I try not to overthink things as well.
![Wink ;)](https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
I just don't have to wipe the bore at ANY time during a shooting session, no matter how long it is & with no loss if accuracy
on an offhand course of fire, like at rendezvous.
15 minutes between shots, if the loading is difficult, you have left more fouling in the bore than a tighter combination will leave. A wet patch, with a water based lube,
will soften the fouling, at least if sure does in my barrels- all of them.
I found with Track's mink oil and either a .311" ball or .320" ball in my .320"cal rifle and 10 ounce denim patch (.021") that the 50th shot loaded easier than the first.
With that barrel, which even had very narrow grooves and wide lands, as opposed to my Rice .36 barrel with wide grooves and narrower lands, loading was virtually
identical with the same 10 ounce denim patch. Easy as it could be. With those small balls, a short starter wasn't even necessary as I demonstrated to the fellows on
the line. A choked up rod, was able to push the ball and patch into the bore. The largest cal. I have tried with with, was my .40, using a ball that was .002" larger than
the bore and with a .0225" denim patch. This material was also listed as 10 ounce, but I think it was the last of the USA made material we got. The new 10 ounce, likely
Chinese made is only .021" thick. It seems to work well in all my guns too.
Thus, I find smaller bored guns are easier to load than larger ones and this is likely because there is less lead that has to be moved. The smaller balls conform with the
patch, into the bore more easily.