what size ball and patch ?

R

rebs

New member
I have a new englander 50 cal, does anyone have a certain size balls and patch they prefer ? I see on Track of the Wolf they have different size balls for 50 cal. How would you measure your bore ?
 
It can be difficult to work up a load for a round ball and a 1:48 twist is not ideal for either round balls or conicals. Usually they work pretty good with one or the other but not always both. I would start with a .490 ball and a .015 patch and 90 grains of powder. A lot of people are going to tell you to start with 50 or 60 grains but I think you'll see better results with 90.
 
I have shot a lot of round balls, it's fun and inexpensive. Round ball barrels usually have a 1 in 60 or slower twist and deeper groves.
There is a velocity limit with any barrel when a patched ball "trips" over the rifling. Slower, deeper rifling allows for more velocity. Your 48 inch twist can be very accurate with patched balls in fact many of the original flintlock and percussion rifles had a 1 in 48 twist.
You will have to figure out the best ball and patch combo by trial and error. Good pillow ticking material for patches is important. The ball and patch should fit tightly and require some force to shove down the bore. After shooting find and examine the patches, they should be intact without holes burned through or cut by the rifling. If they are burning more lube or an additional patch over the powder may help. Cut patches could mean better material or more lube is needed. Some new barrels are ruff and need to be fired a number of times to polish the rifling.
For the powder charge it's just like reloading modern cartridges, start low and work up.
 
Through the years I've sort of developed a rule of thumb that has worked for me...not a hard and fast rule for others I'm sure. I always figured for a starting target load to start at about the caliber size...for instance 40 gr. for a 40 cal, 50 gr. for a 50 cal...and so on and so on. Like I said, this was just starting loads for me and many guns will shoot better with more or less powder.
Just my 2 cents worth...
 
Have fun !!!

I see on Track of the Wolf they have different size balls for 50 cal. How would you measure your bore ?
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For now;
1) Forget abut measuring the bore. If it says that is a .50. it is !!!
2) There are only two popular sized balls. .490 and .495. Stick with the .490.
3) Go with a .015 Lubricated patch.
4) Get to shooting so you and your M/L can start communicating and have fun.


Have fun and;
Be Safe !!!!
 
I shot it today and had a really good time, I like this 50 better than my 58. I was using the .490 balls with a .10 patch and it tore and burned the patches, tomorrow I am going to try .15 patches. I did manage about a 3" group at 50 yds. Then I tried a few 275 gr maxi hunters and one looked like it may have keyholed, the othe two were about 2" apart. I w2as using 70 gr of Pyrodex RS with the balls and 80 gr of FFG with the maxi hunters. The balls might have done better with a thicker patch and more powder.
 
I shot again Friday and the prb's did best with a .015 patch that actually measured .013 and 60 gr of FFG.
I painted the front sight dot with white sight paint and that helped me.
 
Everybody has their preference. As for me. I do too when B/P hunting deer. Since I usually get by with a single shot to down my quarry. I want that shot to be the most accurate of the day. For your 50 cal.
Rammed down a clean unfired rifle? .495 ball wrapped in a .010 patch.

There after for the rifles reloading. 490s wrapped in .015 patch.
 
I am not hunting, just target shooting and so far 60 gr of FFG is the most accurate. I have not tried as of yet to go with more powder.
 
What is your propellant charge? ....
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What ever measured amount shows the best accuracy. Amount of charge be it 50 gr. or 100 gr. isn't at the whim of the shooter. His rifle will undoubtedly have its own preference. It falls to the shooter to discover that preference.

As far as ball. I found shooting the first ball to be most accurate due to its best engraving and there is no better way to get that best engraving than a tight ball and patch verses all follow-up re-loading /shooting.

Just so you know. I don't shoot my B/P rifles all that much. Initially there Range sited for 100 yards with notes written on each concerning their individual quirks. Then their walled till I have a use for. When one comes off the wall I've again re-fresh myself with those earlier written notes so there is absolutely no chance of a >Oops!! in any's reliability or targeting.
 
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