New (used) "Kentucky" style 0.45 cal

[RonRC]

I just picked up a very nice, used Kentucky pistol in 45 cal. There are no problems, but I do have a question.
The first time I shot it, I found that the ball and patch recommended by the seller (0.440 and 0.015) were very difficult to start and I even checked to see if it really was a .45 before I pushed too hard (it was). Once started, the patch and ball went down the barrel smoothly with a force I expected.
My guess is that the bore and rifling were made that way: hard to start, but normal the rest of the way down.
It shoots well, no complaints there. Is there a reason that a bore would be made to be tighter at the entry?
Ron

 

[don hepler]

Beautiful.....pistol. I think it is just difficult to get the cloth compressed at the muzzle. I shoot a tight ball/patch combination in all my rifles and pistols. I have heard of rifle barrels being choked at the muzzle, but it's probably just the cloth. Pistols are difficult to load anyway, and a loading stand can help. However, I do not like to pound on a pistol, for fear of cracking the stock. A thinner patch might work, but could lose some accuracy.

Really nice looking pistol.

 

[Zonie]

A .440 diameter ball with a .015 thick patch is a very common combination for a .45 caliber rifle.

It can take large powder loads without burning thru and it can even grip the shallow rifling found in TC's and some other barrels for great accuracy.

That said, your pistol will never use the kind of powder loads a rifle uses so this tight ball/patch combination is not needed.
Indeed, as you have found, it can cause all sorts of difficulties during loading.

The .440 diameter ball is quite common and although balls slightly smaller than that are available from Track of the Wolf I suggest reducing the patch thickness to .010.

That thickness will provide adaquate sealing and good accuracy with a pistol powder load and it will make loading the gun much easier.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Pouding an overly tight patch ball combo into a pistol is a sure way to bust a stock.
All the is necessary is to seal the bore. No need to swage the ball into a bullet.

 

[RonRC]

As it turns out, I do have some 0.010 patches.
The individual I purchased it from recommended the 0.015 with the 440 ball and used that combination in competition. But it does make more sense to go to the thinner patch.
I hear tell that some careless shooter dry-balled this pistol. :redface: Also rumored is that the same individual tried to extract the ball with a screw type extractor, but couldn't get the brass disk that holds the screw into the barrel. This ball extractor fits in all my...I mean his 45 cal muzzleloaders except for this pistol. Had to use a CO2 unit to pop the ball out the barrel.
Ron

 

[ZUG]

You gave me a chuckle there RonRC -- we all been there - enjoy that nice pistol :thumbsup: .

 

[RonRC]

Thank you, Zug!

Ron

 

[hanshi]

That's a very nice pistol and should be a good sidearm for you. It's possible that it could be simply a tight .45; but pistols, in my experience, are more resistant to getting the prb started compared with a rifle. The only suggestion I can think of is to smooth the muzzle crown; this has been described on this forum in the past and is easy to do. Other than that I must agree with the others on using a thinner patch.

 

[RonRC]

Two 50 count packages of 0.010 pre-lubed patches came with a rifle I bought some time ago. They have been sitting, unused, in a drawer. Now is the time they can come out and shine!

The provenance of the pistol, as I have been told, is that a well-known leather maker at Friendship wanted to build one and recruited the aid of 2, fine builders (one of whom builds those $20,000! and $30,000! flintlocks. I've seen some on the net.). It was then used by the fellow I purchased it from for black powder competitions. Unable to compete with the top shooters, he decided to sell it and move deeper into pellet guns.

So, it now is in my hands. When asked by my usually semi-mostly tolerant and long-suffering wife why I needed another gun, I responded that it really was for her for Valentine's Day. Just a tip to you fellows out there: that reasoning was ineffective!
Anyone have space in their basement for a fellow shooter with a bunch of guns? :grin:
Ron

 

[FishDFly]

Do not have a basement, but I do have a bunch of barns and a spare cabin.

 

[FishDFly]

I do like the pistol, nice.

 

[larryp]

So, it now is in my hands. When asked by my usually semi-mostly tolerant and long-suffering wife why I needed another gun, I responded that it really was for her for Valentine's Day. Just a tip to you fellows out there: that reasoning was ineffective!
Anyone have space in their basement for a fellow shooter with a bunch of guns?

You need a different wife! When I get a new gun my wife just says," Can I shoot it too?" or "we're sharing this one right?". Gotta love a country gal raised on a cattle ranch in the mountains!

 

[PaulN/KS]

That's a beauty of a pistol. Hope it shoots as good as it looks.