RotoMetals2Titan ReloadingReloading EverythingWideners
Inline FabricationSnyders JerkyLoad DataMidSouth Shooters Supply
Repackbox Lee Precision
Results 1 to 19 of 19

Thread: Slugging a Muzzle Loader

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master


    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Southern France by way of Interior Bush Alaska
    Posts
    5,293

    Slugging a Muzzle Loader

    I was wondering if you could obtain a good slug by firing a light load. Add powder, a greatly reduced amount. Then force a slightly larger ball, without a patch. Next fire into a swimming pool and recover.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    4,661
    That will produce a good slug.
    But you would be best if you went swimming and recovered the ball.
    Trying to pick it it up out of the pool with a Skimmer could scratch up your slug.
    But I don't think at low velocity that the ball is going to get deformed much when it hits the water.
    But there are other ways of slugging a ML barrel.
    Also.
    Fire the ball at a 45 degree angle Down into the water.
    If you don't , it can skip off the water like a stone.
    Bullets will only penetrate water to a depth of 3 feet before they loose almost all velocity.
    Be Safe
    Last edited by LAGS; 01-04-2020 at 02:04 PM.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master RU shooter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    SW Pa.
    Posts
    2,928
    Id just take the breach plug out before I went swimming . Or just use a ball discharged or puller
    If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!

  4. #4
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    NH
    Posts
    3,783
    The easy way is put a piece of brass 6" long or so in the bore. Put in a slug bigger than bore and grooves for around 4-5 inches. Then drive it out with the piece of brass in the bore using momentum. If you cannot figure out how to do it you should get help from someone who knows how to do it.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master


    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Southern France by way of Interior Bush Alaska
    Posts
    5,293
    Quote Originally Posted by RU shooter View Post
    Id just take the breach plug out before I went swimming . Or just use a ball discharged or puller
    Yes that would be ideal, but I don’t want to mess with takin the breach plug out of a two hundred+ year old gun.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Space Coast, FL
    Posts
    2,323
    The inertia method works very well as described above, a nice piece of steel dowel wrapped with tape works also. Lightly oil bore and thump away standing over folded old towel!

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master


    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Southern France by way of Interior Bush Alaska
    Posts
    5,293
    What about drilling a hole through a slightly smaller round ball. Use a thick disk that can be threaded into and a washer with a nut screwing it down. Then flatten the ball and pull it out. A sliding hammer on the rod could help.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Posts
    911
    if your gonna do the shoot method id just put old towels or something in a plastic shopping bag and shoot it with 10gr charge or whatever you think is enough to launch low speed.

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Out in the sticks of NC
    Posts
    158
    Best method is use pin gauges. Get a couple near what you think the bore is. Amazon has them for like $5ea. Or go to a machine shop and get them to do it. They usually have a full set.
    A man cannot have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition.
    Rudyard Kipling


    Palmetto Sharpshooters
    North South Skirmish Association
    NRA Muzzleloading Instructor

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Bloomfield, Nebraska
    Posts
    6,073
    Cast a plug of cero safe around a notched dowel and pull it out of the oiled bore.

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy Theditchman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Harlem Montana
    Posts
    304
    Make sure theres no one in the pool first....lolol

  12. #12
    Boolit Master


    dondiego's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Milan, MI
    Posts
    2,838
    Quote Originally Posted by Theditchman View Post
    Make sure theres no one in the pool first....lolol
    Make sure there is water in the pool too!

  13. #13
    Boolit Master

    fiberoptik's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Was Mid-Michigan, 2 Orlando, 2 Jacksonville, Fl.
    Posts
    1,369
    Quote Originally Posted by Theditchman View Post
    Make sure theres no one in the pool first....lolol
    Nah. Have nancy pelosi hold up a cup of water over her (missing) heart . Aim carefully!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  14. #14
    Boolit Master Hanshi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Virginia
    Posts
    797
    I've never slugged a barrel, but there have been times I was sorely tempted to.
    Young guys should hang out with old guys; old guys know stuff.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master

    fiberoptik's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Was Mid-Michigan, 2 Orlando, 2 Jacksonville, Fl.
    Posts
    1,369
    Quote Originally Posted by Hanshi View Post
    I've never slugged a barrel, but there have been times I was sorely tempted to.
    I slugged a horse . Does that count??


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  16. #16
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    NH
    Posts
    3,783
    Quote Originally Posted by dave951 View Post
    Best method is use pin gauges. Get a couple near what you think the bore is. Amazon has them for like $5ea. Or go to a machine shop and get them to do it. They usually have a full set.
    That will give the correct bore size but not the groove size which is important

  17. #17
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Mackay Queensland, Australia on the East Coast with the Great Barrier Reef offshore
    Posts
    60
    Quote Originally Posted by fiberoptik View Post
    I slugged a horse .
    What caliber is he,then?

  18. #18
    Boolit Master


    dondiego's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Milan, MI
    Posts
    2,838
    Quote Originally Posted by Whitesmoke View Post
    What caliber is he,then?
    Not sure but don't "look him in the mouth!"

  19. #19
    Boolit Master

    fiberoptik's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Was Mid-Michigan, 2 Orlando, 2 Jacksonville, Fl.
    Posts
    1,369
    Quote Originally Posted by Whitesmoke View Post
    What caliber is he,then?
    Yearling Shepard pony. Between the eyes whenI was 12. I pre-dated Arnold knocking one out. My hand was numb for 2 weeks!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check