Jackie Brown fowler?

[Rifleman1776]

I'm looking for feedback from owners of 20 ga. Jackie Brown fowlers. Most are made with DOM barrels, as mine is. My bore measures 0.615", not quite .62 cal. I am, or was, planning to order a Jeff Tanner rb mould in .590" cal. since using a .600" ball with ticking patching requires considerable hammering to seat.
What do y'all other JB 20 ga. fowler owners use?

 

[George]

Rifleman, I shoot a Jacky Brown Carolina Smoothbore with a DOM barrel. It measures just about .62". I've always shot .600" balls with patches, usually ticking, of .018-.020" and had no trouble. I always cut at the muzzle. I put the handle of my butcher knife flat across the ball and give it one sharp whack, no hammering needed, and it rams easily from there. I couldn't be more pleased with accuracy with that combination.

Spence

 

[Wes/Tex]

My experience was about the same as Spence's with a .600 ball though I was experimenting with chamois leather just cause it was fun and interesting. Only sold mine cause I had the chance to get a 46" barrel from one of the guys who'd been at Narragansett Armes. Different feel but used same ball size...I'm a sucker for long barrels! :wink:

 

[Cheyenne]

My 46" JB smooth rifle likes the .595 ball.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Thanks all. I kinda surmise, the DOM stuff is not as precisely made as a bored barrel. Mine requires pretty hard hammering to seat a .600" ball with ticking patching. I'm still up in air whether to order a .590" or .585" mould from Jeff Tanner. Can't afford both to experiment with.

 

[azmntman]

SOMEBODY SEND HIM SOME BALLS! A few of each? I think I read a thread here to that there's a guy will do just that so you can get dialed in? Then he hopes you buy his hand cast at a really good price? I will save the post when it comes around again.

 

[nwtradegun]

why order a mold. you can get 590 and 595 rb from Dixie or track of the wolf to test first.

 

[Coot]

Order some of both the .590 & .585 balls from Eddie Mays & try them in your gun. Then get the mold in whichever size works best & recast any leftovers in the other size. Cheaper to get different balls to try than to wind up with a mold in a size you won't be using.

 

[azmntman]

If Eddie the gentlemen that will send a few of several sizes?

 

[hunts4deer]

I have a smoothbore with a JB Barrel but the rest was made by someone else. I can thumb start a .603 ball with a .015 patch. You should Mic the balls and the barrel to see what you really have. I think a ball .020 under bore should be plenty.

 

[Rifleman1776]

You should Mic the balls and the barrel

Been done. Barrel 0.615". Balls of .600" dia. with patch very tight fit.
I'll contact the Eddie May guy for some samples.
Thanks.

 

[Coot]

If Eddie the gentlemen that will send a few of several sizes?

Eddie May makes & sells roundballs in just about any size. I have had good luck ordering 50 or so each of several sizes to try in a new (to me) caliber. Cost is very reasonable when using "if it fits, it ships" small box. No waste as I either save the "odd" sizez for future experiments or recast them to the desired size. Eddie is in Chatsworth, GA 706-695-5290.

 

[George]

I agree with hunts4deer's suggestion, .020" under actual bore size works for me. When I first got my smoothbore I tried using the same bore/ball/patch ratio I had always used for my rifles of all calibers, .005" below bore/land size, and that was way too tight. It seems to be true that rifled barrels can accept more patch in the grooves, but smoothies, without grooves, require more of a gap. I've since found that .020" difference to work well in all my smooth barrels.

I would guess .595" balls would work for you, but then, I don't know how tight a combination you are looking for.

Spence

 

[Gemoke]

tow now stocks 595 molds

 

[Rifleman1776]

I would guess .595" balls would work for you, but then, I don't know how tight a combination you are looking for.

I know it is not a rifle so ease of loading is primary concern.

 

[George]

Yeah, I know, looking for a happy compromise. Tight = accuracy, loose = easy loading. Avoid the extremes. :haha:

Spence

 

[Wes/Tex]

Tight = accuracy, loose = easy loading. Avoid the extremes. :haha:
Spence

Couldn't have said it better, partner! :thumbsup: Besides, playing with all the options is the fun part anyway!! :wink: :haha:

 

[Hermit]

Here is what i would do, try the round balls that you have now with wadding, to make them close to bore size run them between 2 horse type rasp's a small amount, lube the wadding or tow with some type of oil( i use penut oil because thats what i have)if it works as good for you as me,thats all you will use!

 

[Leatherbark]

In my JB fowler I use 1/2 of a lubed cushion wad under the .600 Lee wheel weight lead ball and the other half over the ball. This is over 80 grains of 3f. I can keep the shots on a standard NMLRA off hand 50 yard target. At 100 yards I shoot an 18 inch group LOL. No rear sight. When I did use a patch a standard ticking patch worked fine. It seemed like mine has a .625 bore

Bob

 

[nit wit]

Lee sells a .600 mould with handles.
NW