The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - 1842 Springfield

johnm1 · July 14, 2012, 09:07 AM

I finally figured a round ball patch combination that appears to work. Tight fit but doesn't blister my fingers ramming the ball/patch. I can keep a group at 25 yards

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6032394...ream/lightbox/

But 50 yards isn't really a group. More like a general gathering. I can't rule out operator error. I don't have an experienced black powder shooter to help me along. What I think is a tight fit for ball and patch might be too loose. The musket isn't in that great of shape. I can tell the barrel 'opens up' a tad towards the breach end (chamber?). When ramming a ball/patch the resistance decreases slightly as it reaches the breach end of the barrel. Here is a 50 yard gathering:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6032394...ream/lightbox/

The round at 10 o'clock was my friend shooting the last shot offhand. But several other 50 yard targets look very much the same as this one.

July 14, 2012, 09:07 AM	#37
johnm1 Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2006 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 652	I finally figured a round ball patch combination that appears to work. Tight fit but doesn't blister my fingers ramming the ball/patch. I can keep a group at 25 yards http://www.flickr.com/photos/6032394...ream/lightbox/ But 50 yards isn't really a group. More like a general gathering. I can't rule out operator error. I don't have an experienced black powder shooter to help me along. What I think is a tight fit for ball and patch might be too loose. The musket isn't in that great of shape. I can tell the barrel 'opens up' a tad towards the breach end (chamber?). When ramming a ball/patch the resistance decreases slightly as it reaches the breach end of the barrel. Here is a 50 yard gathering: http://www.flickr.com/photos/6032394...ream/lightbox/ The round at 10 o'clock was my friend shooting the last shot offhand. But several other 50 yard targets look very much the same as this one. __________________ John M. Mesa, AZ