Hi all,first post in a while. I have a TVM Fowler on order and while it won't be ready for several months,I'm trying to get a head start on everything. It will be a .62 caliber/20 guage.Just wondering what patch and ball combination some of you that might have one are using. One guy I know uses a .600 ball and a .010 patch. I'm sure that would work great but I would like to keep using pillow ticking for patches so I'm thinking a .595 ball might be better. Also this is my first flintlock and not for sure what size flints and best place to buy them would be.
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Need TVM Fowler input
- Thread starter jd411111
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I would wait till the gun was in hand, then measure the bore and frizzen and go from there. I have 4 20ga fowlers and they each take a different ball & patch combo.
Brokennock
Cannon
:metoo:
My Centermark "20 gauge" bore measures .620 and shoots a .600 ball and .010 patch very well. So that's where I started with my TVM "20 gauge" smooth rifle, results were not as expected. My TVM's bore measures .615 and after much testing shoots a .610 ball sandwiched between felt wad and over shot cards better than all patched combos I could come up with. The closest patched combo was a .595 ball with .010 patch (defying all tight patch/ball logic) but was still not as good as the bare ball.
Wait and see what your bore measures. Maybe they will measure it for you when they start building and let you know so you can gather some components? Try a few combinations, including patchless with wads, the barrel will let you know what it likes.
My Centermark "20 gauge" bore measures .620 and shoots a .600 ball and .010 patch very well. So that's where I started with my TVM "20 gauge" smooth rifle, results were not as expected. My TVM's bore measures .615 and after much testing shoots a .610 ball sandwiched between felt wad and over shot cards better than all patched combos I could come up with. The closest patched combo was a .595 ball with .010 patch (defying all tight patch/ball logic) but was still not as good as the bare ball.
Wait and see what your bore measures. Maybe they will measure it for you when they start building and let you know so you can gather some components? Try a few combinations, including patchless with wads, the barrel will let you know what it likes.
wattlebuster
69 Cal.
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It will all depend on what barrel you ordered and what lock???
Even with the same brand of barrel and coming from the same builder, a gun can perform differently when used by a different person. So much depends on how the gun is held, how the load is tamped during the loading process and the subtle differences in ball size coming from a different lot of ball.
You can get close based on recommendations from other users, but you will just have to determine what works best for your gun.
You can get close based on recommendations from other users, but you will just have to determine what works best for your gun.
Thanks all! It will have a Siler lock and their stock barrel(can't remember the name). I had about decided to order .595,.600 and .610 balls and assorted patches and wads to find what works best. I was just curious about what was working for others. Or if there was something that definitely didn't work. I've been shooting caplocks for about a year so I know there is a process. Still have a lot to learn though. Especially about the flints. Thanks!
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Mine isn't a TVM but I use a 600 ball with a lubed.018 pillow ticking patch without anyproblem
hanshi
Cannon
I have a TVM fowler and like it very much; a friend also has one and pretty much ignores his rifles. Mine has a tight bore. Another forum member told me he called TVM and was told their fowlers had barrels with an ID of .610" which mine seems to agree with. I started casting .600" lead ball with my Lee mold and patching them with a thin patch. Even with a .010" patch the load was tight especially after a shot was fired.
Then I started casting ball with WW metal. The ball is harder and cools down to .606". Loading them on a cushion or felt wad over the powder with a card wad on top, I got good accuracy at 50 yards. Since it's impossible to patch that size ball after the first shot I tried a .590" ball with a normal rifle patch. It shot okay as did the soft lead ball with a thin patch; but they shot to different points of impact. With this considered I decided to just use the "bare ball" load with the .606" ball. It's easy to load and accurate enough for deer out past 50 yards.
Then I started casting ball with WW metal. The ball is harder and cools down to .606". Loading them on a cushion or felt wad over the powder with a card wad on top, I got good accuracy at 50 yards. Since it's impossible to patch that size ball after the first shot I tried a .590" ball with a normal rifle patch. It shot okay as did the soft lead ball with a thin patch; but they shot to different points of impact. With this considered I decided to just use the "bare ball" load with the .606" ball. It's easy to load and accurate enough for deer out past 50 yards.
I have several pounds of lead and have been casting some with a Lee mold for a .54 rifle so I've done a little of that. When I decide what works,I plan on buying a mold for the Fowler. I've found those factory .62 caliber balls pretty pricey.
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I have a TVM 20 ga. have had it for 15 or 16 years. I've tried
different loads but always come back to a 600 ball .010 patch
Sitin on 70g of 3f powder. Shoots like a rifle to about 50 yds.
Mike
different loads but always come back to a 600 ball .010 patch
Sitin on 70g of 3f powder. Shoots like a rifle to about 50 yds.
Mike
Brokennock
Cannon
I dug up the old thread the original owner posted about my gun when he 1st got it. It had a barrel by Mark Dehaas originally, I seem to recall it getting rebarreled, but I could be wrong, there had been a tight spot at the front site location. If it was rebarreled I can't remember or find what make the new barrel is, but will keep looking.
Micah Clark
45 Cal.
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I looked into a TVM smooth Early Virginia about 6 months back, perhaps 9 months . . as I recall the were using Colerain barrels in their smooths when I asked. . I think their site says that their fowler uses a special made Oct-to-round barrel made for TVM, and that's made my Colerain.
However, I suppose they now could be using Rice . . I bought a Late Lancaster kit from them a year ago and it was a Rice rifle barrel.
TVM are good folks who make a good product.
However, I suppose they now could be using Rice . . I bought a Late Lancaster kit from them a year ago and it was a Rice rifle barrel.
TVM are good folks who make a good product.
hanshi
Cannon
TVM smoothy bores are tight, about .610", I've been informed. I know my TVM is on the tight side. I like the unpatched .606" WW ball I use in mine. Last time I fired it at 50 yards a 3 shot group was 3.5" and perfectly centered. When I patch a .600" lead ball I get 3 shots in about 2-75" but it shoots way to the left. I did kill one deer with Mike Payne's load and it works. I've fired Mike's rifle and it also shoots very good groups with that load. But patching those balls in a tight, dirty bore is not all that easy. The bare ball load I like IS quick and easy to load.
hanshi
Cannon
I just wish Lee produced a .610" mold as I could probably afford that. The .610" ball should work great in a bare ball load; maybe better than my .606" WW ball. If you lube a wad in the load or even the card wads, the fouling should stay relatively soft.
Jeff Tanner makes a ball mold of any size you want. You do have to cut off the sprue.
Tanner Ball Moulds
So does Larry Callahan although his molds are more expensive.
Callahan Bag Molds
Tanner Ball Moulds
So does Larry Callahan although his molds are more expensive.
Callahan Bag Molds
hanshi
Cannon
I have a Tanner mold for a .590" ball; even with shipping it was only $26. They cost quite a bit more, now. And $90 is way out of my range. Using WW does get me to .606" which is close and shoots well, too. But still sure would like a .610".
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