cartridges for officers musket

[sawbones]

I want to make and use paper cartridges for my musket.  I plan on taking it hunting.  What do you guys with a lot of smooth bore experience recomend?  Also, is it more accurate to use a patch and round ball, or wadding?  Or does it matter?  I like the idea of having everything right there it the cartridge.  It makes more sense to me, but I'm just learning as I go.

[Sir Michael]

My preference is make cartridges (paper tubes) to hold the powder charge and carry loose balls and patches.  

As for the most accurate way to load, wad or patch, you will have to experiment at the range for that one and come to your own conclusion much like establishing the best powder load.

Remember when working up the load either with a wad or patches, only change one thing at a time an remove as much of you from the equation as possible. :rt th

[markinmi]

I use cartrige paper from Smiling Fox in my bess.I can't seem to find paper thats the same wieght as this stuff.I pour the charge then turn it around and insert it in the muzzle using the paper as a patch still wrapped around the ball and tear off the excess.Works good for me.

[mario]

I want to make and use paper cartridges for my musket.  I plan on taking it hunting.  What do you guys with a lot of smooth bore experience recomend?  Also, is it more accurate to use a patch and round ball, or wadding?  

Historically accurate?

Or group size accurate?

Historically speaking, stay away from a patched ball. You would use wadding or a paper cartridge.

From a group size perspective, a patched ball is likely to be more accurate. just need to experiment with different loads.

In the practical hunting range of a smoothbore, I find using wadding just fine.

Mario

[mario]

I use cartrige paper from Smiling Fox in my bess.I can't seem to find paper thats the same wieght as this stuff.I pour the charge then turn it around and insert it in the muzzle using the paper as a patch still wrapped around the ball and tear off the excess.Works good for me.

I use Painter's Masking paper from the HW store. Works well for my musket.

Mario

[B. Miller]

In my NSW Officers Fusil I use 20 pound cotton paper rolled french style with 80 grains of powder behind a .648 round ball.  TOW and the Log Cabin Shop sell the balls.  The mold can be purchased from NEI.  I have not noticed any difference between 2 F and 3 F.  The 3 F may go off a little sooner.  I really need to try both out at the range on the same day.  I have reduced the paper size proportionately for the .65 cal. vs a full size Bess.  After I roll the ball in the paper I double dip it in lube and let it dry before putting in the powder and rolling down the paper.  Shooting I tear the paper put the whole charge down then turn the cartridge over, place the lubed ball  in the barrel and tear off the paper above the ball, then ram the lubed ball down.  So what I have is a paper patched ball.  I prime with 4 F.  This smoothbore has made the rifle shooters take notice.  The first time I showed up with it I was told I was pretty arrogant for showing up with a smoothbore and did fair.  The second time I left with a pork loin and two pounds of bacon.  That big ball will take out the whole X ring.

Bruce

[Ironhand]

 After I roll the ball in the paper I double dip it in lube and let it dry before putting in the powder and rolling down the paper.  
Bruce

What lube do you use?
Do you heat it before dipping?


Ironhand

[Flint62Smoothie]

This smoothbore has made the rifle shooters take notice.  The first time I showed up with it I was told I was pretty arrogant for showing up with a smoothbore and did fair.  The second time I left with a pork loin and two pounds of bacon.  That big ball will take out the whole X ring.

Just AWESOME Bruce!  A man after my own heart ... gotta luv showin' them groove-shooters how a smoothie shoots!

[B. Miller]

The Lube I use is one I got off of the N-SSA web site a couple of years ago.  My cakes of bee's wax are 2 and 1/2 ounces and I mix 2 liquid ounces of olive oil and 2 liquid ounces of Crisco.  It is suppose to be about a 1/3 mix of each.  I add Crisco and Bee's wax to compensate for the outside temperature.  This lube worked great on my minis and it also worked on the smoothie.   I have a similar mix for the revolver but it is a little softer as it has to go on hard but not to soft as to blow out between firing cylinders.
Yes I do heat to dip the paper cartridges.
Bruce