Anybody ever loaded 2 patched round balls in a rifle at the same time?

[roverboy]

I've heard of this but, never tried it. Seems like it would be a good deer load in the woods. Definitely different.

[scattershot]

I did it once, just to see what would happen. Can’t remember now just what did happen, except that it increased recoil by a bit. If you try this, he ****ED SURE you seat the second ball firmly on the first, or it will act as a bore obstruction and possibly ring your bore.

[Themoose]

Caution... check your state regs..I lived in Indiana then and I think ML rules required the use of a single ball... think OH and PA are same. I tried it many years ago on paper and both shot well @ 50yds only about 1-2" horizontal spread(IIRC), but be careful... I think I loaded the first ball on top of the powder without a patch and than patched the second ball and seated firmly... you do not want any gaps... the recoil should be about the same as when you shoot a maxi-ball...

TheMoose

[oldracer]

During a recent match I did a double load, powder, patch and ball. The top powder load did not go off and even if it had I doubt it would have damaged the modern barrel. There were two ball marks on my steel target though which really surprised me!
John

[arcticap]

I tried it with 2 patched round balls rammed down firmly on the powder charge.
The balls hit very close together at 25 yards.
It's not a load that I would hunt with though
Buck & ball loads were used during the Revolution and Civil War but with large caliber muskets.
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Buck and ball

Buck and ball was a common load for muzzle-loading muskets, and was frequently used in the American Revolutionary War and into the early days of the American Civil War.
The load usually consisted of a .50 to .75 caliber round lead musket ball (.69 caliber for the "Brown Bess" musket) that was combined with three to six buckshot pellets.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_and_ball

[Beagle333]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_-U1BSOsfo

This guy makes fun videos and he recently posted one on this.

[Buckshot Bill]

I did it out of a cva .50 with a stubbed off barrel about 1-2" spread @ 25 yds right on point of aim. neat load to mess around with

[Reverend Al]

When our local Black Powder club used to hold "stake shoots" it was common practice to "double-ball" since the name of the game was the first team to cut their stake off completely was the winner. One year a friend of mine got a little bit carried away and put in a heavy powder charge and then TRIPLE-BALLED his .45 calibre percussion rifle. When it went off the pressure blew the entire drum and nipple out of the barrel! (We never did find the drum either so it must have gone a fair distance ...) As a general rule MODERATE powder charges with a double-ball load have been quite successful without incident, but I sure wouldn't recommend pushing the limits of safety ...

[rfd]

normally not an issue unless the charge is at the high end, and buck 'n' ball is similar.

[ShooterAZ]

It's been done before, that's how Jed Clampett struck oil if I recall.:kidding:

[dondiego]

I was in a hurry and loaded a patched round ball and a ram rod once and fired it at a rabbit. It had some good recoil! Missed the rabbit and never did find that ram rod.

[bedbugbilly]

The only time I've done it is when "proofing" a barrel with a double charge with the barrel strapped to a rubber tire - ignited by a piece of fuse.

[TCLouis]

Wonder why he uses such undersized balls?
0.480 in a 50 Cal?

[arcticap]

I think it's because he likes to use his thumb instead of a short starter to start the ball, and then just rams it.

[Rick N Bama]

On Facebook Mark said it was because he can load more without having to clean the barrel. The .480 RB Mold is available from TOW

[roverboy]

I've been meaning to try this in my .58 cal. with about 60-65 gr. 2f Goex.

[John Taylor]

I've one a few stake shoots over the years. First shot is alway loaded normal then things change fast. Up to five un-patched balls in a 62 with 60 grains of powder will eat a lot of wood in a hurry. This is only used in timed events, not for hunting. The range is usually under 40 yards and accuracy is not that important when you have that much lead going down range. This was done with a rifle that I built and know it would hold up, I don't recommend this on every rifle.

[UKShootist]

With buck and ball' loads, which is loaded nearer the powder?

[rfd]

buck then ball.

[Reverend Al]

I was in a hurry and loaded a patched round ball and a ram rod once and fired it at a rabbit. It had some good recoil! Missed the rabbit and never did find that ram rod.

Reminds me of a Rendezvous one year when a friend was shooting a Parker Hale Muskatoon repro carbines and he got flustered and left his aluminum ramrod in the barrel and then fired it. We had a line of targets cliped on to an upper and lower piece of heavy wire using wooden clothes pegs. His ramrod hit the wire target holders and took down the entire line of targets. I'll never forget it ... and I'm sure that he never did either!