Snow melted

[Oldnamvet]

It was nearly 50 today and projected to get warmer so I thought it an ideal time to sight in a .54 smoothbore I recently put together (T/C hawken + GM barrel).  A lot of others had the same idea since what is usually a deserted range was crowded.  Only a 25 yd spot was open so I took it.  Then I realized that I had brought the .49 balls, not the .52.  But I had some thick ticking and a .49 would make a tight fit in the bore so I went with it.  It seemed like I was getting two holes for each shot until I looked closer.  I was using a wad over the powder under the patched ball.  The wads were hitting flat on and sticking to the target at 25 yds.  Never saw that before.  The balls were grouping almost in the same hole but the wads were all over the place.  Got pretty much sighted in a was going to shoot one more when a friend stopped over to talk.  About 10 minutes later, I pushed the ball down -- uh-oh, ramrod went too far down.  Put on a cap and tried just to be sure.  Yup, dry balled .  First time in about 20 years.  So I packed up, came home, pulled the nipple, pushed the nozzle of the air compressor against the hole and *ptooey* out came the patched ball.  All in all, not a bad day.  Just wished I had been able to shoot at 50 yds.  I'll have to go back again as soon as it starts snowing -- probably next week.  Then I'll have most of the range to myself.  Now to clean the gun.

[old salt]

Tom
I carry a co2 ball discharger just for that purpose. I claim to carry it for the new guys, but if I was to tell the whole truth I probably use it for my own dry balls as any one else. It is he$$ to get old

[Oldnamvet]

Yeah Harry -- I should probably spend the money next time I have some extra.  But it is hard to justify when I do that so seldom.  Maybe just put the little compressor in the back of the car next time -- in case one of my tires is losing air.
I'm definately in the minority at my club.  Rarely if ever see another ML on the range.  I am a real oddity at the skeet range when I start shooting my fowler.  Fortunately, I have some friends who will shoot with me even if it takes an hour for a single round of skeet.  Gives them more time to BS -- which is something they like to do almost as much as shoot.