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Buckets of roundballs …

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Well, (13) buckets so far … and I’m not done …

Even found some odd-sized ‘pistol’ sized RBs for use in a Jukar brand flint longrifle, of 44-caliber.

At least that corner of the basement is all cleaned up!

D271E185-075E-4506-B995-32B415F253D9.jpeg
 
Some of your balls are a couple of tenths smaller than than your specified caliber on the lid...what are you using for patching material for those? One of your lids has balls matching the caliber, no patches for that one?
 
Some of your balls are a couple of tenths smaller than than your specified caliber on the lid...what are you using for patching material for those?
VERY typical ' bore to roundball' conversion, i.e., most 20-gauge fowlers have a 0.617" to 0.620+" bore, so most shooters would opt to use a 0.600" ball, or smaller, e.g., 0 595". I use the 570s in my 62-caliber/20-gauges for paper-wrapped BP cartridges.

FOWLERS/MUSKETS - I mostly use 0.010" 'homespun' (high thread count, no burn through, albeit 'thin') cotten cloth patches, or tow (older pre-1700 arms) or paper wrapped (militia, milice or military vintage) cartridges. Most lubes are 50/50 olive oil to beeswax, by volume. TOW mink oil if hunting or competitions and below freezing. Or pure 'bare ball' for sheer speed ...

RIFLES - TOW mink oil lube if hunting, Hoppe's BP patch lube at range, mostly red stripe pillow ticking patch @ 0.017" compressed.
 
One of your lids has balls matching the caliber, no patches for that one?

The 52?

That is for a 1811 patent date J. M. Hall 'breech loading' black powdah rifle issued first in 1819 as a 52-caliber flintlock, then as the 1st ever world-wide military issued percussion arm in 1832 IIRC. No patch used ... only a lubed ball!
 
There is a place for .520" balls. I use them in a rifle with a nominal .54 caliber barrel made by GRRW. Anything larger is difficult to load.

I think it's smart to have a variety of ball sizes available. @Flint62Smoothie shows good judgement and organizational skills with his packaging and labeling, which shows "nominal" size as well as actual diameter, and it shows the specific gun (e.g. the Hall rifle) when appropriate.

Well done!

Notchy Bob
 
The 52?

That is for a 1811 patent date J. M. Hall 'breech loading' black powdah rifle issued first in 1819 as a 52-caliber flintlock, then as the 1st ever world-wide military issued percussion arm in 1832 IIRC. No patch used ... only a lubed ball!
You forgot to mention it was the first mass produced inline.
The Dallas Arms Collectors had a display of Guns of the Texas Rangers and had one that looked like it was brand new. They wouldn't let me take it home.
 
The Dallas Arms Collectors had a display of Guns of the Texas Rangers and had one that looked like it was brand new. They wouldn't let me take it home.
I had added a huge post with pictures and info of the many “1sts” of the Hall rifle (7 at least!) years ago, but that was a ‘controversial’ post at the time, as some were ‘complaining’ it wasn’t truly a muzzleloader.

However, the first 2” of the bore muzzle end is not rifled, so that after one has fired off a few shots, and in the ‘heat of battle’, you can load it like a traditional muzzleloader … down the barrel.

I have both an original flintlock and an original model issued in percussion (NOT a convert!) and would be interested in selling either or both, if anyone has any interest.
 
Dang it! I like how you decorate. Two buckets of.570 balls. What do you shoot them out of?
 
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