my .54 GPR bore seems too tight for pillow ticking patches on a .526 ball even so i amm useing much thinner and blow them out, will this hurt a barrel? I have cleaned this bore with every thing i can even fine steel wool and lead remover but it still blows all patches even pillow ticking if i can get it down the bore even.
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will blown patches harm your barrel ?
- Thread starter beartrap
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Can you use 20 gauge wads and trim them to fit?How do you load them?Do you just make sure it doesnt try to go in sideways?
Russianblood
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.54 caliber is 28 gauge. You could pick up some Circle Fly fiber wads and use those over the powder before the patched ball. They are a lot cheaper than Ox-Yoke wonderwads. Of course, hornet's nesting is even cheaper if you can get some safely.
If you're using a .526" ball in a .54 bore, I'd tend to think you're problem is patching much too thin. Another possibility is the material you're using is too fragile. Can't imagine why ticking isn't working. This is also one of the reasons I went to leather patching. The reason was compression, lack of smouldering and reusability. Might be worth a try.
Well, you're already using an undersize ball for a 54, standard is .530", I'd try changing patch matrial and lube. Find a cloth store in your area and look for some all cotton or all linen patching that's .002" thicker then what you're using and use some olive oil or Crisco for lube and see how that works out for ya'. The slightly thicker patch along with some good lube should still load in your rifle and maybe it'll give you just the little bit more that you need to stop the blown patches.
I'm using .008" linen with crisco and not having any blown patches in the ones that I find. I'm sure the olive oil will yeild the same results for me. Good luck and keep us posted. :hmm:
I'm using .008" linen with crisco and not having any blown patches in the ones that I find. I'm sure the olive oil will yeild the same results for me. Good luck and keep us posted. :hmm:
Most of my shooting is doing woods walks - my reason for asking about re-using patching is that rarely I find the patch after the shot. Yes, sometimes I will see it smolder in the leaves - then I stomp on it but in general, I never notice them.
Is is that you two are shooting on line, across grass or something other than leaves ?
When I say on line, I'm referring to paper shooting at a range or club.
Is is that you two are shooting on line, across grass or something other than leaves ?
When I say on line, I'm referring to paper shooting at a range or club.
Wonderwads are made in all the common calibers sizes...ie: .54...however, I like to use the next larger caliber size...ie: I use .58cal wads in my .54's...yes, just ensure you start them flat at the muzzle and seat them on down...been using the oversize for years...don't know if it helps any more than the regular caliber size but at least I'm personally convinced that it should.CROWHOP said:
If you meant are .20ga wonderwads also available, yes they are...I use them in my .62cal.
And wonderwads compress a lot...don't know if I'd bother trying to trim any
[url] Ditto...in[/url] fact, I can do that with .015" plain cotton & target loads...posted a photo a few months ago where I literally shot a second 50 shot range session on the same patches I'd picked up off the grund from a previous session...and also could have use them again...Halftail said:
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Do you thumb the wad barely in the bore and set the patch and ball on top then ram all down the bore together?Or ram them down the bore sepparate?
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A question that has'nt been asked but may help in figuring out your problem. What size is your powder load. Also have you Miked your bore, and balls to get there exact size. Bill
No. Won't hurt a thing, really. PROVIDED you are not getting leading build up in the barrel. I finally broke down and bought Foxfire 5 with a large section on muzzleloading. The writer mentions several references to the qualities of Bill Large barrels that "the edges of the lands are sharp so that when you put the patch in there, they actually cut into the patch and hold onto the ball to get a good seat." :haha:
Now that's the first time I ran across that as an advantage.
The bottom line is in how she groups, not how the patches look afterwards. Blown patches are a symptom to use in diagnosing a problem, not a problem in themselves IF all is well otherwise.
newhouse said:
Have you tried lapping the bore to remove any unseen chatter or burs?
Also, what granulation of powder do you use in it?
I had a blown patch issue with FFFg once and dropped down to FFg and it went away, could be a similar circumstance...
paulvallandigham
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Cerrtainly this would be something to check out. However, most of the .54 cal. barrels I have seen are pretty stout, compared to those I sometimes see on muskets, and .58 cal. guns. I think it would be highly unlikely to find a bulged .54 barrel today. And, You would feel a " give" when running a thight patch down the barrel when cleaning, if there is a bulge down there. I think changing to FFg powder may work, but one way or another, using either an overpowder wad, or card, or using a coarse filler like cornmeal, will save that patching. I do like the idea of using leather for patching, but unless you use a tanned hide that has been put through a cutter, and thinned, the thickness of the hide can vary considerably from the flanks to the belly, to the back. And, I hate to waste a good deerhide for patching. I never seem to have enough scraps after a project to make many patches, either. Just my $.02.You rmileage may differ.
