So ...what’s your bare ball loading sequence ?

[Nessmuck]

Just getting into bare ball....haven’t thrown any lead yet...just wondering. 

Example ...100 g of FF powder -Tow-Ball-Tow..

Thanks

[Mike Brooks]

I don't know your bore size. So, in general I take a fouling shot with just powder first then load powder followed by ball. That's it. Don't carry your gun around with the muzzle down.

[Maven]

Look up Mike Beliveau's videos on the subject and article in Muzzle Loader several years ago.  Btw, he uses the name 1954duelist or duelist1954 in his videos.

[Nessmuck]

Mike...20 guage

[alacran]

.62 smoothbore. 80 grains 2f Goex, 1/3 cushion wad. .600 ball, an A card over the lot. Have used unspunned wool as well as tow over the powder, with equal results. The cushion wads cut into thirds is easiest  to use. I lube them before I cut them. Bear oil.

[Mike Brooks]

Mike...20 guage

Ok, this is what I did with my 20 bore. Fouled first then 60gr 2f followed by a .600 ball. That's it. killed many deer and was a very accurate load.

[Hungry Horse]

Bare ball loads are just that BARE BALL.  = 2F powder about 100 grains, a bare UNDERSIZED ball, preferably dimpled, but not required, dropped right on top of the powder charge, and something to hold it all in the barrel. Over shot card, a wad of tow, a greased wad of wool blanket, almost anything that will keep the ball on top of the powder.
 I really can’t understand why this formula is so difficult. It’s like modern shooters are unable to simplify. Adding extra steps to the loading process only adds places to make a mistake.

  Hungry Horse

[hanshi]

With a .62 I start with 70 grains of 3F, card wad, lubed felt or cushion wad with ball and overshot card seated as one unit.  Pie plate accuracy at 50 yards, 4" to 5" for five shots.

[Hungry Horse]

Hey, it says” bare ball loading sequence” what part of that is unclear?

  Hungry Horse

[Mike Brooks]

Hey, it says” bare ball loading sequence” what part of that is unclear?

  Hungry Horse

Hid ball is not patched thus "bare ball".

[R.J.Bruce]

HungryHorse,

A year, or so back you talked about the type of blanket you used for topping a bare ball load. I seem to remember you saying you cut up old USGI Army blankets. Is this correct?

Thanks for  your reply,
                                        R.J.Bruce

[Hungry Horse]

Good memory sir, that’s exactly what I used. They were a lot more plentiful than they are now. Any 100% wool blanket will work. Don’t think I would use a HB, or Whitney, but no doubt the old timers did.

  Hungry Horse

[Nessmuck]

I heard your name shouted out ,on a Mike Bellevue Video !! You must be a legend.

[R.J.Bruce]

HungryHorse

Do you lube the blanket wad, or do you use it dry? What shape are the wads? Rectangular, round, octagonal?

Thanks,
               R.J.Bruce

[Mauser06]

Hungry Horse will argue my load isn't a bare ball.....but, without a patch, I consider it bare. Lol.



62cal.  105gr of 2f. Nitro wad, .600" round ball and another nitro wad on top.   


I haven't tried the ball on the powder bare.  And haven't tried patched.  I ended up with my load because the ball is too tight for the patching I had but just loose enough that I didn't trust a bare ball...figured powder would sneak around the front of the ball.  Maybe nothing to worry about..I don't know.  In my mind, I'd think a bare ball on top of the powder would work best if the ball was bore tight. 

[alacran]

The whole premise of a bare ball, is to have the ignited powder center the ball in the bore. I bore tight ball would negate that since you would not have complete obduration. The powder gasses would not flow evenly around the ball and accuracy would suffer.

[Nessmuck]

The whole premise of a bare ball, is to have the ignited powder center the ball in the bore. I bore tight ball would negate that since you would not have complete obduration. The powder gasses would not flow evenly around the ball and accuracy would suffer.

If my .610 ball drops down the muzzle slowly and then goes to the bottom all by it self...when cold...is that considered bore tight ? Or is bore tight...something that needs a push from a ram rod ?

[Daryl]

Your bore seems quite tight for a 20 bore (nominally .615" 350.0gr. pure lead ball) if a .610" ball falls slowly down it.  I've thought most modern commercially made 20 bore

 ML barrels were actually a bit large, at .620" (using the same bore reamers as for a .62 cal. rifle)

[Nessmuck]

Your bore seems quite tight for a 20 bore (nominally .615" 350.0gr. pure lead ball) if a .610" ball falls slowly down it.  I've thought most modern commercially made 20 bore

 ML barrels were actually a bit large, at .620" (using the same bore reamers as for a .62 cal. rifle)

There must be a “Choke” for my barrel...cuz after the .610 rolls past that 4-5 inch section...it falls to the bottom. And when it warms up...look out !

[Hungry Horse]

What barrel do you have? I got a couple of 12 gauge round barrels years ago from Numrich that are full choked.

  Hungry Horse

[Hungry Horse]

By the way, this is another good reason to QUIT USING THE .610 BALLS!!!!

 Hungry Horse

[Nessmuck]

What barrel do you have? I got a couple of 12 gauge round barrels years ago from Numrich that are full choked.

  Hungry Horse

It’s a Getz barrel.....octagon to round ..wedding band thingy.

[Daryl]

Your bore seems quite tight for a 20 bore (nominally .615" 350.0gr. pure lead ball) if a .610" ball falls slowly down it.  I've thought most modern commercially made 20 bore

 ML barrels were actually a bit large, at .620" (using the same bore reamers as for a .62 cal. rifle)

There must be a “Choke” for my barrel...cuz after the .610 rolls past that 4-5 inch section...it falls to the bottom. And when it warms up...look out !

If there is a choke, it is easily felt when loading a patched round ball. Nice thing about a small amount of choke (if modern-style) is that once the ball gets an inch or more down the tube, it is easily pressed down onto the powder.  ANY obturation at all will make for a seal so the barrel does not build up any fouling. Such is my 20 bore flintgun.

[alacran]

It’s a Getz barrel.....octagon to round ..wedding band thingy.
[/quote]
I also have a Getz like yours. I shoot .600 round balls. After 4 or 5 shots I don't need to use the A card to hold things together. The fowling takes care of that.

[JW]

Disclaimer – I don’t shoot competitively, but I hit what I aim at more often than not even if I don’t shoot from a bench. I like shooting bare balls out of smoothbore guns because that’s what I believe people did when these guns were current technology. I’ve used chewed ball with no wadding, but I typically use some sort of wadding – anything from tow to green grass or leaves. Whatever is free works for me. I know you can load all of your components one at a time, but I usually just ram the ball and the wadding down at the same time.