Loading A Tight Ball In A Rifle

kwhi43 · December 30, 2011, 10:50 PM

As some of you know, I like a very tight fitting ball in my rifles. Some of you
have wondered just how I could load such a tight combo. Well I found a old
video I made over 20 years ago. Here I am loading a .454 dia ball with .020
thick patching in a measured .450 bore rifle. I use a 1/4 inch dia steel loading
rod. Notice how easy it goes down. My wife loads a .410 dia ball in her .400
bore Green Mountain barrel and it loads just as easy. This with .020 patching
also. Just watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV0ql...ature=youtu.be

Hawg · December 30, 2011, 11:22 PM

I haven't measured anything, need to but I have a harder time loading a .530 ball with a .015 patch in my .54. Sucker sure is accurate tho.

B.L.E. · December 30, 2011, 11:26 PM

I also load my muzzleloaders very tight. I have a TC Patriot .45 caliber pistol that burns holes in patches unless I use a tight fitting .451 ball instead of the recommended .440 or .445.

I also get good results with my .36 caliber Green Mountain barrel using .020 Teflon coated patching material and Hornady 000 buckshot. This takes a mallet and a good short starter to get in the muzzle but once started, it slides right down.

A .36 caliber rifle and 000 buckshot is a true miser's rifle.

December 30, 2011, 10:50 PM	#1
kwhi43 Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1,393	Loading A Tight Ball In A Rifle As some of you know, I like a very tight fitting ball in my rifles. Some of you have wondered just how I could load such a tight combo. Well I found a old video I made over 20 years ago. Here I am loading a .454 dia ball with .020 thick patching in a measured .450 bore rifle. I use a 1/4 inch dia steel loading rod. Notice how easy it goes down. My wife loads a .410 dia ball in her .400 bore Green Mountain barrel and it loads just as easy. This with .020 patching also. Just watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV0ql...ature=youtu.be

December 30, 2011, 11:22 PM	#2
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	I haven't measured anything, need to but I have a harder time loading a .530 ball with a .015 patch in my .54. Sucker sure is accurate tho.

December 30, 2011, 11:26 PM	#3
B.L.E. Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2008 Location: Somewhere on the Southern shore of Lake Travis, TX Posts: 2,603	I also load my muzzleloaders very tight. I have a TC Patriot .45 caliber pistol that burns holes in patches unless I use a tight fitting .451 ball instead of the recommended .440 or .445. I also get good results with my .36 caliber Green Mountain barrel using .020 Teflon coated patching material and Hornady 000 buckshot. This takes a mallet and a good short starter to get in the muzzle but once started, it slides right down. A .36 caliber rifle and 000 buckshot is a true miser's rifle.