loads for smooth bores

[toot]

Hey guys i am wondering, you guys that shoot MOD 1842,s 69 cal. and other 69 cal. smooth bores, what is the powder brand that you use and grade,? 1fg, 2fg, 3fg, or 1 1/2 fg.? that you shoot in competition and how many grains. with a patched or bare ball? in my 69 cal. smooth bore i shoot a .680 RB. with either 60 grs of 1fg. and a 10 ths. spit patch, or 80 grains of 1 1/2 grade, with a .680 RB. bare on the powder. now before you jump all over me, i am not a SKIRMISH COMPETITION SHOOTER. i have health issues that prohibit me from standing no longer than 5 minutes. i shoot off the bench at my club. i use GOEX brand or SCHUTZEN, brand. and i have a lot of fun doing it.

[dennis g]

45 grains 3f Goex, filed/lubed .680 ball.

[Maillemaker]

70 grains 3F Goex, RCBS .678 round ball, roughed up using a Vortex Ball Roller (you can also use two files), double-dipped in Lee Alox.

Off a bench with a glass bedded but otherwise bone stock Armisport 1842 at 25 yards this will shoot a single ragged hole in the paper.

Steve

[toot]

dennis g, what is the lube you use on the .680 RB.after you file it? i presume you bare ball?

[toot]

Maillmaker, what is a VORTEX BALL ROLLER? i have an ARMI SPORT and am going to try the load. i am going to try both loads given to me. the one by dennis g also. can't thank you guys enough!! GOD, what a great site. ask for help and you get it!.

[Maillemaker]

Hi Toot,

The Vortex Ball Roller is a machine I invented to take the pain out of rolling balls between two files.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC2Yy4O-7uE

Steve

[toot]

Mailmaker. wow! never heard of let alone seen such an invention. as they say the best thing sense sliced bread! i can see how it would increase the adherence of the ball to the bore.

[dennis g]

I use Alox, though I may try some beeswax.

[gemmer]

Maillmaker, what is a VORTEX BALL ROLLER? i have an ARMI SPORT and am going to try the load. i am going to try both loads given to me. the one by dennis g also. can't thank you guys enough!! GOD, what a great site. ask for help and you get it!.

Armi 1842s are known for oversize bores. A .680 ball may be too small. Measure your bore first.

[PapaRob]

Hi Toot,

The Vortex Ball Roller is a machine I invented to take the pain out of rolling balls between two files.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC2Yy4O-7uE

Steve


That's pretty slick Steve. If I shot smoothbore I would have to have one.

[gemmer]

Known where? I've checked mine dozens of times and it comes out .690 every time. Increasing mould size from the .678 a risky choice. Originals another story. My Wurfflein/Remington/Maynard in the .700 zone with .690 mould. Loads and shoots nice.

it would be a risky choice if he didn't measure his bore. I've seen posts here where Armi '42 owners have said their bores ran to up to .693, perhaps more.

[ms3635v]

I shoot an original Harpers Ferry smoothbore (lock plate date 1849) and I use a .678" round ball from a Moose Mould (almost no sprue). I use 60 grains of Old Enysford (made by GOEX, about $3.00 a pound more then regular GOEX). I put one coat of Alox on the balls. The musket shoots just fine.