Author Topic: Grins and Giggles with Two Barrels and Big Balls  (Read 1407 times)

Offline Semisane

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Grins and Giggles with Two Barrels and Big Balls
« on: July 16, 2018, 06:54:30 AM »

First you buy a gun you didn’t need.



Then buy a mold and cast some nice shiny balls.



Then fabricate a crude temporary peep sight out of a plastic bottle cap.



And stick it on the gun with a little dab of hot glue.



That should work!



Then find a big piece of cardboard for a target backer and stick it out at 25 yards on the hunting club rifle range.


 
Then load both barrels with 75 grains GOEX FFg and a pillow tick patch around the balls (lubed with my “traditional” Liquid Wrench), and take two shots from the bench.


 
DANG!, I should have made the hole in that "down & dirty" peep a little closer to the barrel.  OK, let’s take two more shots.


 
Wow. Those two came together nicely. I wonder if the fouled bore was responsible.  Let’s try two more shots.



OK, that’s not too bad. Not great, but not horrible. Let’s go with two more.


 
Hey! That’s starting to look like a group.    ;D

By now the temperature is somewhere above 90-degrees and the humidity ain’t far behind. Even in a T-shirt, shorts and flip flops I’m sweating so much my underwear is soaked and I have to wipe my eyes every thirty seconds. But I just have to shoot one more final round. Here it is.



Well guys. That’s it for me. The fun has totally gone out of this session. Lets go find some patches.



They’re in pretty sad shape.

Next time out I’ll have to try some thick greasy patch lube or maybe a wad over the powder. But not today! It’s time to head to my little hooch in the camp ground for some air conditioning and a cold beer.
My wife says I'm totally nuts, but I think I'm Semisane.

Offline stubshaft

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Re: Grins and Giggles with Two Barrels and Big Balls
« Reply #1 on: July 16, 2018, 08:37:55 AM »
Some better patching or a wad of tow over the powder might have brought the group size down.  All in all, great job!
I'd rather die standing, than live on my knees...

Offline Bob Roller

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Re: Grins and Giggles with Two Barrels and Big Balls
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2018, 03:43:55 PM »
Some better patching or a wad of tow over the powder might have brought the group size down.  All in all, great job!

That is not a bad looking gun and apparently safe to fire.You might try it minus the
fabricated sight and see what happens.
How well will modern rifled slugs fit? If they will then there may be a real hunting load
in the making.Lubed bullet with more lube packed into a hollow projectile.

Bob Roller

Online Hungry Horse

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Re: Grins and Giggles with Two Barrels and Big Balls
« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2018, 05:21:31 PM »
Try a hundred grains of 2F, a bare ball, and a greased piece if old army blanket on top of the ball just to keep it in place. I think you will be surprised. Your peepsite appears to have too large an aperture, and is too far away from your eye.

  Hungry Horse

Offline Daryl

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Re: Grins and Giggles with Two Barrels and Big Balls
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2018, 08:01:15 PM »
Good start, Semisane.

Crossing means not enough powder in a BP double. You may only have to increase that load by 10 to 15gr. to get it shooting together. At that close range, you should get
groups closer to 3"", with the barrels shooting parallel, ie: the distance between each barrel's group, should be same as between the bore axis.

You appear to be cutting the patch upon loading into the muzzle. Thus, the crown needs some "smoothing" work. You may need slightly thicker patching as well.

I would like to see a target posted with HH's, bare ball and army blanket 'over ball wad'.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline Semisane

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Re: Grins and Giggles with Two Barrels and Big Balls
« Reply #5 on: July 16, 2018, 09:02:14 PM »
Thanks for that info Daryl. I have zero experience with smoothbores and balls. I do plan to play around with different loads & patch/wad combinations when the weather is more agreeable to a lengthy range session.


I'm certain the muzzle is not cutting the patch upon loading. The patched balls enter the bore with an easy thumb start. I agree, a thicher patch will likely improve things.

This morning I took another look a the picture of the final target with an eye to the individual groups from each barrel (see picture). I wish the left barrel hadn't had that wild outlier with the first shot.   :-\

« Last Edit: July 18, 2018, 12:13:44 AM by Semisane »
My wife says I'm totally nuts, but I think I'm Semisane.

Offline Daryl

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Re: Grins and Giggles with Two Barrels and Big Balls
« Reply #6 on: July 17, 2018, 09:43:33 PM »
Those circles do make it easier to see the individual barrel groups.

If you are thumb starting, then I misread the patches. Sure looks like cutting to me and not burns.

I would most certainly use a thicker patch & a bit more powder as well.

However, change only one thing at a time.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline Mike Brooks

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Re: Grins and Giggles with Two Barrels and Big Balls
« Reply #7 on: July 18, 2018, 02:42:46 PM »
I always shot shot in shotguns...... ???
NEW WEBSITE! www.mikebrooksflintlocks.com
Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?

Offline Matthew1969

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Re: Grins and Giggles with Two Barrels and Big Balls
« Reply #8 on: July 18, 2018, 03:42:28 PM »
Looks like fun to me. Only will get tighter with more shooting, so more fun to have. That temp AND humidity would kill a desert born man like me! Stay cool and dry (if that's possible)!
Matthew