Bare Ball and PRB

[Hanshi]

A few days ago I took my .62 smoothbore to the range to work up a good deer load.  I use WW for the balls.  Thus, the .600" ball measures .605" and the .590" ball from my Tanner mould mikes .593".  I save soft lead for the rifles only.  I had initially had very good accuracy testing a few soft lead .600" ball with a thin patch but seating was a mostly "pound down" requirement; totally unusable in the woods.  My smoothie mikes .615" as far as I can tell.

At 50 yards a load with powder (60, 75 or 80grns, didn't matter), card op wad, lubed 1/2" cushion or 1/4" felt wad(again, didn't matter), bare ball(.605") and os card wad; fired consistent 5" groups.  Okay, but I wanted better.  I didn't give the patched .593" WW ball a fair test as I was exhausted from the heat and couldn't see the front sight due to fatigue and sun-glare.  Still the prb load loaded with thumb pressure and seated fairly easily.  I will be out there again next week (early) to test this prb with a variety of powder charges.

Who else likes bare ball?  Who likes prb?  Suggestions?

[Rev]

A few days ago I took my .62 smoothbore to the range to work up a good deer load.  I use WW for the balls.  Thus, the .600" ball measures .605" and the .590" ball from my Tanner mould mikes .593".  I save soft lead for the rifles only.  I had initially had very good accuracy testing a few soft lead .600" ball with a thin patch but seating was a mostly "pound down" requirement; totally unusable in the woods.  My smoothie mikes .615" as far as I can tell.

At 50 yards a load with powder (60, 75 or 80grns, didn't matter), card op wad, lubed 1/2" cushion or 1/4" felt wad(again, didn't matter), bare ball(.605") and os card wad; fired consistent 5" groups.  Okay, but I wanted better.  I didn't give the patched .593" WW ball a fair test as I was exhausted from the heat and couldn't see the front sight due to fatigue and sun-glare.  Still the prb load loaded with thumb pressure and seated fairly easily.  I will be out there again next week (early) to test this prb with a variety of powder charges.

Who else likes bare ball?  Who likes prb?  Suggestions?

Prb. No question. Some folks would tell you I know my way around a smoothbore...

[Missionary]

Good morning
When up north there I sometimes shoot a bare RB in a .69 just to do so again. But it is going to always be a ball I have coated with 45%-55% olive oil -beeswax.  Accuracy is definately degraded.  I would not count on a bare ball past 40 yards.  As I do not expect to ever engage a rank of corn crunchers marching towards me I will normaly patch the RB.
Mike in Peru

[pilgrim]

being curious, I can't resist asking this question,      What or Who  are "Corn Crunchers".      stir the pot a little 

[flintboomer]

A wild guess about the "Corn Crunchers" would be that the males have antlers and are unlikely to be attacking in battle formation.   (Gotta be ready anyway)   

[Hanshi]

A wild guess about the "Corn Crunchers" would be that the males have antlers and are unlikely to be attacking in battle formation.   (Gotta be ready anyway)   

[/color]


Either that or  good ol' Georgia Crackers.

[markinmi]

I have good results useing a ball wrapped in a paper cartridge in my Bess but cloth patch seems to wreck my accuracy,don't know why so I just use the cartridges