HELP - Dry Ball Disaster

[hatman]

Thanks to all for contributing their wisdom and experience in this thread.
As the (enthusiastic) newbie here I'm so happy I found this forum.
There isn't much interest (relatively speaking) in flintlocks up here in Western WA.

[mountainman]

It is said that you are not an experienced black powder shooter until you have

1. Loaded a ball without powder.
2. Double loaded.
3. Fired your ramrod down range.

Congratulations; you are well on your way.  Incidentally those functions are not just "one and done".

Lol 😊

[Daryl]

Still haven't fired the rod downrange. Hmmm - don't want to, either - I use a steel range rod much of the time. Betcha that .69 would kick some, firing off it's
3/8" x 40" steel cleaning rod.

[bob in the woods]

The only time I double loaded was years ago when shooting in the re entry smoothbore matches at the Provincial matches in Chatham, Ont.   I was shooting my then new 10 bore, 100 gr FFg and a patched .735 ball  It was the first match of the day, and someone interrupted my loading to say hi....and I ended up double powdering .  Sure got my attention.  My partner said...." you're a tad high " 

[Daryl]

I double powdered my .69 one day while chronographing loads - 480gr. ball and 330gr. of powder. I was distracted by the fellow shooting with me wo was having trouble with his production rifle.  I double powdered - that shot lifted up into the standing position off the 'round' I was sitting on and registered only 70fps higher velocity than the top load of 200gr. GOEX 2F I had tested that 'range' day.  This was in 1986 & 200gr. ran 1,700fps average.  165gr. 2F, my decided upon moose load, produced 1,550fps. & gave a point blank range of 125yards using a 3" standard, above or below and produced the rifle's best accuracy on paper at 100 meters. 200gr. shot the same, but kicked too much, I thought at the time.