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Quick loads for a round ball shooter

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BowEd:

--- Quote from: Hawkdancer on January 18, 2022, 05:10:32 pm ---Good information, Ed.  Think I will try to make up some.  Some times, we get a bit lazy in adhering to primitive rules, depending on
the situation.

Gimli, never heard of the flash paper before!  Is it percussive, and what is the composition?  Not sure Would want to try pushing it down the barrel if it is more sensitive than black powder! :-M :fp!
Hawkdancer   

--- End quote ---
The rules at rendezvous are a bit more strict than what they are on this site,but are easily conformed to without any reduction in performance or accuracy

--- Quote from: Gimlis Ghost on January 18, 2022, 09:49:32 pm ---
--- Quote from: Hawkdancer on January 18, 2022, 05:10:32 pm ---

Gimli, never heard of the flash paper before!  Is it percussive, and what is the composition?  Not sure Would want to try pushing it down the barrel if it is more sensitive than black powder! :-M :fp!
Hawkdancer   

--- End quote ---

Well according to this flash paper is pretty much Nitro-Cellulose, basically the same as some early smokeless powders like the German Blatchen Pulver.

Paper cartridges for the Colt Cap& Ball revolvers of the 1860's used a nitrated paper to burn away cleanly but I'm not sure if those would be the same. The paper they used was slightly moisture resistant likie the coating once used on playing cards, which has been used by prisioners to make an explosive powerful enough to break the locks of 19th century cell doors.

I've made paper cartridges for my 1852 Navy Colt repro using the very thin JOB cigarrete papers, but they left a tiny bit of debris, though I never had a problem with those fragments .

The weight of the paper for one cartridge would be miniscule but possibly could add a hair to the explosive force of a charge.

I was more concerned that its low flash point might result in a cartridge box detonation if a spark landed on explosed rounds.

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I've only camped at rendezvous 1820 - 1840 camps or fur trade era camps.The cap and ball pistols were mainly used at civil war camps.A little later period.Very interesting get togethers.Liked to watch the cannon shoot matches at targets.
Many buckskinners do own the pistols though.I've never used the flash paper myself.I'm sure there's a safe way to use it if it was used back then.Regular old typing paper does the job on muzzle loaders.
After shooting down the range out in front of the shooter the pillow ticking can be examined.Most times it has a charred ring a little bit  and intact yet.Depending on how new the barrel is the rifling or your patching material is too thin it can cut the ticking some.A hundred shots or so usually wears the cutting edge of the rifling off.Never followed up on what the paper patch might look like.I imagine less intact.
I don't consider myself an expert but can only speak about my own barrel.I've found even with the paper being thinner that the pillow ticking the accuracy is still very good,with the load getting completely burned up before the ball leaves the muzzle seeing little red droplets on inside of the end of the barrel.
Getting consistent accuracy from a muzzle loader is about like shooting a self bow.The loading or drawing process process should be consistent for consistent accuracy.
Normally this barrel shoots good with a lightly lubed .10 pillowtick patch and a .530 ball.Normal like it should be.

mullet:
A friend of mine got into long range shooting with his Sharps 45/70. He used to soak paper in a nitrate solution before he rolled his paper cartridges.

I shoot wasp nest below the ball and on top in my .62 cal. flint smooth bore. It works great.

BowEd:
I had a 45/70 sharps once too.Top rifle in picture.From C. Sharps Arms Co.,Inc. in Big Timber Montana.Rather expensive gun.
I just kept the .54 hawken below.

Had the veneer tang sight set up for it.34" heavy barrel.Reloaded my own brass cased bullets for it too.Right around .35 cents a bullet.Buying them cost over $3.00 a bullet.Damn near like the Quigley gun only did'nt reload with the paper patch bullet.Very nice gun but I could'nt get along with it.Sent it back to them minus the tax charges.

For accuracy reasons on the .54 I ram the ball home with a cupped tip so as to not dent the ball any.Mostly use swagged balls.

On the other end of the ram rod is my cleaning jag.I've ground that down to accept the long underwear cleaning patches for a proper fit.

I like it not to extend past the end of the barrel for gun case hauling reasons and hooking on brush etc. carrying it.Still plenty of length on the ram rod to get the job done cleaning.

The larger calibers are fun.Puts the odds in your favor deer hunting.Safe way to get ahold of a hornets nest shooting the attatching twig off.Fun shooting hedge balls and seeing them explode off osage or bark shooting squirrels off the sides of trees too.

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