Round ball in my fusil full jug choke.

[Crow#21957]

Anyone curious here's what I shot today.
62 cal fusil jug choked full. I shot a 589 patched round ball over 60 gr 3f. It went down the parrel very very easily.
Shot great. The ball measured about .012 smaller than the bore. If I deer hunt anymore I will up the powder to about 75 maybe 90 gr 3f. I quit deer hunting about 4 years ago but kinda got the itch to get one with my fusil. I built it for squirrel and turkey.

 

[Brokennock]

Anyone curious here's what I shot today.
62 cal fusil jug choked full. I shot a 589 patched round ball over 60 gr 3f. It went down the parrel very very easily.
Shot great. The ball measured about .012 smaller than the bore. If I deer hunt anymore I will up the powder to about 75 maybe 90 gr 3f. I quit deer hunting about 4 years ago but kinda got the itch to get one with my fusil. I built it for squirrel and turkey.

Sounds great. Nonjudgemental question,,, why up the powder? 60 to 75 grains is plenty for deer with almost any size ball. Not sure where you live, do you need the extra speed for flatter trajectory for more open country?
I'm shooting 2 different 20 gauge smoothbores, both with some variation of either a patched .595 ball, or a .610 ball sandwiched in between wads. My powder charges run about 65 to 80 grains, with one gun able to shoot well with almost any ball/patch/wad/cartridge, combo I've tried, at 65 grains 3f.
I guess what I'm saying is, unless you need the speed for flatter trajectory, I wouldn't worry too much about power, shoot the most accurate load you can come up with.

 

[Christophero]

I'm not much of a smoothbore shooter with BP, but glad you are enjoying the long gun with ball and shot. Scratch that ich and then let us know how the deed, and deer, went down. Heck, we even like picts of squirrels and rabbits that succumb to shot loads, too. If it takes a new gun to prompt a fellow to seek the game in hill and dale, then the effort is worth the cost.

 

[Crow#21957]

The up the powder charge is just looking for the best 20 ga. Load that will hold up to 30 to 35 yards and drop a turkey or squirrels. Getting closer than 35 yards for squirrel is very difficult where I hunt. Turkey about the same. I'm much more interested in #4,,#5,,or#6 patterns than round ball. I'm still going to see what I can do with rb loads.