What's your .62 roundball load?

[Peter LeRay]

Aaaaand go......

 

[AK in PA]

My .62 fusil measures a true 0.620". I play with different combos, but generally prefer a 0.018 pillow ticking patch and 0.595 ball. Bigger combos are too difficult to load after the fouling builds up, though I can use a .600 ball if I swab between shots. Sometimes I'll back the patch size down to 0.015 with those balls. I usually use a 0.600 ball for hunting to have a little tighter fit in a clean barrel. A .605 ball is just too big no matter what the patch. It loads hard in a clean barrel and becomes impossible to get down with any fouling. The only time I ever broke a ramrod was trying to get a .605 ball down the barrel on the 2nd shot. I'd like to try a .590 ball, as even the .595 becomes difficult to load if I don't swab at all when shooting. Jumping between ball and patch sizes, there's no change in impact from what I can see.

As far as the charge, I like 70 grns of 2f, but use 3f as well. Any less, and the ball hits low at 50 yds. (No rear sight on my gun.)

 

[Rifleman1776]

.600" ball that loads very hard. Will be looking for or ordering a .590".
I am a light load proponent. Usually 50 gr. 3Fg real bp. I haven't hunted big stuff yet. Will probably up to 70 gr. for deer or bigger.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

My trade gun is a 19ga, .626 bore.

Using a .026 denim patch and a .600 ball pushed by 70gr 2f.

 

[BrownBear]

.595 ball/greased .018 patch/110 grains Goex 2f

 

[Rickey Brown]

Buck and ball load with .595 and 4 OO buck. cut paper wads 80 gr ff for the fusil de chasse

 

[ncmtmike]

70grs FFFg,op card,.600 ball,os card.rear sight.

 

[matt denison]

.620 bore diameter
.600" ball
.015 Ox Yoke patch lubed with spit
80 gr. FFg
or
65 gr. FFFg

can shoot all day without swabbing

 

[George]

85 gr. 3F
1/8" hard card
1/2" lubricated cushion wad
.600" ball
.018" ticking patch lubed with beeswax-lard

Spence

 

[Gemoke]

600 ball 18ths. patch 70grs 2ff this is what works for me.

 

[stantdm]

My bore is .615. I use a .595 ball with .15 lubed patch over a lubed 1/2" fiber wad and 75 gr. 3f. This load shoots accurately in my gun.

I also shoot a 70 gr. load of 3f, equal volume of shot, and the same lubed wad with an over shot card. Patterns well enough at 30 yards.

 

[Spikebuck]

.620 bore in a 42" swamped octagon barrel. 80 gr of KIK 2F, .600 ball and .022 denim patch lubed with mink oil gives a sub-3" group at 50 yards off a bench.

I don't feel I've ever really completed load development for a round ball with this smooth rifle and am going to continue to experiment as time permits.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Where did y'all get yer .595" moulds? Lee doesn't list them.

 

[BrownBear]

I got my first batch from TOW along with some other sizes for load testing. Then I got a Tanner mold.

 

[54ball]

.617 bore
.610 ball bare between two wads of lubed Spanish moss
at least 80grns of 2ffg

 

[larryp]

75gr 3fg, 1/4" lubed wool felt wad, .610 ball, thin overshot card.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Thought it might be Tanner. I'll be doing bizness with him soon.

 

[hanshi]

So far, a .590" WW ball and a lubed .018" patch or a bare .606" WW ball; card wad, cushion wad (or felt), ball and os card wad. Still fiddling with it some.

 

[nkbj]

Got a Lyman .595 mold on another forum a couple of weeks ago. Cast some with it this weekend and it's .595 on the button. Figger on trying some greased 40 weight cotton next weekend with Jacks Battle.

 

[roundball]

Deer load:
38" Rice with a .620" bore
110grns Goex 2F
.022"-.024" patch
.600" cast ball