Just got into smoothbore competition. Punkin chunker of choice is a cut down 1842 Harpers Ferry made from an Armisport 1842. During the War, the Confederates would take battle damaged muskets and cut the damaged end off the barrel and shorten the stock accordingly and reissue to the troops and mine is a version of that.
At this point, my load is a lead ball, sprue trimmed off, of .682 dia. Ball is ruffed up with a farriers file, and loaded into a plastic cartridge tube with 70 2fg Goex and then dipped the exposed part into musket lube. So far, it will shoot into 3in at 25yds with no problem and get 8 shots before fouling starts to become an issue. I think this can be better so load development continues........
At this point, my load is a lead ball, sprue trimmed off, of .682 dia. Ball is ruffed up with a farriers file, and loaded into a plastic cartridge tube with 70 2fg Goex and then dipped the exposed part into musket lube. So far, it will shoot into 3in at 25yds with no problem and get 8 shots before fouling starts to become an issue. I think this can be better so load development continues........