Torador Barrel Investigation - Part II

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by rickystl

Berkley: Thanks for the Link to your Torador - that was still loaded !!!! Very nice gun, especially the western style trigger. Very unusual. I think these barrels were loaded with bare ball (no patch UNDER the ball). Then a tight wadding on TOP of the ball to keep it from rolling down the barrel while the gun was in transit. They seemed to believe that the loose powder would build up most of it's pressure in the chamber, then forced through the narrow section. Rather than building pressure while traveling down the barrel. It's certainly a curious theory for black powder ballistics.
Rick.

Hi Rick, Not quite right. What I think is that the ball would be patched ----wrapped in a greased patch. Common practice in early times.
Stu

[Pukka Bundook]

Rick,

Just to clarify;
When I suggested the breech alteration, I was meaning with the interior bored out so that the original touch-hole could be used, not screwing in a solid piece of metal.

Best,
Richard.

[rickystl]

Originally Posted by Pukka Bundook

Rick,

Just to clarify;
When I suggested the breech alteration, I was meaning with the interior bored out so that the original touch-hole could be used, not screwing in a solid piece of metal.

Best,
Richard.

Hi Richard.
No, I know what you meant. And that may very well be a possibility. It would actually be great if the barrel could just be drilled out and burnished clean, with a new threaded breech plug made. As long as I end up with the same interior bore diameter from muzzle to breech, for ease of loading and cleaning.
I'll send the barrel out next weekend when I get home.I'll let you know what the gunsmith and I decide to do. Thanks again for everyone's interest in this Thread.
Rick.

[rickystl]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

Hi Rick, Not quite right. What I think is that the ball would be patched ----wrapped in a greased patch. Common practice in early times.
Stu

Hi Stu.
Well, you're right. The greased patch was probably the most common method of loading, as it still is today. That's how I load my muzzle loaders that use a single round ball. In a rifled barrel it's a must. But with a smooth bore barrel, there is more than one way to load it. Even today, some shooters like to load their smooth bores similar to a shotgun, even though they are using a single round ball. With some guns and load combinations it seems to work just as well.
Rick.