How do I get a Potsdam to shoot more than one round without severe fouling

[Rlevin]

I have a really nice Potsdam that I want to shoot at the fort. I rough up the 715 ball, coat half with double dip of mcm lube, use 50gr of Swiss 3f and it fouls so badly that I have only one shot before I have to brush the bore. The bore is in excellent shape. What do inhale to do so imcan shoot at least 10 shots using the 715 ball. Dave Booz suggested I switch to 69 cal but would like the 715 to work. Please help!!!RussBerdan C2

[Jim Brady Knap's Battery]

Try a soft cast un-roughed ball and add some olive oil to the lube until it's really slick and dip thrice.

Jim Brady
2249V
Knap's Battery

[Wayne Shaw, 1985V]

Russ We have 3 Potsdams on the team and we all shoot most of the day, paper and team match hardly ever brush. We rough the balls and coat in our lube.I Like a ball that is just a slip fit in the bore. Try the olive oil as it seems that your lube is to dry. Two of our DAMs shoot swiss 50 Gr, the other uses goex 50 gr . Soft lead works for us. Have found Alox is a bust in my potsdam. to much fouling. Are you geting the bore realy clean prior to starting. Hope this helps. Wayne Shaw Harlan's light Cav 1985V

[Rlevin]

Thanks guys. I will add the olive oil. I start with a clean barrel. Hope I can get this critter tamed

[Rlevin]

Try a soft cast un-roughed ball and add some olive oil to the lube until it's really slick and dip thrice. Jim Brady2249VKnap's BatteryJimWhat lube formula do you use for your potsdam?.Russ

[Rlevin]

Russ We have 3 Potsdams on the team and we all shoot most of the day, paper and team match hardly ever brush. We rough the balls and coat in our lube.I Like a ball that is just a slip fit in the bore. Try the olive oil as it seems that your lube is to dry. Two of our DAMs shoot swiss 50 Gr, the other uses goex 50 gr . Soft lead works for us. Have found Alox is a bust in my potsdam. to much fouling. Are you geting the bore realy clean prior to starting. Hope this helps. Wayne Shaw Harlan's light Cav 1985V WayneWhat lube formula do you use or the Potsdam???Russ

[David Disher 12143]

Just for kicks, also try the smaller diameter ball and wrap with foil and lube. May help clear some fouling while you are shooting.

Ddisher

[Wayne Shaw, 1985V]

Russ E-mail me at wdsmas@aol.com Posting PM's on the BB are not always best. Wayne Shaw Harlans Light Cav

[Gary Van Kauwenbergh, 101]

You're shooting the cleanest powder I know of. Is your bore rough? The only other thing that would make sense to me is the balls are too big.

[Eggman]

The other Hollander beat me to this. If there is ANY pitting or roughness of any kind in the bore the black powder fouling will stick to the insides like Alabama mud stuck to a hiking boot. The bore must be glass smooth. To get it this way you may try to find a Laplander to get the barrel lapped, or you may need to reline it via Bobby Hoyt.

[Rlevin]

You're shooting the cleanest powder I know of. Is your bore rough? The only other thing that would make sense to me is the balls are too big. Bore is smooth but nut on stock needs adjusting

[Gary Van Kauwenbergh, 101]

I shoot an original 1816 Harpers Ferry, and the bore isn't smooth. I'm thinking you should try a different ball size to rule that out.

BTW: I'm Belgian, not Dutch, and my wife says I'm cheap - but I think I'm frugal...

[gmkmd]

My Potsdam was lined by Bobby, so the bore is 0.686. I shoot a 0.678 ball, which seems to be the standard size to shoot out of a .69 caliber smoothbore. A lot of guys (and gals) shoot the 0.678 ball out of an original bore, which can run up to 0.720. I use 60 grains of 3F.I've tried using the roughed-up balls with Alox, but found it basically like using no lube at all. What works for me is to seat the balls in my loading tubes just below the mouth of the tube, then pour melted soft lube (SPG or similar) on top of the ball up to the top of the tube. The balls fit snug enough that no lube leaks down into the powder at all. When I load, I squeeze the ball out of the tube, and it has the 'cookie' of lube attached to it. After I pour in the powder, I load the ball with the lube down, so when the charge goes off it vaporizes the lube and disperses it throughout the fouling.This has worked well for me, as I can shoot ten shots at a stretch without noticing any loading difficulty.

[Rlevin]

8 oz beeswax, 6 oz safflower oil, 2 oz ballistol, 2 oz olive oil

[Dave Fox]

Glenn: I like your idea of pouring lube over a ball already loaded in the tube. What kind of tubes do you use? If cardboard, I presume you discard after every round. If plastic, where do you get them? Thanks.

[gmkmd]

The tubes are plastic, and I'm actually the one who sells them. A few years ago I started shooting a .69 cal, and I was disappointed with the lack of decent .69 caliber tubes available. So, after much searching and testing, I found a company to make them. I sell them for $10 per hundred.

[red leg]

The tubes are plastic, and I'm actually the one who sells them. A few years ago I started shooting a .69 cal, and I was disappointed with the lack of decent .69 caliber tubes available. So, after much searching and testing, I found a company to make them. I sell them for $10 per hundred. ---Glen-- how do i order your .69 plastic tubes, shipping ? etc Red leg

[red leg]

The tubes are plastic, and I'm actually the one who sells them. A few years ago I started shooting a .69 cal, and I was disappointed with the lack of decent .69 caliber tubes available. So, after much searching and testing, I found a company to make them. I sell them for $10 per hundred. ---Glen-- how do i order your .69 plastic tubes, shipping , addres? etc Red leg

[gmkmd]

No problem,
Just send a check for $10 per hundred, plus $6 postage.

Glenn Kaye
2851 Baglyos Circle, Suite 201
Bethlehem, PA 18020


I also have correct sized tubes for .54 caliber! No more trying to cram them into a .50 cal. tube.

[Benjamin F Clark 12618]

Hello Glenn, do have tubes for .58?

[gmkmd]

Hi Ben,
No, I just have the .54 and the .69. I never set out to go into the tube business, I originally just wanted to get some items for my own shooting that weren't available from any of the sutlers. The tubes I had made worked so well that other shooters wanted them too, so I started selling them.

[Benjamin F Clark 12618]

Hi Glenn, I understand completely. But if you ever decide to make some 58s, I would be interested. Thank you,

Ben