RE: Patch problem question
 

I think Cabelas uses their own lube on those patches. If they do, it's white in color& works well with conicals... not sure about patches thou.

Buy the Bore-Buttered pre-lubed pillow-ticking patches as thick as possible... .018/.020.... the same lubeposter roundball describes. Try them& give us a report. They are packaged by T/C, RedHead, Ox-Yoke& others.

RE: Patch problem question
 

Yup,,thats the one.

RE: Patch problem question
 

All you need is a different lube to try first.... the pillow-tickers are the strongest in material. Put away the Cabelas brand patches& buy another pillow-ticker that's covered with bore butter/wonderlube 1000. Try another patch manufacturer in .018 or .020.

Get yourself some wonderwads too. They protect the patch centers. Also try another brand of roundballs. The gold balls may be more heat-inviting/porous than the silver ones.

One (or all) of these remedies will fix your problem. If the shredding was on the outer edges, I'd suggest smoothing out the bore... but you claim it's not doing that.

RE: Patch problem question
 

You give your groove diameter as 526" , but did not state the land diameter. IT seems to me that your groove diameter is very large for a .50, particularly if you are using a .490" ball. I think a .495 ball would serve you better, or perhaps even a .500" ball. Even with a patch as thick as the one you are using, no matter how much or what kind of lube you are using, if there is a significant disparity between the diameter of your bullet and the land diameter of your bore, powder gases will blow past the ball, causing a "blown" patch. This can only be prevented by using a ball big enough to swage up to groove diameter on firing, thus "obturating" the bore.

Switching to a larger ball may require the use of a THINNER patch than the one you are using for ease of loading, BUT if the ball is big enought to swage up and seal the bore, you will stop blowing patches and the ball wioll seal the bore. This will give you much better accuracy! Iroutinelyuse .500" balls in my .50 with a thin linen patch for targer shooting. Loading is not as easy as with a smaller diameter ball, but accuracy is much better!

The use of a Wonder Wadas suggested above will also do wonders for blown patches-I have to use them when using 777 with aPRB to prevent blown patches. I get mine form Fort Chambers in Chambersburg. PA. I don't know who might carry them there in Frederick, as I'm not familiar with ML shops over there. You could order some from October Country, however. http://octobercountry.com/

RE: Patch problem question
 

I got out to the range today with my TC pillow ticking patches (0.18") and wonder wads. Shot .490 round ball, 70 and 80 grains pyrodex.

Thepatches now are shredding around the edges, not blown through like before (with/without wonder wad). Groups are a little better, but still about 6" at 50 yards.

I guess the next thing I will try is have my gunsmith take a look at the crown and the barrel, hopefully he will be able to tell me if it needs work or not.

Thanks for all of the suggestions of things to try.

-Rick C.

RE: Patch problem question
 

Just to be sure we're on the same page, it's normal for patches to get frayed around the edges...here's 40 from a range session...top 20 show the powder or burn side, bottom twenty are sides that were around the balls. (.015" prelubed TC plain cotton patches)

RE: Patch problem question
 

Shredding around the outside of the patch is normal like Roundball said. Have you tried increasing the powder charge to 90 of Pyrodex. According to my Investarms manual from my sidelock, that is the recommend and max load for the rifle. 90 grains of 2f and a .490 patched roundball. You might have one of them rifles that like either real light (like 50 grains) or real heavy loads... All you can do is try.

Also when you load the patched roundball, are they a tight fit? I have some rifles that you really have to pop that short starter with your hand to get them going down the bore. If the ball loads too loose you might have pressures blowing past the patch. The wad is now protecting the patch. So how hard does this thing load?

RE: Patch problem question
 

Thanks for clearing up the patch edge issue. I was thinking that the patch should be in perfect condition.My patches look very similar to roundball's photo with some fraying around the edges, but nohole in the center after using the pillow ticking patches.

I found that after shooting 70 grain and 80 grain sets, the 70 grain was tighter by about an inch. Imay drop down to 60or 50 to see what happens, but I want a reasonableload for whitetail.

The 0.490 ball with 0.18 patch is very tight, does require poping the starter during loading. I am still thinking about having my gunsmith take a look at the barrel, he may have some suggestions as hehas a similar muzzleloader. Thanks again for all of your suggestions.

-Rick C.

RE: Patch problem question
 

I finally brought my gun to the gunsmith tonight. He checked it with a bore scope, said barrel looks great exept for the last inch which has some scratching and digs, probably from ramrod or starter.

He is going to recrown the barrel by taking an inch off the end. I expect that this should take care of at least some of the problems I have had with this gun.From now on I will be using a guide to prevent ramrod and starter damage. Thanks again for all of the suggestions.

-Rick C.