Need .75 cal smoothbore round ball recommendation

[Robert Wolfe]

I have a .75 caliber smoothbore (Dutch) barrel by Colerain on a gun I am finishing. Any suggestions on what size ball I should start with? I checked the Colerain and did not see any recommendations there.   Thanks.

[smallpatch]

On a smoothbore, usually start with a ball .020 under bore size.

[WKevinD]

I have used .735 with wads.
Kevin

[bob in the woods]

I use a .715 ball , since I mainly load with paper cartridges.

[Robert Wolfe]

Thanks, that'll give me a start.

[Flint62Smoothie]

I agree w/ the -20 thou’ ball to start or try w/ patches or wad loads. Even smaller for paper cartridge loads.

If you have a long barrel, don’t be afraid to try 1Fg powder. Fact is, smoothbores are inherently more accurate the faster the ball goes out and in my barrel lengths of 54 or 60”, I can shoot > 30-shots of 90+ grain charges and get great accuracy, soft shooting, and no cleaning or swabbing out of the bore.

My paper cartridge loads are lubed/dipped in a 50/50 mix of beeswax & olive oil (using the ~0.715” ball) and I use Hoppes BP Patch lube/solvent for the patched loads. Works awesome, but I try to stay w/ the traditional loading like they did it way back then ...

[satwel]

I bought a second hand Rapine .735 mold for my TOTW long land pattern musket that uses a Colerain barrel. I shoot it with .015 cloth patch.

[Daryl]

I tried .735" in a .75, then went with .715's and a nice thick denim patch - much happier, holds more lube and more accurate as well.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I tried .735" in a .75, then went with .715's and a nice thick denim patch - much happier, holds more lube and more accurate as well.

Yup.  The .735" ball was better in the TOW Long Land Pattern Bess 1728 which is a 10 bore.  That ball (.735") is very good in a .75 cal rifle though.

[Robert Wolfe]

Thanks all.