When Mike Beliveau's article on traditional smoothbore loading methods appeared in
Muzzleloader magazine several years ago I pored over it and couldn't wait to try his recommendations re tow wads and powder charges. Alas, I tried it his way, but my results weren't very good and I'm pretty sure it wasn't me.
Last week I got the tow wad bug again, but with a T/C Renegade smoothbore (cap lock), a home cast .550" RB (Lyman mould), and tight tow wads fore & aft. The powder charge was 85gr. Goex FFFg. The result, at least @ 25 yd. bench rested were at least the equal of those I get with that same RB using a patch: I.e., they were very good.
Encouraged by those results, I decided to retest tow wads in my 20ga. GRF trade gun, this time with a bore sized, i.e., .618" RB (Tanner mould) and tow wads. The powder charge was 85gr. Goex FFFg, but the range was
50 yd., bench rested. I took 2 fouling shots, so labeled, with a different diameter RB, but the other 12 were with the .618" RB. First the bad news: Shots #9, which I can't explain; and #4 and #10, which I can, really messed up my group. #4 was due to a fouled bore and #10 got away before I was fully ready. However, I'm quite pleased with the others, which are the best I've done with that gun at that distance.
Lessons learned: Unlike Mike Believeau, I used 85gr. FFFg. rather than 110gr. FFg. as it was the only powder I had on hand. Additionally, whereas he used smaller diameter RB's, I did not as neither of my guns is particularly accurate with them and tow loads. OTOH, both of my guns really like .550" (T/C SB) and .618" RB's (GRF trade gun) and fairly tight fitting tow wads fore and aft. Lastly, I found that damp swabbing the bore after each shot really helped with accuracy, which may explain my shot #9.
P.S. The shot at ~10 o'clock and 1 o'clock were preexisting and off the "high tech" paper bag target backer.
