Another forum had this load posted. A double PRB load. 100 grains FF and 2400 ft.lbs at the muzzle. Wouldn't think the range would be to far, but found it interesting.

I have read of double balling but really have no desire to try it. Now the old smoothbores used to load buck and ball for close range shooting. My whole thought is, if you can place that first ball in the rifle place, what's the need for the second one? But then, you are pumping more lead into the target.

That is from an old suggested TC loading. They dropped it due to liable.[/align][/align]It is also know as "loaded for bear"[/align][/align]

You keep dropping two balls down the tube and they will be replacing body parts at the emergency room. You'll find people that say they have done it and a few that regreted it. But don't do it.

i don't like it. don't seem right in a rifled barrel.

early

They are both patched.

If you think about it, the weight of the 2 balls is no more than some of the heavy conicals used today with the same charges. As long as there is no space between the two what could happen. If your rifle is safe to fire heavy conicals then why not a double ball charge. Would be like some of these new pistol cartridges that fire multi balls in .38 special, 9mm, and some more popular pistol rounds.. I know these are in brass cases but they also shoot higher pressure smokeless powder and they are safe. Im just using this as a comparison. Some of the muzzleloaders today are made with rifle grade steels that could probably take even more pressures than they are reccomended for. The companies have to have a safety margin built in when they put reccomended loads with their rifles just as saami does in their standards for smokeless cartridges. Can someone explain why 2 balls could not be loaded safely based on this.

Yeh. I read about the round but never tried it and as one post said I believe it use to be called loaded for bear. A traditional sight I visit talk about it more than here but come to the same conclusion that we don't need it hunting today.

There was a poster at the old CVA forum that double-loaded a 240 gr. XTP or Cheapshot sabot/bullet using roughly 100 grains. The entry-level CVA survived the charge with no signs of any bulge/damage. A typical 177 grain roundball/patch load will produce less bore pressure than the tight sabot bullet load that equaled a 480 gr. bullet (240X2).

I knew of an old-timer who hunted the thickets - shooting two 177 gr balls all the time.He claims it increased his odds ofharvesting deer due to deflections caused by the thickets.

cayugad

Actually during the Revolutionary War is was quite common for the Brit's to double their muskets... In fact during the famous Boston Massacre, You the massacre that killed 5 people - it is believed that 2 people were killed by one double balled British Musket.

And you were also correct about the "Buck & Ball" loads - they were really used a lot during the war especially when doing the line of squirmishers thing...

just a couple of history notes....