T/C Maxi-Ball - Need a p[atch?

[45Badger]

Picked up a box of .50 cal, 370 gr maxiballs to try in my 1/48" T/C Hawken flintlock. They are well lubed with Natural Lube 1000 plus. They have a flat base.

Do I need to patch this bullet?

 

[badpenny]

nope you never patch a maxi-ball,probably couldn't it down the barrel

 

[arcticap]

An over powder wad or wool wad helps to act like a gas check, but it doesn't always provide better accuracy. It's worth trying them with and without wool wads to see which loading method shoots better.
Velocity and consistency should increase as a result.

 

[billnpatti]

You do not patch MaxiBalls. They are intended to be inserted into the bore just a they are. You can, however, use an over powder wad to improve your shot to shot muzzle velocity consistancy. I recently ran a test using overpowder wads to see how they effected my shooting. I wanted to use some of the pre-lubed wool felt wads but when I went to buy some they seemed awfully expensive to this tight boy. I went home and made some of my bown using leather from an old belt. I cut the wads for my .50 caliber Hatfield rifle using a half inch hollow punch. I put the wads into a medicine bottle, the plastic kind that the pharmicist puts pills in, and poured in some Ballistol. I let them soak for a couple days and then dumped them out on a rag to drain for a couple more days. By this time they appeared just as you might expect oil soaked leather to look. I took them to the range to shoot over my chronograph. My load was 50 gains of Goex fffG behind a .490 round ball with a .016 cotton drill patch which I had lubed with Ballistol. I shot 10 rounds without the overpowder wads and 10 shots with the wads. I found that the average muzzle velocity without the wads was 1289 fps wth a standard deviation of 21.4. With the wads (all else remained exactly the same) the average muzzle velocity was 1317 fps with a standard deviation of 7.0. Using the wads made a significant improvement in my shooting and now I use them all the time.

BTW, if you ever decide to make your own felt wads, be sure to use felt made of pure wool. Most felt that you find on the shelves at craft stores is too thin and is made of a high percentage of synthetic fibers. The same is true of felt cut from hats. Synthethetic fibers are the bane of muzzleloading because they will melt inside your bore and make a mess. That is why I didn't try to make my wads of felt. I chose to make them of leather. If you want to make some of leather, you can buy the punch in a set from Harbor Freight. They are cheap. I get leather from leather a leather worker. He sells me his scraps dirt cheap. I use 6 to 8 oz. leather. Check around for shoe repair shops, saddle shops, harness makers, etc and ask them to sell or give you their scrap leather. Give the wads a try. I think you will be pleased with the results. If you can't find Ballistol, go to your local auto parts store and get a can of Marvel Mystery Oil. It will do as a good second choice when you can't find Ballistol.