Wanted: .54 caliber Colerain RB load advice

[HPT]

I bought a .54 cal Colerain RB barrel and am seeking some advice on loading. I measured the barrel & get these dimensions: bore .540 grooves .570 (radius bottom grooves). I picked up some cotton patch material that is .017" thick and some Hornady .530 balls. I have Swiss 1-1/2 FG & Goex 2FG black powder

Wondering:

Is patch thickness is about right to start?
Should it be washed first?
Spit for target? What for Hunting?
Would this tight a patch require swabbing between shots?
Anyone have advice on patch thickness for swabbing between vs no cleaning between shots
Patch material is cheap so if there's different thicknesses I should pick up please advise
Can't find pillow ticking that isn't extremely thin

Never tried radius bottom grooves - thinking it should be more forgiving for not swabbing - is it?

[mooman76]

Try the patches and see how they work. Wash first to get sizing out. There are allot of different lubes to work for hunting you will have to try and see. Even Crisco works but spit will dry out if not shot right away. I use spit for general shooting but everyone has their favorite. Mattress ticking is thicker and denim works too. Just as long as it is a natural fiber like cotton. Swabbing is a learning thing and every gun is different. May need it every shot or every few shots but I find when using spit, I don't need to swab. I've never shot round bottom rifling so I can't help there. Start with the ff but since you have another, try it too.

[bosterr]

I have a 54 Colerain custom made flinter. Balls from my Lee molds drop at .531/.532 and I use .015 cotton linen I bought at JoAnn Fabrics. For me .017 pillow ticking is too thick. My lube is equal parts of hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, witch hazel and Murphy's Oil Soap and a little olive oil thrown in. No need to wipe between shots since the patches are just wet enough to let the patched RB's slide down the bore fairly easy. I'm not a fan of patches so tight the PRB needs to be beat down the bore. Nearly one hole groups at 35 yds. In the 13 years I've owned the rifle, I've left it loaded overnight a only couple times. I use 3 F Goex black powder so maybe fouling is a little less than 2 F?

[HPT]

Mooman and boster, Thank you for your replies. No wiping between would be my goal.

The barrel was originally 42" long which I needed to cut down to 32". The original crown has a champfer at the muzzle & when I shortened the barrel I duplicated this shape. Guessing since Colerain put one there it shouldn't effect accuracy? Is there a favoured shape for the muzzle when using a round ball?

boster, How tight a fit is your patch/ball? Can you get it started with heavy thumb pressure? I would need a Starter even on a clean barrel to get the front of the ball level to the muzzle. I assume this is tighter than what you get?

[bosterr]

HPT,

My barrel has a decent bevel (42" long), but I can't say if that is original manufacture or if my gun builder finished the crown. The length of bevel is a little under 1/8". I would say any amount of bevel that doesn't cut the patch what so ever would be sufficient. Only the first loading in a clean barrel can I start with thumb pressure. After that it only takes a mild bump with a short starter. When shooting in the local meat shoots, I use a steel wood handled range rod with a tapered brass muzzle guard to load. I can seat the PRB with one long stroke down snug against the powder charge. I've seen guys use the same steel rod as I have and they need to bump the PRB multiple times to get down to seated. I just don't think that tight is necessary.

I've shot my gun off bags at 100 yds. and got 4-5 inch groups with primitive sights and my old eyes so I think mine are tight enough. I wanted to know what my flinter does at distance and it paid off this past early ML season. Slammed a big doe down at 95 yds. (laser measured), pass through lung shot.

[HPT]

boster,

Thanks for the advice! The 100 yd groups you get are those using your previously mentioned formula? Do you use that for all your shooting?

[bosterr]

That's correct. My target load is 65 gr. 3F and my hunting load is 100 gr. 3F. Same round ball, same patch and same patch lube. Now, When hunting, I use a synthetic ram rod, which of course is a lot lighter than the steel one, so it takes a couple mild bounces off the seated ball, but probably no enough to leave much of a mark on it.

[HPT]

Great! I'm off shoppin for some more patch material & lube fixins

Gun is almost complete - hopefully will be able to try out when weather warms

[bosterr]

Take a caliper with you when shopping for patch material. Let us know how it shoots!

[mainiac]

i shoot a .530 ball in my colerains with pocket drill patching from joannes fabric. I have a 535 mold that drops a ball actually .537,,and that is just to tight with the pocket drill material,,,