Patch Grease

[jamesthomas]

 Oops forgot, I'm using a .395 Round ball. The fouling from the 3fff KIK was hard and dry and after 3 to 5 shoots it was hard to load and I had that crust ring to deal with.. It's my belief that the 2ff Olds Ensford leaves a fouling that is more moist, (moister?) and this made it easy to shoot 25+ times without wiping. Every shot went down smooth using the 2ff Ensford. Also clean up was a lot easier, it only took around 5 or 6 patches to clean and oil when before it would take 10 to 15 patches to get her clean. The barrel is a Mark DeHass and has square grooves.

[Daryl]

Glad you asked - I have a .395 Lyman mould that cases .398" X .398" = oversize. That also happens to be the bore size of my .40 cal Goodoien barrel = .398".

I also have a .400" DC Lyman mould that casts .400 X .400 from one cavity, but oblong POS from the other - .394" X .400"- useless for accuracy in my 50 yard tests.  The .400" ball is very accurate with a .020" heavy pocket drill, tight weave patch. Due to the pain of using a DC mould and only filling one cavity, i use the .395" (.398"0 mould) due to it being easier to handle, weight wise.

 The .398" ball loads quite easily with the .020" through to the .0235" patches - all shooting close enough to the sights that it matters not which material I have at hand.  Once stated, they go down using only 2 fingers on the 3/8" hickory rod - BUT - you do have to actually grip the rod with those fingers and push the ball down in 10" to 14" stages.

  When using LHV or Shenendoah lubes, I have to use 75gr. 3F GOEX or 85gr. 2F GOEX - number of shots without wiping is unlimited. I clean the barrel at the end of the day, never having to wipe it while shooting. As with all my rifles, they've never fired a shot with any phony powder. Perhaps that is why they shine like the sun, inside. When using water based lube, I can cut those charges back to 60 to 65gr. of either, 3F or 2F GOEX.

[moleeyes36]

My experience is the same as Daryl's here.  His posts got me to try the wet patch method and I'm hooked.  In my main target rifle, I'm using Mr. Flintlock's lube (the old LHV lube), a .395 ball, .022 - .023 light canvas patch in a .40 caliber Oregon barrel with a 1:48 twist.  I've never measured the bore size.  The gun shoots dead on at 25 and 50 yards with a center hold using 32 grains of 3fg Goex and 42 grains at 100. 

Like Daryl, the number of shots I can take without wiping is unlimited and after starting the ball with a short starter it loads easily. 

I also find that when using Mr. Flintlock's lube the gun cleans up easily.

Mole Eyes