Another very important thing to consider is the load. No way can you shoot accurately using the same powder charge with round balls as you use for conical bullets. Experiment with reduced loads and jack up the powder 5 grains at a time until the group starts to spread. Conical bullets require more powder than round balls since they are heavier. Just five grains too much powder can make a big difference in accuracy. If you just want to hit the vitals of a big game animal the pellets are fine but if you want to shoot the head off a squirrel at 50 yards you must use granulated powder and find the right load. I shoot 36 cal, 45 cal. 50 cal and 54 cal. The 36 is a great squirrel rifle and an empty 45 Colt case filled even with the top with FFFG is very accurate with patched round balls. Also make sure you use even pressure to seat the projectile to make sure it is seated on the powder well and never beat on the rod. The bullet should be seated with even pressure without defacing the bullet. Muzzle loaders can be very accurate although 90% of todays hunters don't have a clue, they drop in pellets and fire away, which is fine for deer or larger animals.
Amen, Shuteye...
