Back to the range.
 

I took the Traditions .54 caliber Deerhunter that I built from a kit back to the range today. Damn those Round Balls. I don't even want to show the targets, and to think I never shot farther than 50 yards with them. So I figure I'll shoot sabots and XTP's out of it. Here is a picture of some patches though. And two targets from shooting 240 grain XTP's with Thompson Center Mag Express sabots. Pushed by 80 grains fffg Goex touched off with a CCI #11 cap.
Both targets were sot at the same distance with the same load.

I am the last perso nthat should ever give thoughts on shooting PRB's... but looking at your patches makes me want to share...

I shoot 3-4 different Renegade 1-48 twist rifles at Rhondy events...

When I use a pillow ticking patch in any one of the three you can see what the spent patch looks like in the photo below...



When I use an all cotton patch the patch looks a whole lot better...



Even in this picture where i shot both at the same sit down... the cotton patches still look better to me...



Why i have no idea! it is just the way it works for me...

That is strange that the rifle will not shoot roundball. And I will not go into asking about the powder amount, the kind, etc. I will tell you that a friend I know shoots one of them in a .50 caliber and unless he shoot (my) black powder.. it does not shoot too well with round ball. I helped him sight it in, and when we finally used black powder it started to behave. But he was only shooting 70 grains of it.

It seems to shoot XTPs well though. Yours I mean.

If I remember I shot some 70, 80, and 100 grain fffg Goex loads today. Also some Pyrodex loads. I might post the targets tomorrow. I have been going non stop since 6:00 am this morning so not tonight.

Pluckit - I might suggest a tad more lube on the patches. Also, if you have FFg Black Powder I would give that a try. That rifle should shoot PRBs well with about 70 - 90 gr of FFg. Also, what kind of lube were you using. You can try bore butter, olive oil, mink oil, and even Semisane's new favorite, Liquid Wrench.

Looks like the patches are being cut...Load a ball up and pull it out and see if the patch is cut like the bottom two...

Factory barrels are not the best to shoot round balls out of...In my custom made .54 and .40 I have no problems...With the .50 I can get good groups from 50 to 120 grs of Goex...With the .40 25-70grs...

But these are deep grove, cut rifling barrels...Most factory barrels are shallow, button rifled barrels...It just takes a bit more work to find the right combination....

Sabotloader, looking at the last picture in your series I see one (and only one) tear in 3 of the 4 patches. I suspect that barrel has one land with sharp shoulders or a burr/rough spot.

You might try lapping the bore. Doing it improved round ball accuracy in three of my guns. Also thicker patches and more lube has worked for me with one of them.

Here are the round ball targets I didn't feel were worth sharing.
I actually thought I was going to have something after the first target.
But then it all went to heck.



I guess my next step will be to fire some big heavy conical's out of it.

I wouldn't give up on patched balls just yet. There's probably a combination of ball diameter, patch thickness, lube, and powder charge that would make you smile. You just have to find it.