Who shoot bare ball?

[hanshi]

I did a lot of smoothbore shooting at the range yesterday. Using three different charges (60grns, 75grns and 80grns) kept all shots in the black at 50yds. Actual mixed group size was 5.25". That works for deer.

I loaded powder/over powder card/lubed 1/2" cushion wad/.605" WW ball and another card wad. Basically like I load shot. Using a .590/.020" patch didn't do so well. I need to try prb loads again before getting exhausted. I'd been shooting for 3 hours and was tired and unable to see the sights well at that point. What do some of you load?

 

[Stumpkiller]

I've found the patched ball to do better than bare or paper wrapped in my smoothbores.

My 12 bore shot a LOT better fouled with a paper patched ball than clean. Could be you're finding the same with the bare ball - the fit is tighter as it cruds up. I used a 0.715" ball in the paper cartridge and a 0.690" cotton patched load.

 

[majg1234]

Hey Hanshi,I shoot bare ball as you may have seen me post,60-70gr(doesn't seem to matter much) Ffg goex,wool ox yoke wad over powder and over the ball the wad is lubed with a homemade bees wax and Olive oil mixture,these are from a .600 lee mold but it is WW lead,I've never mic'd it but will some day.I even used some larger felt from a flooring project over the ball with basicly same effect 3"-3.5" groups @ 60yds

 

[BrownBear]

I've only fired 100 or so shots bare, enough to develop prejudices but not enough to claim an inkling of really knowing what's happening.

My 62 (GM IBS smooth) definitely seems to prefer WW to pure lead, and as close to bore size as possible. Starting with .590, groups tightened noticeably with .600, then again with .610. Cruddy bore definitely helped. It didn't seem to care what was under or over the ball, just so long as there was something there.

Accuracy was good enough I might do it for a second shot if I was too hurried to load a PRB, but I certainly wouldn't use one from a clean bore on a deer hunt.

My Bess was similar, but I only had two ball sizes to play with. And the big one definitely outshone the smaller one.

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

My 65 caliber North Star West Light Dragoon carbine shoots bare ball well as long as the range is not more than 40 yards. For shots out to 120 yards you are throwing knuckle balls with bare ball. Bare ball leads up the bore something
awful compared to patched ball shooting.

 

[Ranger1759]

I have an Artillery model Bess in .65 cal...Great shooter,problem is there are no factory made RB's that are even close to that bore size...All I can seem to find is .610's and nothng till you get to .648's...

The .610's work with a real heavy patch, but I have found that the .648's work even better bare...

I load 80 gr of 2f, a wad of tow, the .648 and another wad of tow....shoots great and accurate out to about 50yrds...I can keep all the shots on a paper plate most times,unlessit was me causing the miss....

Ranger

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

You can order a .648 ball mould from Jeff Tanner.
Or any size ball you need.

 

[matt denison]

I've heard a lot of credible people say that they get excellent accuracy from a bare ball and wads. I've experimented a bit but can never duplicate the accuracy I get with a PRB with a bare ball. :idunno:

Also you foul the bore sumptin terr'ble. PRB (for me) is simpler too, only one push down the bore compared to seatiing the OP wad, drop a ball and seat a second wad. I'm lazy I guess. So I stick to patched round ball

 

[Ranger1759]

Hey Grzrob,

Yeah I know about Jeff! he makes a great mold....

I just havent got around to ordering one...been thinking about getting one in .630 or .635 made...

The .648's, which are readily avalible work fine bare, but even with the thinest patch is to tight to fit with them....

Thats why Im thinking of a .630/35 that'll get me about 15 to 20 patch thickness to work with...

Ranger

 

[Toomuch_36]

Actually I shoot both ways, patched or bare-ball, depending on situation.
I shoot a .67cal. Ultra-Hi.

My common load is 70gr. of 3F with .017 ticking patched .648 ball.(used for hunting and punching paper)

I can also use a .662 bare-ball over the same charge, for the same purposes.
Both of these loads do very well out to about 70-75yd., groups of 3"to 5.5".

For speed oriented compitition I will use the .648 as a bare ball (again over the same charge) and just tap it down. (Under controled range conditions :thumbsup: .

I do not ever use cards, wads, fillers or other frills because I have found them to be of no benefit, at best, and in most cases detract from best accuracy. (in my gun)

Shoot Flint
................
Toomuch

 

[dhobbs]

Hanshi,
I shoot my Carolina gun using a ball & spanish moss wadding +60grns . My bore measures .600 and the ball mold I use(made by Jeff Tanner) is a .595 Every Feb. I compete in a smoothbore team woods walk were speed shooting is an asset. This past year part of the course was to have to pull an unshot load with a ball puller......the guys who shoot patched round balls had a tough time. I have killed several deer with this load and have competed aginst guys shooting PRB in a smoothbore match and placed 2nd. I am convinced that repeatable accuracy with out using a patch is dependant on using a ball that is .005 or less to bore.
BTW if you measure a stand sheet of paper it usually comes in at .004

Good luck,
David

 

[BigDeutscher]

google Jeff Tanner