I went out ot the rock pit today - just to shoot PRB's... I tried once before and got really bad results, can not say today was much better.

This 25 yard target shows for the most part i was able to hit the target with the 54. But does not show the 2 shots that missed the board altogether.

I spent time trying to recover patches after each shot. You can see most of them were shot to pieces. Since I was tearing them up so bad I tried some wads on top of the powder... patches still shredded but the wads really did not look to bad. I then reduced the charge to 70 grains figuring that might help things stay together - same results when collected patches. Also somewhere in the shooting experiment start adding fresh BB to patches - rubbing it into the patch - no change in results.

The .018 patches with RB were really tight to get down especially with existing fouling in the barrel. The .015 patches went down what I think might be just right on a fouled barrel.

You can see the two patches on the left were the best survivors and the one on the far right. The pillow ticking patch on the right bottom was the best pillow ticking patch I found.

From here - the 25 yard target I moved the target to 50 yards - shot 4 times at the 50 yard target. Three of them hit the target but, 2 of them were 3 O'clock right 4/5" right of POA with a 4" verticle spread. One was at 11:00 left of POA - 10 inches from the other 2. The fourth one missed the board completely.

From there I QUIT... and went to shooting the Omega to prove to myself I could still shoot... That worked out well - I calmed enough to drive home...

This particular barrel is an old barrel purchased off e-bay several years ago... It is somewhat pitted the entire length of the barrel. I am going to try again with my other 54 Renegade with a new barrel and see if I get better results...

those patch look like something I been getting.

Man, that stinks sabotloader. I haven't shot my new/old .50 Renegade yet. Sure hope I don't get results like that. Can't understand lubed patches tearing up like that, especially those with felt wads under them. Even some of the wads look pretty beat up compared to those from my .54 GP with 95 grains GOEX FFFg(pictured below).

I wonder if GOEX would make the difference in the Renegade? Also wonder if patches lubed with Crisco would fare better, and maybe give better groups?

Sabot/Semi

What's the twist rate of that barrel?

Ya know, I haven't even checked the .50 Renegade yet. But I believe Renegades are1 in 48". The .54 GP is 1 in 60"

Store bought patches (especially prelubed) and Bore Butter do that...

Go to WalMart and buy some cotton pillow ticking...Mix up 2 parts bees wax, 8 parts Castor Oil and 1 part Murphy's oil Soap...This is the best lube I have used in about 30 years of messing with these things...

There was an article a few months back in Muzzle Blasts showing Bore Buttered patches, looked about like yours...I've tried it as well in my .54, without a wad between powder and ball, mine looked like yours as well...

Crisco and SnoSeal work pretty good as well...

Lane

My Renegade 54 is a 1/48...

I'm just wondering if that pitted barrel isn't adding to the patch 'destruction'. In my 54 cal Renegade I shoot 80 gr of FFg, wonder wad, and PRB with .015" Ox Yoke patches. And honestly, my groups are tighter than that at 50 yds. - a lot tighter. And my patches are more in line with the ones in Semi's post. You can almost reuse them.
With the accuracy you are getting I would seriously consider lapping that barrel or trying conical out of it. Its obvious that the PRBs in the barrels present condition aren't going to please you.

I have a 54 flinter and load with 95 grains of 3F goex and also a wad and they look so good down rage I was thinking in re shooting them again.
I have to say mike them patches are cooking in that barrel
I wonder if the t/c barrel is a older model or a newer one?
I think from looking at the patches you are getting a lot of blow-by or a bad gas seal
I like to know when loading is there a tight spot in the barrel? (barrel bulge)

bronko22000

I wonder the same thing... that is why I am going to try the new barrel next....

lonewolf5348

I agree - what cause this cooking?

It is an olderDouglas barrel? has the "M" "W" stamped on the under side near the barrel lug...

So could the pitting cause that - the riflings are viewable and as you push the ball down the rod rotates. With the .018 patch it is very difficult to get the PRB down the barrel. With a .015 patch it goes down very snuggly.

No it is totally equal all the way down... I keep hoping I can revive the barrel for something...

It does shoot sabots very well - but struggling with PRB....

Here is a sabot target...