78CJ
02-22-2006, 12:44 PM
So as not to muddy up my post about being new to shooting cast and leading and lubes I figured I would start a new one about slugging.
It has been my intention to slug the bores of all of my Marlins (30/30 Microgroove, 44 Mag Microgroove, 444 Ballard and 45/70 Ballard rifled leverguns) to at least get an idea of where things are at.
The 30/30 is the first centerfire rifle I ever owned from new and is somewhat the baby of the family when it comes to any work I think I want to do. The 444 and 45/70 are technically for my daughter (3) and son (1 1/2) respectively but they both said I can develope loads for their guns in preparation for their hunting years. So this leaves the 44 mag for my test mule for any procedure I want to perform on a firearm. This gun I bought used and I figure any screw ups will hurt a lot less with its inherent lack of sentimental value.
I do understant the there is very little you can do wrong in slugging a bore but this just seemed the gun to start with. I did not get a chance to buy any #8 egg sinkers yet but I did have a 48" long wooden dowel, a large assortment of brass punches and some 50 cal. muzzleloader balls.
I figured I would just start a ball into the muzzle and run it through. I ran a patch with a generous amount of oil on it through the bore first. I then just started carefully tapping the ball into the muzzle with one of the punches, once the muzzle cut off a little lead the ball started into the bore. At this point I could shove the lead through the bore by hand until it got about halfway down and I actually had to tap on the dowel to get the lead through. I was able to surmize that this is in about the area of the dovetail cut for the forend cap tenon. Upon pushing the lead out the chamber I measured it at .422". I was then a little discouraged because this seems awful small. We then repeated the procedure with my friend holding the dowel in from the chamber end to back up my punching the lead in from the muzzle to try and form the ball to the barrel as tight as I could. I could still push it by hand until the restriction.
Now, I realize that no matter what, the slug will only be as large as the smallest part of the barrel. My concern is that even then am I getting an accurate representation of the restricion size with the muzzleloader ball or will I be better suited with egg sinkers?
And yes I could scratch the ML ball with a fingernail.
I hope this post is not too confusing I guess I am just wondering if this seems accurate before I go ramming slugs down the barrels of my sentimental guns. Or do I really need to get me some egg sinkers?
Thanks
Ryan
It has been my intention to slug the bores of all of my Marlins (30/30 Microgroove, 44 Mag Microgroove, 444 Ballard and 45/70 Ballard rifled leverguns) to at least get an idea of where things are at.
The 30/30 is the first centerfire rifle I ever owned from new and is somewhat the baby of the family when it comes to any work I think I want to do. The 444 and 45/70 are technically for my daughter (3) and son (1 1/2) respectively but they both said I can develope loads for their guns in preparation for their hunting years. So this leaves the 44 mag for my test mule for any procedure I want to perform on a firearm. This gun I bought used and I figure any screw ups will hurt a lot less with its inherent lack of sentimental value.
I do understant the there is very little you can do wrong in slugging a bore but this just seemed the gun to start with. I did not get a chance to buy any #8 egg sinkers yet but I did have a 48" long wooden dowel, a large assortment of brass punches and some 50 cal. muzzleloader balls.
I figured I would just start a ball into the muzzle and run it through. I ran a patch with a generous amount of oil on it through the bore first. I then just started carefully tapping the ball into the muzzle with one of the punches, once the muzzle cut off a little lead the ball started into the bore. At this point I could shove the lead through the bore by hand until it got about halfway down and I actually had to tap on the dowel to get the lead through. I was able to surmize that this is in about the area of the dovetail cut for the forend cap tenon. Upon pushing the lead out the chamber I measured it at .422". I was then a little discouraged because this seems awful small. We then repeated the procedure with my friend holding the dowel in from the chamber end to back up my punching the lead in from the muzzle to try and form the ball to the barrel as tight as I could. I could still push it by hand until the restriction.
Now, I realize that no matter what, the slug will only be as large as the smallest part of the barrel. My concern is that even then am I getting an accurate representation of the restricion size with the muzzleloader ball or will I be better suited with egg sinkers?
And yes I could scratch the ML ball with a fingernail.
I hope this post is not too confusing I guess I am just wondering if this seems accurate before I go ramming slugs down the barrels of my sentimental guns. Or do I really need to get me some egg sinkers?
Thanks
Ryan