smoothbore loading for both ball and shot

[RobD]

what and how are you guys loading yer smoothies?  please share.

i tried a patched ball and that required a drastically undersized ball and accuracy was very spotty.  currently using an over powder 1/8" card wad with sheep tallow on the ball side, then a .010" undersized ball (.570 for a 24g musket), and another dry 1/8" card wad to hold in the ball.  this seems to work well.

haven't tried a shot load yet, but was considering the 1/8" over powder lubed wad, then a 1/2" wad, the shot, and an 1/2" over shot wad.

anyone have a source for big wad punches?  i'd like to punch out my own wads for the .580 bore.

[prairie dog]

rfd,

I posted some data on the subject here:

Loading a muzzle loading shotgun and smoothbore

Google arc punches and you will find the punches you want.

[RobD]

thanx steve, great info!

[rollingb]

Rob,.... here's another good place for smoothbore info,..... Request Rejected  

[RobD]

more good stuff - thanx!

[Hank in WV]

melsdad on this forum used to make punches. I don't know if he still does or not.

[RobD]

how oversize should the punch be for a .58?

[Joel/Calgary]

how oversize should the punch be for a .58?

Circle-fly's sizing chart suggests that it varies somewhat with bore size, but in the mid-range sizes (12-24 ga.), 0.010" larger than your actual bore diameter should be good, but a bit larger usually doesn't hurt.  I have a couple of punches for my 16ga; one cuts cards ~0.020" over-bore and they load just about as easily as the commercial and homemade cards 0.010-0.012" over-bore, and they may give a better seal (multiple cards O/P) or grip (O/S) when using slightly softer or thinner cardboard like cereal boxes or milk cartons.

Regards,
Joel