Gentlefolk, i present to you, the Bumblebee

[Confederate rifleman]

My TC Pennsylvania Hunter. Good looking, fine handling, reliable, infuriating.
The whole package...
Gone from 3F to 2F. Improvement. Went from .018s to .015 patches. Improvement for a DAY.
Tried .010 patches, heavily lubed, with my home cast .492 balls, .54 cal o.p. wad. I can almost start them by blowing on them. Recovered patches show heavy land fraying. 2 were blown pretty badly, but the silly thing CUT HOLES at 50 yards!
According to the laws of physics, the bumblebee is incapable of flight.
In a barrel with a .500 bore, .520 groove, a .010 patch shouldn't work.
Bumblebee...

 

[Fyrstyk]

I'll bet that op wad is help in the accuracy department. On several of my guns I found that an OP wad with the patched ball improved accuracy. My guess is that the wad takes the brunt of the flame from the ignition of the powder and protects the patch from burning and the ball from deforming from the initial acceleration. My thoughts only, no facts to back it up.

 

[ElDiablo]

Good looking, fine handling, reliable, infuriating.
The whole package...

Hmmm…sounds like my better half…

 

[UndeadPoet]

“Bumblebee” lol

 

[Confederate rifleman]

Well. One good range trip is not a trend.
2 however, is promising!
Took her out this morning, same load: .492 home cast ball, .010 patch lubed with mink oil, .54 caliber o.p. wad and 70 grains of 2f Swiss.
Group 1, 1 & 3/4
Group 2, 1& 13/16
Group 3 , 1& 11/16d
These are 3 rounds at 50 yards. Only one flyer. That was me.
Patches are still getting roughly treated though.
These groups are HALF what she used to do with thicker patches!
She has earned her name!
Bumblebee...