T/C Renegade SB: Patched RB's v. Tow Wads & RB's

This thread, TC Renegade 56 SB?, got me to thinking about my T/C Renegade SB, which I've always loaded with a patched .550" RB cast from a Lyman mould. With a .012" (compressed) patch and 1 Ballistol : 6 water, results @ 25 yd., rested or offhand were often very good to excellent. However, that combination is really a tight fit in my bbl. (I had to hammer the short starter and then the steel range rod to seat them) which is great for accuracy, but a PITA in the field or for woods walks.

Many on this forum and elsewhere have touted the virtues of loading with only tow wads fore and aft. That didn't work so well in my trade gun, but the .550" RB is a perfect and close fit in my Renegade bbl. Ergo, why not try it? As a control, I shot 5 patched .550" RB + .012" patch over 75gr. Goex FFFg. The tow loading was the same, minus the patch with tow "wads" fore and aft. Both groups were shot from a bench rest position @ 25 yd. You can see the results below, which, blew me away so to speak. Btw, the tow wads were dry, but easy to load and confirm the sprue was always face up, (just as with the patched loads). As you might suppose, I had to damp swab the bore after every 3 shots, but even so, loading was much easier and certainly more pleasant.

The flyer at 11:30 in the 2nd pic may have been me + too loose tow wads.

Yes I too have 'discovered' the virtues of tow wadding plus a bare ball. @George has mentioned the use of brown paper wadding over the powder but before the tow. You can easily and cheaply make your own.

Edit- here is the thread. Pictorial on page 2.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/to-patch-or-not-to-patch-ball-in-smoothbore.122494/

Good shooting! I think the key is having a ball as close to bore size as possible.

My 1st BP arm! I used to use 550 sized balls in a percussion smoothbore Renegade, 0.016" blue stripe pillow ticking, mink oil lube, with a tang-mounted peep sight. Shooting with my Dad, I once put 4 shots through the same hole at 50-yards, benched. My Dad said, "No way a smoothbore can shoot that good ... "

So I took another shot and told him I aimed 1" low ... and guess where the shot hit?

Yup ... I so wish that I had saved THAT target!

I think the key is having a ball as close to bore size as possible. ...smo

I think you're right and that means I'll have to re-examine tow wad loads in my trade gun since I have a bore diameter ball (Tanner mould) for it as well. (A smaller RB + tow wads in it didn't end well!)

I wonder about the use of tow, especially in dry conditions. Any possible flammable material, such as tow or cloth patches, there is a possibility of smoldering material starting a grass fire. When I shot with the N-SSA, no flammable material was allowed to be used on the range. No tow or patches allowed.
I have seen lubricated patches smoldering on my home range also. We had to wait for a cease fire to be called before being able to stop the burning material. Just a thought.

Good info @Maven! Thanks for sharing this!

@ord sgt

The 'tow' I've been experimenting with is sisal rope cut into 4-6" sections and the fibers separated. I then swipe a walnut sized ball over a tin of TOW mink oil grease. I have NOT seen any evidence of smoldering or burning. As a matter of fact I often find sisal fiber 'bird nests' a few yards downrange. Dirty and blackened by soot, but no evidence of burning. I have heard rumors that sisal, hemp, and manila rope is treated with flame retardants.

FWIW, I have used sisal and jute for fire starters while at rondyvous. I started many campfires with a birds nest of those material and a piece of charcloth. Just saying....