Author Topic: Shooting belted balls  (Read 1427 times)

Offline snapper

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2432
Shooting belted balls
« on: May 08, 2021, 03:45:43 PM »
I have no experience with belted balls.   

I am looking at a belted ball rifle that is for sale.

For those that have experience with shooting belted balls, do you use a patch or no patch?   If you dont use a patch, do you experience leading in the grove?

What about accuracy?

I see Tanner's make belted ball molds.

Thanks

Fleener

My taste are simple:  I am easily satisfied with the best.  Winston Churchill

Offline Dennis Daigger

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 297
Re: Shooting belted balls
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2021, 07:06:25 PM »
You might contact Steve Bertram. He is an experienced and knowledgeable belted ball shooter that freely shares information. The Double Gun and Nitroexpress forums have a noteworthy presence of muzzleloader shooters and searches there should also provide information on belted balls.

Steve's contact info is at: http://www.bertramandco.com/

Offline Daryl

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15822
Re: Shooting belted balls
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2021, 07:12:09 PM »
One of our BC shooters from the Island (Vancouver Isl) showed up at Hefley Creek Rendezvous one year, with a Purdy .52 belted ball rifle.
As with 'back in the day', he also shot with with a cloth patched belted ball. I do not know what the tolerances were, but would expect it allowed
a substantial patch of at least .015" thickness. I am sure he used at least that thickness of patch.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline T*O*F

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5121
Re: Shooting belted balls
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2021, 09:55:46 PM »
Quote
One of our BC shooters from the Island (Vancouver Isl) showed up at Hefley Creek Rendezvous one year
That wasn't Doug Miller, was it?  I know he had restored a couple to shooting condition.  Haven't heard from him in a while.
Dave Kanger

If religion is opium for the masses, the internet is a crack, pixel-huffing orgy that deafens the brain, numbs the senses and scrambles our peer list to include every anonymous loser, twisted deviant, and freak as well as people we normally wouldn't give the time of day.
-S.M. Tomlinson

Offline smylee grouch

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7906
Re: Shooting belted balls
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2021, 10:18:22 PM »
My mind is a little foggy today but is this the Brunswick style?

Offline snapper

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2432
Re: Shooting belted balls
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2021, 10:42:50 PM »
Dennis

Thanks for the info.   I reached out to him and he replied back.   Did not get much out of him other then he uses a patch and that he would buy another belted ball rifle.

Thanks

Fleener
My taste are simple:  I am easily satisfied with the best.  Winston Churchill

Offline Daryl

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15822
Re: Shooting belted balls
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2021, 11:56:36 PM »
Quote
One of our BC shooters from the Island (Vancouver Isl) showed up at Hefley Creek Rendezvous one year
That wasn't Doug Miller, was it?  I know he had restored a couple to shooting condition.  Haven't heard from him in a while.

Yes, it most certainly was, Doug, Dave. Haven't seen him since Rendezvous BC 2019, I guess. I'm sure he was here.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline yulzari

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 222
Re: Shooting belted balls
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2021, 11:48:31 PM »
The short answer is yes. With a patch. Both belted round ball and winged conical.
Nothing suceeds like a beakless budgie