.
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When I was working up loads for my smoothbores, I tried a box of Buffaloballs 0.6, but couldn't get them to fit with any kind of patch. Ended giving them to one of my leadmelter ball pouring buddies who remelted them to 0.5 cals. I originally had problems getting the right ball patch combo for my smoothbores, and finally wrote to Track and told them to send me what ever they felt might work. The sent the 0.595 balls and I worked up the 0.02 patch. Seems to work fine for me. Now I want to find out how short a smoothie I need to be accurate at 50 yards.
Lisle George
Lisle George
paulvallandigham
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Lisle: Describing bore sizes, and ball sizes in hundredths of an inch is not very useful. Neither is patch thickness.
We need to know this kind of information to the Thousandth of an inch( 3 places past the period, not two), in order to be at all helpful- either to us, or for us to help you.
If you read the posts above, we have barrels that are bored ".605", ".610", ".615", ".620", and larger. We have people shooting balls that are .595", .600", and .610", all of which can be bought commercially from suppliers like Track of the Wolf. Then there are shooters using Custom molds in smaller diameters.
From what has been reported here, Colerain Barrels tend to be cut Smaller in bore diameter than the Nominal .615". How much seems to vary from gun to gun.
Those thousandths of an inch are important in all guns- even smooth bores. Some people hold that its even MORE important in Smooth Bore than in rifles, but that is how fights begin. :rotf: :surrender: :v
We need to know this kind of information to the Thousandth of an inch( 3 places past the period, not two), in order to be at all helpful- either to us, or for us to help you.
If you read the posts above, we have barrels that are bored ".605", ".610", ".615", ".620", and larger. We have people shooting balls that are .595", .600", and .610", all of which can be bought commercially from suppliers like Track of the Wolf. Then there are shooters using Custom molds in smaller diameters.
From what has been reported here, Colerain Barrels tend to be cut Smaller in bore diameter than the Nominal .615". How much seems to vary from gun to gun.
Those thousandths of an inch are important in all guns- even smooth bores. Some people hold that its even MORE important in Smooth Bore than in rifles, but that is how fights begin. :rotf: :surrender: :v
satwel
40 Cal.
I had to switch to a .590 ball in my Colerain 20 gauge. The .600 ball was too tight. Never measured the bore, but I believe it is smaller than .62.
