New smooth bore shooter

[kswan]

So, after watching the youtube channels of some of the forum members here, I felt I needed to try some smooth bore shooting. Just finished a Fusil de Chasse like gun last week and today was the second day out. First day with 80 gr 3f, .010 patch wasn't so good, around 10 inches or so. Today by adding rolling paper to the patch and dropping the charge a bit I got it down to 4.5 inches on my last group and ran out of patches. I'm now waiting on patches to arrive to continue refining. Any extra advice would be appreciated.
- 50 yards
- .600 ball
- .010 patch ballistol/water lube
- 70 gr 3 F

[horsetrader]

I have been using 85 gr. 2f Goex by volume. With a .600 ball and pillow ticking .018. Shooting out of a 46" barreled fowler. Shoots 4 to 5 inch groups at 50.

[Prairie dog shooter]

Every gun is different, keep experimenting with powder charges and patch thickness until you find what your gun shoots best.  Then start over with shot and wad combinations until you get good patterns.  It takes a while, but smoothbores are lots of fun when you get everything dialed in.

[smylee grouch]

Go to the fabric store with your calipers and buy some denim (100% cotton ) the thickness you want or need

[alacran]

Well if your group was shot offhand, it is pretty good.
Can't comment if it was benched, since I've never shot a Smoothbore off a bench.

[moleeyes36]

Every gun is different, keep experimenting with powder charges and patch thickness until you find what your gun shoots best.  Then start over with shot and wad combinations until you get good patterns.  It takes a while, but smoothbores are lots of fun when you get everything dialed in.

Kswan,

This is the way to do it.  PDS has given you good advice, stick with it and you'll get there.

Don Richards

[Hungry Horse]

Increase your 2Fpowder charge, reduce your patch material to zero thousandths, and reduce your ball size to .595.

  Hungry Horse

[kswan]

Thanks all for the great advice. Always appreciated.

[Badenpowell]

Yes, try FFg instead of FFFg. Bet it shoots better; maybe a bit more fouling but worth it.

[Daryl]

With a snug ball and patch combination, there is no fouling buildup with any of the granulations of GOEX black powder, from 3F to 1F or Ctg. for that matter.

[kswan]

Yes, try FFg instead of FFFg. Bet it shoots better; maybe a bit more fouling but worth it.

Managed to get some FFg, better results, less recoil and fouling isn't bad at all.

[WadePatton]

Increase your 2Fpowder charge, reduce your patch material to zero thousandths, and reduce your ball size to .595.

  Hungry Horse

This is "bare ball" shooting and you should pack a little wadding over the "undersized" ball to keep it snug on your powder.  Takes more powder to make velocity but eliminates patches/lubes.  HH has instructed us on it a few times, but I have no gun to try it out on yet.

It's something to try once you get your PRB combo sorted out.  Then there's shot, then buck and ball.  Dang lot  of ways to shoot those smoovies. 

[wattlebuster]

Yes, try FFg instead of FFFg. Bet it shoots better; maybe a bit more fouling but worth it.

Managed to get some FFg, better results, less recoil and fouling isn't bad at all.

Ive got 3 smoothbores. All 3 shoot best groups as well as shot patterns using Fg. If you can get your hands on a little bit of Fg give it a go and I bet you would like the results.

[Badenpowell]

I have never tried Fg. Very interesting.

[hanshi]

Nice gun, kswan.  I much prefer shooting patched ball in my smoothbore and haven't done nearly as much testing with shot so far.  Results with both 3F and 2F have been so similar in my gun that I simply use 3F as that's mostly what I have.  A .015" patch was found to give the accuracy I wanted with the .600" ball.  I will suggest testing other lubes with thicker patches that are snug but easy to seat.  As Daryl mentioned a snug load will keep fouling from building up.  At 50 yards I get consistent three shot groups of under 3".  Buy some ticking at Joanne's and try other lubes.  TOW mink oil and Hoppes BP Patch Lube are all I use.

[kswan]

Nice gun, kswan.  I much prefer shooting patched ball in my smoothbore and haven't done nearly as much testing with shot so far.  Results with both 3F and 2F have been so similar in my gun that I simply use 3F as that's mostly what I have.  A .015" patch was found to give the accuracy I wanted with the .600" ball.  I will suggest testing other lubes with thicker patches that are snug but easy to seat.  As Daryl mentioned a snug load will keep fouling from building up.  At 50 yards I get consistent three shot groups of under 3".  Buy some ticking at Joanne's and try other lubes.  TOW mink oil and Hoppes BP Patch Lube are all I use.

Thanks for the kind words and advice hanshi.