.590 ball

[jd411111]

Anyone know where I can purchase .590 round balls? I'm currently using .595 balls and walmart .015-.018 pillow ticking. All is actually working fine but I'd like to get away from a short starter. I've tried different .010 patches including ticking and most of them burn through. I use either spit or bees wax-olive oil patch lube.Just got some Mutton Tallow from DGW so it might make some difference. Oh,the gun is a TVM Fowler .62 gauge.

 

[Coot]

Each time I bought a new (to me) caliber, I would get a selection of round balls from Eddie May (706-695-5290 in Chatsworth GA is my last contact info). After I figured out what size ball the gun liked, then I would get a mold. Eddie has always been friendly & informative. He casts fine balls & using a "if it fits" box from the PO, shipping is not bad.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Have you tried a fire wall wadding to protect the thinner patch?

B.

 

[jd411111]

I'll give him a call.Yeah,that's what I'm doing. Trying some before buying another mold. The .595's are from a Callahan mold which like I said earlier,works fine.If Lee made a.590 I'd probably just go ahead and buy one. They're only around twenty dollars.

 

[jd411111]

Hmmm,no I haven't. I have some felt wads so I'll have to give it a try.

 

[Brokennock]

My TVM smoothbore has a bore a little on the small side at .615 and it shot well with a .595 ball and .010 patch using a lube of beeswax/olive oil/Murphy's Oil Soap. Shot this better than tighter combos, but I do tend to use a thin card (sold as "over shot card") between powder and projectile. Ultimately it shoots best with no patch. Powder, 2 thin cards, lubed felt wad, ball, 2 thin cards.
Have you tried ditching the patch?

 

[jd411111]

Got some over the shot cards also. When I first got the gun I had a few .610 balls I shot with just wad and over the shot cards. At that time I was still shooting all over with any combination so I couldn't really compare accuracy. I'm guessing you're talking about shooting the .595 ball with the powder,two cards etc.?

 

[Wes/Tex]

Quickest burned patch fix I know of is to run the next size smaller lubed patch down first. For a .50, that would be a .45. You can use cheap commercial patches, they just protect the patch around the ball long enough to exit the muzzle.

 

[Brokennock]

You could try wad and ball with the .595's or use those cards between powder and the thinner patched ball. Should protect the patch and give a better seal.
I think if I were to try bareball with wadding and a ball that much smaller than the bore, I would use my shredded jute rope wadding, well lubed of course, with the card between it and the powder. The "nest" it creates may keep the ball more centered and protect the bore from leading.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Stick with one lube.
I don't see how going from one loose fit to another will answer your questions. Way undersize balls in a smoothie/musket have been almost the norm for centuries. Bores can vary but the .590 ball and .010 patch might be a good load for the first two or three shots then you will be back to the short starter.

 

[tenngun]

I shoot a fiber wadded or a patch ball, both shoot well, wadded seems most HC. Smoothies are more forgiving then rifleguns. Callahan will make any ball size you want and his products are top notch.however an old style mold is a five ball at a time tool be fore a rest. Be prepared to take an afternoon to cast you a mess of ball.

 

[jd411111]

Thanks all for the input. Sounds like there's just a lot of experimenting left to do.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Sounds like there's just a lot of experimenting left to do.

That's the fun part! :wink: Besides, good excuse to shoot some more! :thumbsup:

 

[tenngun]

:haha: "Oh darn, I would like to help you move this weekend, but I'm still working on the best load for my gun and deer season is only a few weekends away".

 

[trent/OH]

Hey tenngun! 4 more posts and you hit the 6000 thresh hold! Happy anniversary!

 

[Wes/Tex]

Now you're catching on! :rotf:

 

[tenngun]

:haha: