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Un-patched balls ruin your barrel.

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JoJoLesh

40 Cal
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May 7, 2020
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Do they?
Is there an issue with gas cutting?

Assuming a normal powder charge, and a decent ball fit, dose not patching your ball wreck your gun?

Is it ok in a smooth bore but disaster in a rifle?
Other way around?
 
Don't think it's any different than using a conical bullet. Except that an unpatched ball wouldn't seal up in the barrel very well. I would think that you'd lose a lot of energy and accuracy.
 
Ok, what if it is a ball that you would normally patch, not an extra tight one.

Let's say I ran a ball (.490) down my barrel with no patch because of..... Reasons.

I happen to get a good hit (maybe a one off) center of target at 75 yards.

It was at the end of a long day of shooting, I was tired, hungry, frustrated, and stressed. When I saw the hit (on steel) I assumed that I had hit the stand. When the plate stopped swinging, I saw that it was a center hit.

There were spectators, and I figure that nothing that good comes without a huge price.
 
There was actually an article in a old magazine I read I believe Shooter Illustrated, one of those thick annual gun mags. Anyway he was saying some shooters several century's ago shot RBs without a patch. He used a slightly over sized ball. Accuracy was not as good but still not that bad.
 
75 yard shot, 10" plate. Center is the un-patched ball, then I cleaned the gun and shot the next two patched.

0.495 ball, 0.018 lubed patch (when used), 70gr charge. 0.495 w 0.018 is not my most accurate loading, but fine for practice IMHO.
 

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Sorry, 1st photo only has one patched shot on her.
 

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Yup, you flinched it right on center.

I do that all too often either a flinch or pull it off point of aim.

Those things happen.
Oh ya, those were the last 3 shots of the day and I was late getting home. I was distracted, tired, and I definitely flintched.... Hard.

When I shot I saw my stand rock around, and thought, "Shoot, I hit the stand. Probably blasted a hole right through it. "

I expected a non patched ball to be way off at that distance. I am new to BP, and I have heard all these tales about how in accurate they are. Well, a in patched ball out of a dirty barrel, I was expecting a 50 MOA shot, at best.
 
While I don't plan on doing it again, I was surprised that I hit anything. I was REALLY surprised that I hit where I was aiming.

In retrospect, I should have just packed down some wadding (used cleaning patches) and fired it off with those.

The onlookers would have gotten to see a flintlock go off and I wouldn't have worried about any gas cutting.
 
I have been shooting unpatched round balls in my rifle for years ,
but I use an oversized ball that fills the grooves ans "seals" the rifling

if there was a gap between the bottom of the rifling and the ball, the gasses running through this space could erode the barrel, mainly at the breech (I own a rifle that was ruined that way)
Of course this will not happend with just a few shots.....but don't get used to do so

my advice would be= if ,for some reason, you have tu use a naked lead ball, be sûre to use a size large enough to avoid any leakage of gas and don't forget to grease it,, to ease the loading and to avoid lead deposit

usng a big greasy wad could help but will probably not be 100% efficient
of course, as there is no patch to push the soot, the barrel should be quickly cleaned between the shots, just before loadind the bullet

sorry for the spelling, English is no really my cup of tea, just trying to help
 
Years ago at a rondy there was a timed woods walk. The shots were mostly short range so most shot the first target with a patched ball and subsequent targets with a bare ball. No harm done to the guns.
 
I appreciate all the help guys!
Ya, I don't plan on making a habit of this. Actually a .490 ball was showing me better accuracy than a .495, with the same .018 patch, and with the smaller ball I have never had such a problem ramming it home.

Still now I have 90 larger balls that I will use for shots that I care less about....
Unless I find them better with .010 patches
 
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