alsaqr
Member
Thompson Center and other massed produced brand conventional muzzleloaders have shallow rifling to allow for use with lead conicals, Most rifling twist rates are 1 turn in 48 inches: That allows for use with patched round balls. Those rifles work best with a tight fitting ball and patch.
Proper round ball rifles have deeper grooves and narrow lands with rifling twist rates of 1/66" to about 1/92". Those rifles put balls fired with varying powder charges in the same group.
In about 2000 i began experimenting with firing patched round balls from fast rifling twist rate inline rifles. At that time i had not read Bill Knights article linked below. Many muzzleloader shooters claimed it would only work with small powder charges. First inline rifle i fired patched round balls from was my cheap Stag Horn with a rifling twist rate of 1/32".
The scoped rifle is very accurate when loaded with 70 grains of Pyrodex powder and a patched round ball. At 50 yards three round balls overlap.
My favorite inline round ball shooter is the .54 TC Fire Hawk with a rifling twist rate of 1/38". Using 80 grains of Black MZ powder it makes a five shot cloverleaf at 78 yards.
Bill Knight on firing patched round balls fired from fast twist rate rifles:
Not Bill Knight: Doc White.
Round Balls In Fast Twist Rifles – White Muzzle Loading
Proper round ball rifles have deeper grooves and narrow lands with rifling twist rates of 1/66" to about 1/92". Those rifles put balls fired with varying powder charges in the same group.
In about 2000 i began experimenting with firing patched round balls from fast rifling twist rate inline rifles. At that time i had not read Bill Knights article linked below. Many muzzleloader shooters claimed it would only work with small powder charges. First inline rifle i fired patched round balls from was my cheap Stag Horn with a rifling twist rate of 1/32".
The scoped rifle is very accurate when loaded with 70 grains of Pyrodex powder and a patched round ball. At 50 yards three round balls overlap.
My favorite inline round ball shooter is the .54 TC Fire Hawk with a rifling twist rate of 1/38". Using 80 grains of Black MZ powder it makes a five shot cloverleaf at 78 yards.
Bill Knight on firing patched round balls fired from fast twist rate rifles:
Not Bill Knight: Doc White.
Round Balls In Fast Twist Rifles – White Muzzle Loading
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