Maven
08-23-2015, 03:48 PM
After many years of trying to win, or at least not embarrass myself, I took 1st place at a local woods walk today. There were 18 - 22 shooters (some arrived late, others left early owing to other commitments), some of whom I know to be excellent shots. Targets were the usual assortment of gongs from 50 yd. to 162 yd. (I missed it!), Tootsie Roll Pops @ 20 yd., golf balls on tees @ 25 yd., chain links, both vertical and horizontal at 50 yd., and a 2' pc. of re-bar @ 50 yd. The chains and re-bar were especially challenging, as was the Xmas ornament @ 30 yd., which could barely be seen in the dim light of the woods.
What's interesting is that my .50cal. Lyman GPR (cap lock) showed a distinct preference for a .488" RB cast from a [.50 cal] Lyman mould v. the .492" RB cast from a nominally .50cal. RCBS mould. The balls were weighed and sorted to ~.5gr., btw. Moreover, had I paid more attention to a target I fired @ 50yd. from a rest with the GPR, I would have realized that diameter RB and .018" pillow ticking patches are an excellent combination. It was also very easy to start and ram home, even after many shots. Although most don't do this, I vary my powder charges according to the distance: I used 40gr. Diamondback FFg for the close shots and 90gr. for the 162 yd. gong.
Lastly, I lubed my patches (recipe below) with an alcohol - olive oil concoction recommended by Taylor Sapergia: They were wet when I put them on the muzzle and really held the fouling in check. I did dry swab the bore twice during the event, but only as a precaution, as it really wasn't necessary.
D. Taylor Sapergia’s Bullet Lube
I like shooting the smooth bored PA fowler. I use the heavier charge (85 grs. FFg) because it shoots where I want at all ranges out to 109 yds. (our farthest target on the trail). You are good to go with the .595 and .600 balls, and I like your choice of patch material. I usually use saliva - lots of it - in the summer, but in the winter, I switch too a lube with methyl hydrate to keep it from freezing.
I use precut patches ~1 1/8" soaked with the following mixture: I fill an Appleton's rum bottle, having consumed the great rum, with winter strength windshield washer antifreeze, to within a couple inches of the top. I then add a couple ounces of Murphy Oil soap, and a couple ounces of Neatsfoot Oil. Olive or Canola oil is just as good. This stuff does not blend into a combined liquid, and requires shaking just before you use it. I fill a Sucrets tin with the precut patches I'm going to shoot that day, shake the bottle, and pour it over the patches. When they have absorbed as much as they will, pour the extra back into the bottle, and then squeeze out the patches a little to remove the overflow as well. But I leave them very wet. With these soaked patches, you should be able to shoot all day and never have to wipe the bore. And loading is not hard with a wooden rod.
What's interesting is that my .50cal. Lyman GPR (cap lock) showed a distinct preference for a .488" RB cast from a [.50 cal] Lyman mould v. the .492" RB cast from a nominally .50cal. RCBS mould. The balls were weighed and sorted to ~.5gr., btw. Moreover, had I paid more attention to a target I fired @ 50yd. from a rest with the GPR, I would have realized that diameter RB and .018" pillow ticking patches are an excellent combination. It was also very easy to start and ram home, even after many shots. Although most don't do this, I vary my powder charges according to the distance: I used 40gr. Diamondback FFg for the close shots and 90gr. for the 162 yd. gong.
Lastly, I lubed my patches (recipe below) with an alcohol - olive oil concoction recommended by Taylor Sapergia: They were wet when I put them on the muzzle and really held the fouling in check. I did dry swab the bore twice during the event, but only as a precaution, as it really wasn't necessary.
D. Taylor Sapergia’s Bullet Lube
I like shooting the smooth bored PA fowler. I use the heavier charge (85 grs. FFg) because it shoots where I want at all ranges out to 109 yds. (our farthest target on the trail). You are good to go with the .595 and .600 balls, and I like your choice of patch material. I usually use saliva - lots of it - in the summer, but in the winter, I switch too a lube with methyl hydrate to keep it from freezing.
I use precut patches ~1 1/8" soaked with the following mixture: I fill an Appleton's rum bottle, having consumed the great rum, with winter strength windshield washer antifreeze, to within a couple inches of the top. I then add a couple ounces of Murphy Oil soap, and a couple ounces of Neatsfoot Oil. Olive or Canola oil is just as good. This stuff does not blend into a combined liquid, and requires shaking just before you use it. I fill a Sucrets tin with the precut patches I'm going to shoot that day, shake the bottle, and pour it over the patches. When they have absorbed as much as they will, pour the extra back into the bottle, and then squeeze out the patches a little to remove the overflow as well. But I leave them very wet. With these soaked patches, you should be able to shoot all day and never have to wipe the bore. And loading is not hard with a wooden rod.