round ball fit for smooth bores

[FishDFly]

Smooth bore pistol shooters put their ball between two (2) wood rasps and roll the ball back and forth to dimple it. When through, the dimples look like a golf ball on steroids. They patch the ball and tend to bump up their powder charges quite a bit, in the neighborhood of 50 to 60 grains to get the velocity up.

 

[Zutt-man]

I put a wad over the powder and over the ball

Dry or lubed wads?

 

[Stumpkiller]

I have a Pedersoli 1766 Charleville and the bore is exactly .689 and I have difficulty getting a .010" lubed patch .675 ball down the barrel. You use any thickness patch with a .685 ball?

Try a paper cartridge. I use 0.648" to 0.650" balls in my 0.662" bore. The patten calls for 2-1/2 wraps around the ball. That's not much thickness. They work great.

 

[flntlokr]

Big problem with that piece of knowledge, not many of us have a moose in the back yard....
Personally, if I had one, I would keep it in the freezer.

I used to pick up a bag full when I worked Up North (in BC). They were particularly useful when doing demos for the uninitiated, specially when I told them I wetted them with spit. Put s a whole new meaning into the term 'Shootin' the...'

 

[RC61]

Try a paper cartridge. I use 0.648" to 0.650" balls in my 0.662" bore. The patten calls for 2-1/2 wraps around the ball. That's not much thickness. They work great.

Nice cartridges.

 

[Billy Boy]

I usually load just a tight-patched round ball. I have found that loose or unpatched loads result in a LOT of fouling. I use only wooden rods to load with a simple detergent-and-water lube; really wet. I can shoot this all day without having to field clean, and it is about as accurate as I can make it. I am convinced that the secret of smoothbore accuracy lies in getting the ball going as fast as possible, so that it gets to its destination before it slows and loses the sheath of highly compressed air which allows any minute unevenness on the ball to grab a bit of air, and go awry. (just think about how long a pitched ball goes straight before it grabs the air and curves or whatever). I like moose turds for wadding if I need it.

Deer and moose turds (last falls) when powdered between the fingers and put on some birch bark, make the best tinder to catch a spark i’ve seen.

 

[bud in pa]

I think we are saying the same thing Maurice. The military

I have a TFC .62 and shoot a ,600 regularly. I got some .575 balls for paper cartridges and they shot cery wdll

That is what I used in my 20ga and got 5 to 6 inch groups at 50yds no rear sights.
used to be rubbish so the government bought their own factory and Congreve (and others) worked hard to raise the standard until it was the best military powder. Hence the charge dropped massively for the same performance.

On the European Union we will agree to disagree; as Gentlemen should. My views on Europe can be read by anyone familiar with Cornish via my avatar and signature, or as my Bulgarian cousins might say, Перда на британския изход (pause for quick burst of 'Ode to Joy').

I was brought up on pounds, shillings and pence, pecks and bushels, chains and furlongs etc. Metric is sooo much easier. However, each to their own. If poteen is 2 3/4d per gill how much change will you have from a guinea if you order 1 1/2 dozen? Express your answer in the Troy weight of silver coinage of the realm...............