Black powder question

[quarterstaff]

I have a T/C Hawken in .45, and I plan on shooting patched round balls (.440) the question I have is I also have a Swiss Vetterli which I fire .430 lead bullets from, can I shoot those patched from my hawken or is that dangerous/foolish?

Thanks

[AWS]

  It would probably easier to buy the correct bullets for your rifle.

[Tracker0721]

Just get thicker patch material. Patches have such a wide range for a reason. I don’t believe the old timers worried to much about a ten thousands difference.

[quarterstaff]

Thanks For the replies

[AWS]

It can be hard to make a cloth patched round ball make the jump from a case mouth to the rifling. a paper patched bullet can do it because the paper patch is srunk fit to the bullet.  Odds are the ball will get blown out of the cloth patch.  If your ball was the same size as the groove diameter you can do it with no patching.  I shoot 378 RB's in my 375 Win.

[Hilltop123]

It can be hard to make a cloth patched round ball make the jump from a case mouth to the rifling. a paper patched bullet can do it because the paper patch is srunk fit to the bullet.  Odds are the ball will get blown out of the cloth patch.  If your ball was the same size as the groove diameter you can do it with no patching.  I shoot 378 RB's in my 375 Win.

[AWS]

Just re-read your post, after seeing the imogees.  I thought the .440 was after patching, wasn't thinking.  If they are to large to seat in the case you can place them between two flat pieces of steel and roll them back and forth to size them down a little.  .31 cal RBs will work in a .30 cal case.  Keep them slow as the soft lead will lead easily.  If your going to shoot them a lot a waxed or greased wad under the ball might be helpful. 

I believe the Lyman "Cast Bullet Handbook" has data for Round Balls in rifle cartridges.

This is the one I use, bought it new, it is still packed as I'm in the process of moving(more coyotes much more hunter friendly).

Thanks Hilltop123 sometimes you got to give an old guy like me a shake to get the brain aligned in the brain box.

[lokidog]

#AWS, I think he is looking at using the bullets from his Vetterli (cartridge rifle), that I am guessing he reloads for, in his muzzleloading rifle that has a slightly larger bore than the Vetterli. Hence, he would need thicker patches than what he uses for a wider roundball.

  I could be wrong, thought I was once, but I was mistaken..... 

[quarterstaff]

#AWS, I think he is looking at using the bullets from his Vetterli (cartridge rifle), that I am guessing he reloads for, in his muzzleloading rifle that has a slightly larger bore than the Vetterli. Hence, he would need thicker patches than what he uses for a wider roundball.

  I could be wrong, thought I was once, but I was mistaken.....

Yep this is what I was asking about, I do reload for my vetterli, I had it converted to centerfire and since I have access to the bullets for it I thought if it was safe I'd try running a few through the muzzleloader patched. I have thought of paper patching for the vetterli but at this point I just shoot it because I like the thought  of being able to fire such an old rifle and BP cartridge is more of a past time when I am not reloading for the smokeless stuff, but thanks AWS  for getting me thinking about paper patching again, when I catch up on everything else I just might give it a go.

[lokidog]

It seems to me, the worst to happen if you use your smaller bullets, is they don't stabilize and you get funny looking hole in your target.