Missouri Bullets RB?

Has anyone used Missouri Bullets round balls? They suggest their .487 RB with a .015 patch, which is looser than I use. Just curious if this size/patch combo has worked well for others.

Jeff

No but I would like to try em....490 just a bit too big to use denim and I really wanna try some denim

I've used Missouri Bullet Company's 0.487 round balls with a 0.015 patch. They do work well, even though they seem a little looser to run down the bore than what many have grown accustomed to (tight patch/ball combination equals better accuracy; may not always be true). Each barrel can be different and shoot differently even among the same manufacture. The Missouri Bullet Company's patch recommendation is just that - only a recommendation. It still falls upon the individual shooter to determine what ball/patch combination works best for their rifle. What's of interest about the Missouri Bullet Company's lead ball is their diligence to quality control and the consistency of their lead hardness. Brinell 5 is simply pure lead.

I haven't tried them but I wouldn't be surprised to find that slightly smaller balls will shoot very accurately and load easier as a bonus.

I've long believed that the old timers back in the 18th and 19th century often used balls that were smaller than the ones we use today.

A .020 or .025 under bore ball with a thick patch would be easier to start into the barrel but could still seal off the rifling grooves well enough to be accurate.
It also wouldn't need to be started with a short starter (which history seems to indicate was not used back then).

Of course the "5 shots that can be covered by a dime" people wouldn't want to use balls that far undersized but I suspect the hunters would be happy to use "way undersized" balls if they shot accurately and loaded easily.

Thanks for the replies. It sounds worth experimenting. I'll add some of the RB to my next order. Since I don't hunt any more, I only need minute of steel target accuracy at 100 yards.

Zonie: I sometimes have that 5 shots covered by a dime attitude. But reality, eyesight and my shooting 'skills' keep interfering. :haha: That's why I shoot for fun.

Jeff