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>Nick, > >I have had fairly good luck with a couple of >combinations. Both are based on 80 gr. of 2f powder. >One is a .710 ball with a .018 pillow ticking patch. >The other is a .735 ball with a .012 patch. This is >now my preferred load and I took one of my deer in >November with it in the Bess. All patches are lubed >with a beeswax/olive oil mix and I have had no >problems with burning patches. > >I have also used paper cartridges. Again based on 80 >grains of powder and the cartridge is made up of paper >from an old Dixie Gunworks Catalog. This is with the >.735 ball. Again pretty acceptable performance. >Never noticed any burning problems with the paper >either. Not saying it won't happen, just haven't seen >it in the Bess or any of my other Smoothbores when I >have used paper cartridges. > > >>I bought a Brown Bess from Middlesex over the summer >>and got a chance to live fire it today. I used a .69 >>caliber ball with 70 grains of FFg black powder. My >>groupings were all over the place, even at 25 yards. >> >>I was wondering what combinations of powder, patch, >>and ball people have found to be good. >> >>Also, does anyone fire the traditional way by ramming >>the cartridge down the barrel? One of my patches >>caught fire today so I figure paper will surely burn >>up and it could be dangerous. Also, I wonder if there >>would be an air gap between the ball and the charge.

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