Hi,
been shooting for years but just lately have got the bug for muzzle loaders? great fun!
However questions I'd like to ask are?
I fancy a (Parker hale) enfield musketoon, but smoothbore for the reason as it is so simple to purchase on my SGC, and not jumping throo loops, ect to get another 'slot' on my FAC.
next question is?? if it is 12 bore? what size ball would the equal?
and lastly!!
I see some guys using a smokless powder as opposed to black powder, to save on cleaning somewhat, and again to save all the hoop jumping of applying for & storage ect of black powder? and again cost!
is this powder ' paradox'????
cheers
When I worked at PH the musketoons were all .58 cal, even the smoothies. The Lee .577 ball works a treat.
The substitute black powder is "Pyrodex" or I think there's another one called 777.
There may be 12g musketoons from other manufacturers in which case check out the proof mark..... it will be .719 or .729 which will give you the ball size.
Jim, the "smokeless" is actually a substitute black powder, it's pretty much used as black powder but non corrosive and easier to clean. It's also easier to buy this side of the pond as real "Black" comes under explosives licensing, whereas Pyrodex and 777 are normal propellants.
You might have already made up your mind but I would urge you to get the rifled musketoon rather than a smoothbore. The musketoon is excellent at
50m offhand and can also be shot at 100m and more.
I tend to think that this would be a very short barrel for a smoothbore and you may well be disappointed with the results.
Steve.
Yes, you are correct, although strictly speaking it is a lot less corrosive. It leaves a lot less potassium compounds as fouling and these are as corrosive as sulphur.
Some tests have shown that black powder can leave up to 40% of the charge weight as fouling in the barrel. Pyrodex burns a lot cleaner.
There was a 12 bore version of the Enfield Musketoon,made in India & marketed as the Bengal Carbine in the late 70's & early 80's, they were very crudely built but worked well enough.