Patched Round Balls

[348Winchester]

Before muzzleloaders got all high-tech in the 90's, patched round balls worked great for me. I used them almost exclusively until I bought a muzzleloading barrel for one of my Handi-Rifles. I never lost a deer due to ball failure. I deeply grazed a couple as a result of hangfires though. I was thinking how round balls have probably taken more game than any other style bullet because they were in use for over five centuries.

I still use them in my 58 caliber caplock Hawken.

 

[Buccaneer]

When I bought my TC Renegade .54 in 1983 all I shot was patched round ball. On a deer drive in South Alabama on the Conecuh National Forest, Blue Spring WMA, I killed two does that were side by side when I shot. I never lost a deer with the patched round ball in that Renegade. In fact when I switched to Maxi-Hunter bullets I never lost a deer either.

 

[FOX FIRE]

The round balls I shot with...( he he, I said round balls) were perfectly fine & would stack up like poker chips, shot a lot better than most maxi balls & buffalo bulets.


Can they not be used in the inline guns ??

 

[TennesseeJed]

Round balls are all I use. When I'm practicing, I shoot into oak boards stacked one behind the other. I dig the balls out, melt them down, remould them, and shoot 'em again.

As far as inlines, the twist rate may be too fast for them to be as accurate as slower twist barrels.

 

[pressfit]

I used to shoot 2 patched balls at once.. talk about knock down .. it looked like a semi hit them when I shot..

 

[Wobblyshot1]

I used to shoot 2 patched balls at once.. talk about knock down .. it looked like a semi hit them when I shot..

Thompson Center's old Hawken,etc. manuals use to have load data for stacked round balls.

 

[Brisco Darlin]

i still shoot round balls .

 

[Robtattoo]

I only shoot PRBs in my rifles.

 

[quigleysharps4570]

Thompson Center's old Hawken,etc. manuals use to have load data for stacked round balls.

I can post that data in the morning when I get in from work if anyone's interested.

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

I have never used anything other than patched round ball in my .54 cal Hawkens, worked up a load that was the most accurate and never looked back. Killed several deer with that gun, still carry it now and then for the old time feel

Here is a pic of a recovered round ball that went through a doe at 40yds,(between the ribs, both sides, no bone contact) and hit a 10" pine @ 12" behind the doe. (I chopped it out of the back side of the tree)

It is was flattened out to @ 1/4" and is 1" in diameter, so half as thick and twice the diameter as it started out as.

FDXX75

 

[TennesseeJed]

Is that one of those old Remington Golden Balls?

 

[348Winchester]

I would love to see that data for two round ball loads.

 

[quigleysharps4570]

Here you are 348.

 

[348Winchester]

Thanks!

Whew, I bet that is brutal. I wonder if it will work with my 58 cal Hawken?

 

[quigleysharps4570]

The .50 is all I've ever tried it in. Big as the .58 roundball is I don't know why you'd need two.
In my .50 I used 80 grs. of powder, felt wad, patched ball, felt wad, patched ball. The roundballs always hit within an inch or so of each other.

 

[FOX FIRE]

Never heard of double stacking, bet it did pack a punch.

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

Is that one of those old Remington Golden Balls?

Ding ding, get that man a ceeeeegar!!!! Yes, sir it was. I still have about 2 doz. or so left.

FDXX75

 

[ROVERBOY]

If I can get my .58 H&R Huntsman fixed I'm gonna try patched round balls in it. I've got some hollow based conicals too. I don't know the weight of them because I've not weighed any. Should hit like a sledge hammer though.

 

[TennesseeJed]

I have a .58 Green Mountain barrel for my Renegade and that thing is incredible. When target shooting I shoot into an end piece of a crosstie. I have a .40 caliber that I shoot 60 grains of FFF Goex out of and it never budges the crosstie. The .58 with 70 grains of FF Goex knocks it flat every time, it's fun to watch the power of that thing.