Patched balls hunting

[Alexander101]

I am getting some 50 caliber balls for my muzzleloader and I’ve never hunted with one before. It seems like people use patched balls for deer but what are the limitations with accuracy or range?

 

[Shorty]

Tight lubed patch/ ball combination is a must. Your limitations for range will be how accurately you shoot them. Practice, practice, and practice some more. You will find what you are looking for. Also read, the search sections on this forum for what you want to know. Good luck, stay safe by using a witness mark and have fun. Shorty

 

[Alexander101]

Thanks

 

[Steelheader323]

They can be very accurate…Moa even..in the right rifle with the right load..I have takin a few deer with them. In fact my first deer was with one at around 80 yards. Dropped in its tracks…what’s the rifle you using? And do you know the twist rate?

 

[Alexander101]

They can be very accurate…Moa even..in the right rifle with the right load..I have takin a few deer with them. In fact my first deer was with one at around 80 yards. Dropped in its tracks…what’s the rifle you using? And do you know the twist rate?

It’s a Traditions sporter mag with a 1:28 twist. I got it from an auction pretty rusty. There is some rust in the rifling grooves and some potting I think even after a lot of cleaning. Would that affect it much?

 

[Steelheader323]

With the 1-28” twist you’re gonna have to run such a low powder charge to get accuracy that you won’t be able to effectively hunt with it. You’re gonna want to shoot a saboted bullet or a conical of some kind… rust can be bad. Just depends on how bad it is.. some steel wool and kroil goes a long ways with rusty bores

 

[Steelheader323]

https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/traditions-sporter-209-mag.20113/

Some info on that rifle

 

[deermanok]

What have you done to clean up the barrel?

 

[Alexander101]

What have you done to clean up the barrel?

I’ve used regular bore cleaner and brass brushes a lot, and lots of patches and it’s a lot better now. I’ve also shot it at 20 yards with some accuracy but that doesn’t mean much

 

[deermanok]

You might want to do a search on here about cleaning a rough bore.

 

[Alexander101]

You might want to do a search on here about cleaning a rough bore.

Thanks

 

[Hanshi]

You never quite know what to expect from any rifle until you start testing loads. I've killed tons of deer with patched ball in the .45, .50, .54 and the .62 smoothbore. I've never used anything other than patched ball in any gun I've had. I'd suggest starting off using a rather tight prb; but not so tight you have to pound the ramrod in order to seat it. I'd be willing to bet that with a 1-28" twist it also has shallow rifling grooves. So if it has shallow grooves a snug load will likely be the way to approach finding a good load. I do not agree that a ball can be "over twist/stabilized" so as not to be accurate. Twist rate is not nearly as important as groove depth when it comes to patch ball. The problem is the prb "stripping" or sliding over shallow grooves and failing to gain the spin, rather than getting spun "too fast" to be accurate.

Sixty grains of powder is more than enough to kill a deer or black bear with a .50. Start off low, maybe 30 grains and go up 5 grns at a time, 2F might be a good choice or maybe even 3F. Experiment and you may find what you want to use.

 

[Alexander101]

You never quite know what to expect from any rifle until you start testing loads. I've killed tons of deer with patched ball in the .45, .50, .54 and the .62 smoothbore. I've never used anything other than patched ball in any gun I've had. I'd suggest starting off using a rather tight prb; but not so tight you have to pound the ramrod in order to seat it. I'd be willing to bet that with a 1-28" twist it also has shallow rifling grooves. So if it has shallow grooves a snug load will likely be the way to approach finding a good load. I do not agree that a ball can be "over twist/stabilized" so as not to be accurate. Twist rate is not nearly as important as groove depth when it comes to patch ball. The problem is the prb "stripping" or sliding over shallow grooves and failing to gain the spin, rather than getting spun "too fast" to be accurate.

Sixty grains of powder is more than enough to kill a deer or black bear with a .50. Start off low, maybe 30 grains and go up 5 grns at a time, 2F might be a good choice or maybe even 3F. Experiment and you may find what you want to use.

Thanks. I’ll Start testing soon when I have the balls. I’ve shot it a couple times with conical bullets with 30 and 60 grains of powder.

 

[Harley469]

I use a patch and ball in my 1:48 .54 ML. This was a custom made rifle that is almost 50 years old but wasn't shot until last year. I use open sights with it, but at 50yrds I can shoot inch groups (80grns by volume of Triple Seven). It will shoot as straight as my eyes can see. I took one doe with it last year and the ball passed through her; she went about 50 yards.

 

[deermanok]

My Thompson Center Thunderhawk with a 1/38 twist barrel, shoots round balls pretty accurately with 70 grains v of Triple 7 2f.

 

[smokepolehall]

I have a T/C Blk. Dia. 50 cal 1:28, i get a group as big as 3" at 75 yards using 70 gr of T7-2F. I use less n my groups tighten up some. Some times you fall right into good accuracy with the prb's but most of my exp. has been its a long row to hoe to get everything just right. Lots of shooting n testing happens.