Sharp Shooter

Do you guys like to shoot a Thicker Patch and a smaller ball or a thiner patch and bigger ball?

cayugad

I like a thicker patch and a smaller ball but not to an extreme. For instance, in my .54 caliber I can shoot a .535 ball and a .010 patch but I get better accuracy with a .530 ball and a .015-.018 patch.

eldeguello

In my guns I've found a thinner patch with a bigger ball to be more accurate butslower to load, as more lead has to be displaced in order to start the ball. I use the big ball/thinner patch combo for target shooting.

Smaller ball/thicker patch combosload faster, and IF they give adequate accuracy, are a better choice for HUNTING loads.

lemoyne

This old old book I have on building rifles says for best results use a patch twice as thick as the depth of the riflings and a ball 5 thousands smaller than the bore. My Grandpa gave me the book 60 years ago and some of the things in it are fasinating. This particular combination has worked well for me.

jaybe

In my CVA/BPI Beartooth, I use the smallest ball (.490) and the thinnest patch I can find. I'm currently making my own patches fromsome linen material I have on hand. Anything else is just too tight to fit down the bore.
Another one of those, "It depends on your gun" things, I guess.
But lemoyne's recipe might be a good one 'cause it's tailorable to each gun!

IM jaybe

Longbow Bowhunter

When I had my 54 Caliber Great plains, I shot a .540 ball at .015 patch. that was a real nice shooting load. My 69 caliber I shoot a .678 ball at .015 patch. Basically I like to shoot the lager size of the roundball for the caliber and as thick a patch I can get away with.

bronko22000

When I was shooting patch and ball, both my T/C Hawkens shot a .490 ball with a .015 patch very well with 100 gr of FFFg.