distorting ball CONTINUED from last post

[Michigan Flinter]

 I have been using the .454 ball with .020 teflon patch and 93 fff Goex .The group has been terrible I even tried .451 .447 balls with no luck. I Tried the .440 balls and got one nice group .So I guess over bore balls don't always work or i need to find a way to not distort the ball when loading. Any coments from these two posts are welcome. Hope I didn't confuse you to much. Eric D. Lau Riverdale Mi

[don getz]

Eric.....I can recall shooting some .500 size balls out of my 50 cal. chunk gun, but after hammering them in, with using
about .020 thick teflon, I just couldn't feel good about it.  I kept wondering what in the heck they must look like after
all that pounding.  I then backed off to shoot a .495 ball, much better results.......Don

[George Sutton]

Eric....Why are you convinced you need to pound balls down the barrel to get better accuracy? Sometimes less is better.

You didn't mention what distance you were shooting at. If you got a good group using .440 balls why did you change?

Have you checked your patches to see if they are holding up. Have you tried using a thinner patch with less or more powder?

I've tried teflon and didn't like it. For years I shot the same .45 Douglas barrel that you have using 65 grs. 3F by volume, .445 RB,  .018 cotton patch, using spit for a lube and got great results.

The best shooting gun I own today is .58 cal.  I can thumb press the ball into the barrel, no short starter. I load out of my shooting bag.

For years I thought the only way to go was with a tight patch ball combination. I have since changed my mind. I compete with guys who use drop tubes, teflon patches, oversized balls and see no difference between what they do and what I do. My philosophy is "if it aint broke don't fix it."

Centershot

[T*O*F]

I kept wondering what in the heck they must look like after all that pounding.

An oversized ball pounded into the bore will look like this, except the pounded part is sitting on the wood and the breech side is up.  It's basically the same thing as running a ball thru a swage.  You end up with a short conical that will be rounded at both ends.

[Michigan Flinter]

centershot I was using the oversize balls and had  bad groups went to the .440 balls and the group tighten right up . I was shooting sixty yards in the prone position. i will try your load ,ball size ect and see how it works.Thanks for your responce.  Eric D. Lau Riverdale Mi.

[Darkhorse]

Just wondering, why are you accuracy testing from prone instead of solid bags on a bench?

[Roger Fisher]

Just wondering, why are you accuracy testing from prone instead of solid bags on a bench?

I'll stick my nose in here and say that ol Eric is a chunk shooter.  See if I'm right

[Roger Fisher]

I have been using the .454 ball with .020 teflon patch and 93 fff Goex .The group has been terrible I even tried .451 .447 balls with no luck. I Tried the .440 balls and got one nice group .So I guess over bore balls don't always work or i need to find a way to not distort the ball when loading. Any coments from these two posts are welcome. Hope I didn't confuse you to much. Eric D. Lau Riverdale Mi

My log gun is a .47 caliber (I say that even though it was freshed out yrs ago-long story)  I shoot a .465 ball and .017 spit/patch.80 Goex 2 f at 60 yds. I have found that .017 teflon and rest the same shoots a better group.  So, at the moment I'm voting for the teflon!  I'll compare from time to time.  BP rifles are like women sometimes contrary and seldom the same 'size'

[keweenaw]

A lot of we chunk shooter use .445 balls in our 45 cal guns.  They're plenty tight with a .017 or .018 oiled patch.  An over bore ball with 93 gr. of FFFG is a very stiff load. 

Tom

[longcruise]

you to much. Eric D. Lau Riverdale Mi

Any coments from these two posts are welcome. Hope I didn't confuse you to much. Eric D. Lau Riverdale Mi

Hey Eric, maybe if the starter is not fitted to the ball it might drive it down with a better centering of the ball.  A flat ended starter would always sit dead center on top of the ball.

[Michigan Flinter]

 Yes I have the addicition caught it down in Pall Mall Tenn. the second year they had the Sgt. York Memorial shoot . I have built three chunk guns the last being a flinter that I was having trouble getting a group. My short starter is about .015 under bore size with the nose concave and lapped to the sphere of the ball. I might just try a flat one and see how it works out.But probably just use a .440 or .445 ball .Got to make a good showing down in Ohio their Championship match. EricD. Lau Riverdale Mi.