45 caliber muzzleloader qestion

[flintboomer]

If it is a really tight barrel (The old Numrich barrels were .44s ) the .433 balls will be your best bet, but if the crown is the problem (I've had a couple that were not finished at the crown) all bets are off until you crown it.
Hanshi's way should work, but I have used a grinder ball that is larger than the bore and hand twisted it to crown the muzzle with good results. Don't chuck it in a drill, use your handsand turn the barrel occasionally.
You and the rifle will find find a good combination.

[pilgrim]

    I had no trouble loading.  Loading the .440 rb I used a ball seater  to set the patched ball just below the muzzle  and then cut off the patch with my knife. The hard part after shooting 2 shots was getting to ball to push down the barrel to be seated.  Took considerable pressure on my stainless steel range rod.   But with the .433 rb  I could seat the ball below the muzzle with just my thumb.  But don't feel this was a very tight patched ball combo.  And it proved this on the target,  it shot  3" lower that the .440 using  the same powder charge and patch.  But still grouped the same,  1 1/4".

[flintboomer]

That sounds like either combination will work but the 440 ball could use a thinner patch or the 433 ball could use a thicker patch.

Either way it is more important to be able to get the ball down the barrel than to get the absolute best group. Having to beat the ball down the barrel takes most of the fun out of shooting. You may find that you need to wipe between shots, but that is still better than having to beat the ball down.

I'm looking forward to hearing more about how things progress.

[beowulf]

try a thinner patch . all of my cva kentuckys preferred a thinner patch . used to use the front pockets cut out of old jeans !

[pilgrim]

    After shooting yesterday I cleaned out the barrel etc.  Today I checked the barrel with a light dropped down the muzzle.  What I saw looked dull,  saw the same thing after the first initial cleaning when I got the rifle in the mail.   So  I took a brass bore brush to the barrel.  After several scrubs using Hoppes #9 and several cleaning patches,  the haze is gone and all is shiny.    Now I wonder if the person who owned it before me ever thoroughly cleaned it.  At first it came out rusty,  then it cleaned up and shined.  I know it did not rust since yesterday because after cleaning I always swab out the bore with ATF fluid to prevent rust. 
     Now I am wondering if that is what I felt when loading.  It had felt like something was grabbing the patch about 8-12 inches from the muzzle.    Am now wondering if this more thorough scrubbing and cleaning will cut down on  fouling?  I know black powder is dirty,  but having to swab the barrel after every shot seems strange,  or is it just the nature of the caliber?   I only use Goex.  Wish I could use  Blackhorn 209 instead of Goex, but don't think this is a good idea.  Yet one never knows without trying. ??

[Patocazador]

I only use Goex.  Wish I could use  Blackhorn 209 instead of Goex, but don't think this is a good idea.  Yet one never knows without trying. ??

I use Blackhorn 209 in my Sile Hawken Hunter .50 cal. However, I have to use a 209 primer to ignite it. There is a conversion for the nipple that accepts 209 primers. It is called a Hubbard Mag-Spark.

http://www.warrencustomoutdoor.com/mag-spark.html

[Hanshi]

A couple of things to consider.  ATF is great stuff for the barrel, lock and also the stock.  But don't use it in the bore as it "waxes" the bore and can lead to problems you are now experiencing.  Barricade is a much better choice for the bore.  The reason I caution against using ATF in the bore is that when it's used on the outside - barrel, stock, etc - it leaves a "waxed" finish even when rubbed down with a dry cloth.

Second thing is that I like tight prb loads and have noticed that they allow me to shoot all afternoon without wiping the bore.  For best results there should be some patch compression down into the grooves.  This will usually result in cleaner shooting loads.  Polishing the crown goes a long way toward making it easier to seat tight combos.

[pilgrim]

try a thinner patch . all of my cva kentuckys preferred a thinner patch . used to use the front pockets cut out of old jeans !

    I plan to shoot on Friday and I will try using a thinner patch.  I  have some Ox-Yoke Wonder lube 1000 plus  patches that are .010", .40-.49 caliber.

     Also need to give Barricade a try.  I like my barrel to shine and HATE RUST.

[Dogshirt]

try a thinner patch . all of my cva kentuckys preferred a thinner patch . used to use the front pockets cut out of old jeans !

    I plan to shoot on Friday and I will try using a thinner patch.  I  have some Ox-Yoke Wonder lube 1000 plus  patches that are .010", .40-.49 caliber.

     Also need to give Barricade a try.  I like my barrel to shine and HATE RUST.

I have found ALL lubes except spit cause excessive fouling. No matter the caliber, I can shoot spit patches the entire day without swabbing the barrel. The best I have found with other lubes is 5-6 shots without having to swab. The only time I use anything else is during hunting season when it stays loaded for days at a time. YMMV

[hotfxr]

I was going to stay out of this discussion but I just can't. As Dogshirt pointed out to me a few years ago, (and here in the previous post) spit seems to work the best and that is all I have been using since. I have never had to swab out my barrel while shooting, no matter what gun I am using.

[Red Badger]

try a thinner patch . all of my cva kentuckys preferred a thinner patch . used to use the front pockets cut out of old jeans !

    I plan to shoot on Friday and I will try using a thinner patch.  I  have some Ox-Yoke Wonder lube 1000 plus  patches that are .010", .40-.49 caliber.

     Also need to give Barricade a try.  I like my barrel to shine and HATE RUST.

I have found ALL lubes except spit cause excessive fouling. No matter the caliber, I can shoot spit patches the entire day without swabbing the barrel. The best I have found with other lubes is 5-6 shots without having to swab. The only time I use anything else is during hunting season when it stays loaded for days at a time. YMMV

  The only thing better than a spit patch is a spit patch in a FLINTLOCK....

[beowulf]

  agree ! I only use a spit patch for all my shooting except hunting ! and then I use a 50/50 mix of olive oil and bees wax !  spit patch always loads easy !

[Dogshirt]

try a thinner patch . all of my cva kentuckys preferred a thinner patch . used to use the front pockets cut out of old jeans !

    I plan to shoot on Friday and I will try using a thinner patch.  I  have some Ox-Yoke Wonder lube 1000 plus  patches that are .010", .40-.49 caliber.

     Also need to give Barricade a try.  I like my barrel to shine and HATE RUST.

I have found ALL lubes except spit cause excessive fouling. No matter the caliber, I can shoot spit patches the entire day without swabbing the barrel. The best I have found with other lubes is 5-6 shots without having to swab. The only time I use anything else is during hunting season when it stays loaded for days at a time. YMMV

  The only thing better than a spit patch is a spit patch in a FLINTLOCK....

[Hanshi]

  Maybe it's just my use of fairly tight prb loads; but I use TOW mink oil for hunting (occasionally at the range as well) and Hoppes BP lube for everything else and can still shoot all day without wiping the bore.  Spit patch is definitely an excellent lube, and I used to employ it for all my shooting when I started out and for a good while after that.  But I'm now so dry in the mouth & throat I actually have trouble licking a stamp!  It's a problem from my meds.  And my loads may be rather tight but I can still load them with the wood rod from the rifle.  And this works in all my guns from .32 to .62. 

[pilgrim]

  I agree with what Hanshi said about dry mouth.  Who ever said living to retire a person would have it made,  was never on Water Pills.  And my COPD does not help much either.   But it beats the alternative.