Slug Guns and Muzzleloaders

[sluggun pilgrim]

Hi Joe

When i first started shooting the slug gun and cleaning down to the bottom i had misfires due to fouling blocking the vent. I changed to loading poder then wad and cleaning above the wad, no more misfires.

My bullet patch combination (at the base) is 0.406. The freezer paper patches come out of the barrel undamaged clearly showing rifle imprint for about 2/3 of bullet length. The bore is not choked, however the bulllet patch combination load smoothly all the way to the bottom.

My bullet length is 1.26 " the same length as i use in my 40-65 which shoots extremely well.

Tried several art supply shops today (Monday) but none had cotton tracing paper. Any shops in your neck of the woods deal online?


Cheers sluggun pilgrim

[Joe Gussenhoven]

Hi Joe

When i first started shooting the slug gun and cleaning down to the bottom i had misfires due to fouling blocking the vent. I changed to loading poder then wad and cleaning above the wad, no more misfires.

My bullet patch combination (at the base) is 0.406. The freezer paper patches come out of the barrel undamaged clearly showing rifle imprint for about 2/3 of bullet length. The bore is not choked, however the bulllet patch combination load smoothly all the way to the bottom.

My bullet length is 1.26 " the same length as i use in my 40-65 which shoots extremely well.

Tried several art supply shops today (Monday) but none had cotton tracing paper. Any shops in your neck of the woods deal online?


Cheers sluggun pilgrim

Think I would clean all the way down then do Like Kenny and leave a dry patch at the bottom to dry the breech. Then fire a cap to clear it before loading. Would also stop using the wad.

Dont know about online stores for paper. Should be something on the web.

My slug gun is set up to load into the grooves at the muzzle. Once you get past the slight choke it slides down smooth but with a bit of effort. Once the bullet is on the powder, it's rifled. The soft lead base bumps up to fit the grooves and seal.
I bevel the bases to make sure I don't cut a paper strip when loading. This is the way the gun was set up when I got it.
I find bullets shoot better with a slight taper in the bore. If choke bored to much they can get real cranky.

Something you might try is wiping the bore dry after loading the bullet. If your patch is real wet it could be leaving to much oil in the barrel.

All sorts of things to try.


Joe.

[Kenny Wasserburger]

I run a wet patch down to the powder chamber area let it soak for about 10-12 seconds. Pull my sealed igniton and put it in jar to soak. Then up and out and Toss, run a second wet patch down and up and the other side same. Then I switch rods to one with a Breach face scraper run it down to the breach plug and give it a few turns up it comes with a lot of junk on the scraper. 1 dry patch down both sides. Next powder in the drop tube down to chamber area. No wad used in my load using 1-60 Alloy bullet and cross patches lube with Nye Oil. Bullet seated down powder with about 5 to 6# of pressure index finger on end of rod till painful 10 seconds.

I pick the Nipple with a wire made for such, use a scrapper to clean off nipple area also. Clean sealed ignition and reprime, set rifle on bench and install sealed igniton. Fire on the command.


KW

[sluggun pilgrim]

Hi Joe and KW
We have a time limit of 45 minutes in our slug gun matches in our National competition in Australia, so we don't have a lot of time.

I shoot the freezer paper dry, no lube as the plastic surface provides a good slippery surface. If i pass the bullet with patch through the false muzzle i get an imprint of rifling for about 1/2 an inch on the bullet. The chase patches do not show any signs of cutting where they are folded around the base of the bullet when picked up after firing.

Most of the guys here shoot grease groove bullets in barrels without false muzzles, a few have false muzzled barrels made by Bill Large in the 70's and early 80's or the false muzzle has been made by cutting the end of the barrel, some of these rifles shoot extremely well.

Cheers Vlad

[sluggun pilgrim]

Hi Joe and KW

Tried the web for cotton tracing paper. It appears that the common one sold is 16lb, not sure how thick it is, the 2 thou onionskin paper is 9lb.

Sluggun pilgrim

[Joe Gussenhoven]

Hi Joe and KW
We have a time limit of 45 minutes in our slug gun matches in our National competition in Australia, so we don't have a lot of time.

I shoot the freezer paper dry, no lube as the plastic surface provides a good slippery surface. If i pass the bullet with patch through the false muzzle i get an imprint of rifling for about 1/2 an inch on the bullet. The chase patches do not show any signs of cutting where they are folded around the base of the bullet when picked up after firing.

Most of the guys here shoot grease groove bullets in barrels without false muzzles, a few have false muzzled barrels made by Bill Large in the 70's and early 80's or the false muzzle has been made by cutting the end of the barrel, some of these rifles shoot extremely well.

Cheers Vlad

45 minutes for how many shots?

You're using a straight bullet, or tapered?

Joe.

[Joe Gussenhoven]

Sent you a personal message, Vlad.

Joe.

[Dan]

Bit of a rookie on slug guns but enjoy them. Out in Cody for the NRC match in 2009 and 2011. Last year the Harsh Bros. put me in 3d for the Polecat trophy race and Dave Casey relegated me to 2d in the picket match. I'm not that good at dealing with wind...yet. They say we might be hit by a tropical storm in a few days so I'll go practice then.

Some photos from my last two adventures.

I got these down at the post office off the bulletin board.











Rich Hicks tending to his field piece:



Muzzle of the same:



Second from the right is Richard's 2 piece bullet. .50 caliber, 800 grains. The nose is a bore rider.



Bullet on the right belongs to this HV Perry rifle owned by Bill Brown. .56 caliber, 900 grains. Bill told me the "serious" bullet is also a 2 piece bullet of 1300 grains.

[sluggun pilgrim]

Hi Joe
we have 45 minutes for 13 shots incluiding fouling shots. My bullet is tapered. I'll be at the range on sunday so will take some pics of the slug gun , shot patched and an unfired bullet.

If i posted you some cash could you post me some of the patching paper you use?

How do you lube your patches. The guys here who shoot paper patched bullets roll the patched (wrapped ) bullet on an oily pad. I have plwenty of Wright whale oil that i use in my swage . Would it be suitable as a patch lube?

[Joe Gussenhoven]

Hi Joe
we have 45 minutes for 13 shots incluiding fouling shots. My bullet is tapered. I'll be at the range on sunday so will take some pics of the slug gun , shot patched and an unfired bullet.

If i posted you some cash could you post me some of the patching paper you use?

How do you lube your patches. The guys here who shoot paper patched bullets roll the patched (wrapped ) bullet on an oily pad. I have plwenty of Wright whale oil that i use in my swage . Would it be suitable as a patch lube?

I don't have any experience with tapered paper patched bullets. I do use tapered grease groove bullets an my breech muzzle loading rifles and they are extremely accurate with the correct fit. The correct fit is when the top band just rides on the lands. I assume your paper patched bullet is unsupported at the nose?

I once asked Rich Hicks what type of oil is best. He told me just about any oil will work. I use Jojoba oil. After preparing my paper strips they are laid in an Altoids tin. The oil is added until all patches soak up the oil.

I'll get some paper to you.

Joe.