Anybody have experience with a 3F load in a 69 caliber smoothbore. I've been using 70 gr of 2F in my 3 band Potsdam & 1842, but find that load leaves a lot of unburned powder exiting with the ball when used in my wifes Macon conversion having a 30 inch barrel.
Gordon Bailey
Gordon Bailey Palmetto Sharpshooters N-SSA # 11683
Moderator
I use FF all the time in mine 42 and have not tried FFF, you would need to back off the load a little I would think. Also is the ball maybe a little small and maybe just not building the pressure to burn the powder in the gun.
I had that on one of my guns. Was not a smoothbore but the minie would not seal and had a lot of powder flash out the barrel, same with the 42 when I started. I did not run the balls on a file and use the correct lube. They would not seal and had a lot of flash, lots more powder burning out the barrel then it should. Big change now that the ball fits better and good lube.
I hope to get a Macon at nationals looking at the 30" or 34" so maybe I will find out what you are talking about..
MR. GADGET
NRA LIFE BENEFACTOR MEMBER
Rowan Artillery
N-SSA National Provost Guard
Just remember!
When a pot needs stirring, someone needs to do it...
Gordon-
My 30 inch Macon shoots very well at 25 yards with 42 grains of 2F. No recoil and no unburned powder.
Hope this helps!
Sherry Myers
I have used 65 gr. FFFg with tin foil covered round balls in the past. I got the information on load prepration from Brooks Dawson a former team member.
I must say that those 70 gr. loads we were shooting last weekend were a bit much.
I did find the web site of Argon Masking and ordered 500 of those .678x1.5 vynil tubes, which are comming from California. The price
including shipping has now risen to nearly $60.00.
Mr. Bailey, I have been shooting 68 grains of 3f out of my Whitacre barrel, on my original 42 since I bought it. And the gun has never missed, only I miss. So give it a shot.
Brad Schuler 4th Kentucky Cavalry
I never had any accuracy at fifty yards until I upped the charge to 70 grains; then I took a Gold at the Nationals.
Walt
PS
I now shoot 70 at both 25 and 50
Hello Brad and Walt,
How far under bore diameter do you go for the ball when shooting 3F powder? Is your preference for 3F Goex or Swiss?
Thanks.
678
Goex, swiss is waste of money for smoothbore, but great for rifle stuff.
Brad Schuler 4th Kentucky Cavalry
Brad shoots a Lyman 678 ball that he rasps for a slightly snug fit. This usually takes a little practice to perfect the amount of rasping, if it is too heavy it will not go down the bore easily! He files off the sprug with a fine file first.
One of the guys on our team has developed a sprug cutter that really works great. Gave one to each of us on the team to use-makes the ball nice and round.
I have a Pedersoli mold that drops a 682 ball with no sprug which really works nice. We both use Goex 3F and both shoot 68 Grains.
Hope everything works out.
Brad's Dad.
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