paper patch question

[nekshot]

a friend recently was downsizing for moving and gave me a 1970 era 44 cal percussion long stock rifle with a old load in it. I emptied the barrel and the size is a metric diameter and 66 inch twist. I have been shooting 210 and 240 gr boolits in it paper patched with decent results. My question is if I use a fiber wad after the powder will the little tail left on boolit constitude as a void in the load with ringing possibility. I can learn to fold paper flat but I am lazy and like the twist and cut off extra with snip pliars method. The load is 50-70 gr triple 7 and win mag cap. I know this gun is not worth any thing but it is pretty and really handles like a dream. thanks, nekshot

[grullaguy]

I am thinking that with that rate of twist your gun is a round ball shooter.

What metric measurement did you get?
I am betting you could get it to shoot pretty easily with the right size of cloth patch and ball.

[nekshot]

yep your right about it being a roundball shooter. It came with 433 round balls and the old load had 2 patches on. I tried to load a round ball with 2 patches(they came with the accessories) and I have no idea how they ever started the load short of a sledge hammer. So I decided to shoot short slugs making up the differance with paper and it works. The bore appears to be .445. I still want to know if the paper tail will cause a dangerous condition with wad.

[nanuk]

just a SWAG here, but I'd say a fiber wad is not impervious to gases, so, like dacron fiber used as filler, it will allow gases to pass through and hit the base of the boolit/patch, eliminating the piston effect that causes ringing.

just in case, you should see if you can take a tube, and blow through the wad. If you can, then I'd not worry about it.

Also, you ram the boolit onto the wad, so there would be very little space between was and boolit base to be concerned about

[Nobade]

I find the best accuracy in a muzzleloader with paper patched boolits comes when I just do patch over the trailing edge, so the patch is flat and there is a round spot of lead exposed on the base. This keeps from getting dents in the base from the powder gas hitting it, and it seems to shed the patch quickly and evenly.

You will likely get good results from a felt wad, not sure if you will see any benefit from a card or other fiber wad. Lately I have been using grease cookies - a cylinder of lube with a card wad on either side to very good effect. It completely seals the bore and allows repeat shots without wiping.

[nekshot]

Thanks Nobade for the info. I believe I need to clean up my patching detail a little more. I am planning to use egg box container paper soaked in grease as wads. I can sandwich them with lube if needed as you do. I was not concerned with the paper tail over powder but I was sure over a wad it would create a little gap or at least not be tight together as I always thought black powder loads should be. When I get the best accuracy I want to chrony this thing because it really is hitting hard at 80 yards with the slugs. The round balls are to puny for me.

[idahoron]

I leave the twisted tail on all my bullets. You won't see an ounce of difference. Now the one place you might see a problem is if you snip off the tail. If the paper patch combo is tight you could push the bullet through the bottom of the patch. I like the twisted tail. Ron

[nekshot]

Thanks Ron, I also found the twist keeps them from seperating. By the way your exellant post on paper patching is what gave me confidence to try slugs in this gun. Do you use a wad or usually set boolit on powder? nekshot

[idahoron]

I always test without but all my hunting loads contain a over powder wad. Ron