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>>Nick, >>Hi Folks, >I have been making and using military cartridges for >the last few years. I use a slightly sanded 3\4" dowel >with >one end Dremeled out enough so that a ball sits nicely, >then form your cart. around the former and ball, stick >glue >the seam,then tie the ball end with cotton thread. I >add >80 grains of FFF black stuff, fold and glue the end, >and >wax the ball end with melted bore butter or even bee's >wax. >I load and fire military style and get really good >results. >Never had burning paper problem and as a plus, the >paper seemskeep the barrel a bit cleaner. 40 or so >rounds from >my Brown Bess is a good day at the range. Cheers. >>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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