.600 ball for 20 gauge pistol?

[Sixgun Symphony]

I have a 20 gauge smoothbore pistol and I wish to purchase a mold. I know that 20 gauge is equal to .615 caliber, so should I order a mold that produces .600 ball for use with .015 thick patches or should I go smaller?

[fouronesix]

I have a 20 gauge smoothbore pistol and I wish to purchase a mold. I know that 20 gauge is equal to .615 caliber, so should I order a mold that produces .600 ball for use with .015 thick patches or should I go smaller?

Supposed to and what is may be two different things. I would slug the bore to see what the diameter is before getting a RB mold. Smoothbores can vary a bunch. Some were designed/made to shoot with a cloth patch or just the paper from a paper cartridge or even a bare ball OR the manufacturing tolerances were/are so loose that who knows what will fit best. Plus, smoothbores are not so forgiving with usable and easy patch fit since there are no grooves for the excess cloth to smoosh into when loading. I'd figure at least .020 - .030 total windage to be taken up with a regular cloth patch- so add the .020 - .030 to the diameter of the ball. Or conversely, get the bore diameter and subtract those ranges of patch windage to estimate the workable ball diameter. Again only an estimate because there aren't grooves to fill.

[waksupi]

Who is the maker? I have 20 bores from two different sources, both like .595.

[fishhawk]

same here my 20 like the .595

[Sixgun Symphony]

It's a Howdah pistol, I bought it from Dixie Gun Works but I think it was made by Pedersoli.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

I use a .602 RB in my 20 gauge smooth rifle. Use a fairly thick patch. short starter and the gun's wood ramrod. BvT

[waksupi]

It's a Howdah pistol, I bought it from Dixie Gun Works but I think it was made by Pedersoli.

I think Maven has one of these. Contact him, if he doesn't see this thread.

[Maven]

Sorry guys, but I don't own a Howdah, but I DO have a 20ga. trade gun. The latter's [smooth] bore measures ~ .615" and will accept either a .600" RB + .014" (compressed) pillow tick patch or a .597" (actual dia.) RB and the same patch. Btw, I can use a slightly thicker (.018") patch, with either diameter RB, but gained little except harder starting and seating.

[Sixgun Symphony]

I got an email from Pedersoli on this subject.





sixgun_symphony@yahoo.com

Hello,

We offer a bullet mold for the .614" round ball, the code is USA306-614 and Dixie Gun Works should have it in stock.
For the load we suggest this .614" round ball, .010" patch with 28 grains of FFFg.

A customer wrote us the following:
I have found it to shoot right on target at 20 meters with a good spread,
I use 30 grains of FF, a 19 gauge nitco card, a 19 gauge 1/2" fiber wad, 24 grams of #9 shot, and a thin 19 gauge over powder card.
Hope I could help.
Gloria


DAVIDE PEDERSOLI & C.
Via Artigiani, 57
I-25063 GARDONE VALTROMPIA
(BRESCIA) ITALY
ph. +39 030 8915000
fax +39 030 8911019
WWW.DAVIDE-PEDERSOLI.COM

[Sixgun Symphony]

I had been using 1oz of shot and FFG Goex and never got much of a group. I will try the lighter loads and see what happens. I also ordered the Pedersoli ball mold for the Howdah pistol from Dixie Gun Works.

BTW, I know that 30gr is close to 1/2 an ounce. But what is 24 grams?

[dondiego]

216 grains is a half an ounce. 24 grams is 0.86 ounces. An ounce is 28grams. 15.43 grains per gram.

[Sixgun Symphony]

My powder/shot scoop is one ounce. I thought it was equal to about 80gr. I should have checked it.

[dondiego]

A one ounce boollet weighs 432 grains. A one ounce volume shot scoop may well throw 80 grains of black powder. Powder is way denser than lead. Let's not talk about dram equivalents.