Lead shot for Round Ball ?

perry shooter

July 24, 2011 17:45

I did not want to High-jack the other post about lead shot but I saw one answer that was of question I have had for years . I understand why one would want Pure lead in a hollow base muzzle loaded MINIE BALL .But why does everyone state to use pure soft lead in a Patched Round Ball [?][?]. The patch is what engages the rifling so what is the negative with having a round ball out of wheel weights or even Lino-Type[?] Just curious as to if there is a valid reason or just BECAUSE THAT IS THE WAY IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN DONE.EDITThanks guys I am shooting a 54Cal. Flintlock long rifle have always used swaged .530 balls. In the last few years I have been using a ball puller if I did not fire the gun that day. This is when I became aware that the ball looked just like it did when I loaded it. I have over 1000 pounds of linotype and cast my own 45acp bullets . I was wondering if it would be worth it to buy a mold block and cast my own balls.

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  sharpshooter039

  July 24, 2011 18:52

  I have made my own 45 & 50 cal rifle balls for years out of wheel weights, I have never had a problem. I do buy round balls for the 2 44 cal revolvers I have. Store bought ones seem to be rounder and it is easier to cut off a ring when you seat them. I even have molds to pour my own bell weights for Catfishing

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  XXCross

  July 24, 2011 19:20

  You get maximum weight for your shot using pure lead.

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  thorhammer

  July 24, 2011 21:19

  I was using hard lead for my .50 muzzle loader and the patched .490 balls were getting stuck half way down. I had to really push them down hard and so I went to a .485 mold and they go down smoother. I usually can't get super soft lead unless I pay a lot for it. Soft lead wouldn't get stuck down the barrel and I didn't want to light the gun off if it did.
  
  my .02 cents

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  ATF

  July 24, 2011 21:40

  I tried making fishing sinkers for salt water once.When you cast 6 oz. sinkers with wheel weight lead they weigh a lot less.

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  steg

  July 24, 2011 21:53

  Modern made Italian replica revolvers do not have their barrel rifleing cut by a machining process. It is cut with a die that is crawb through the barrel. They do not heat their barrels after rifling, so the metal is softer than that in original (especially Colt)revolver barrels. If you don't use pure lead projectiles in many of the Italian made Colt cap and ball revolvers, the tougher metal of the lead alloys will strip out the rifling after around 100 rounds. Although 2nd and 3rd gen. Colt revolvers brought their barrels in from Italy in the white, they heat annealed them to toughen the metal, just like the originals. Even so, Lead alloy bullets - especially those cast from metal salvaged from lead pipes- can and will seriously damage the rifling in antique and replica guns.

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  tsr1965

  July 25, 2011 04:25

  Perry shooter,
  
  While I do understand what you are saying, I do not see any benifit of shooting the cast wheelweight balls in a patch. I have tried that too. The goal when shooting a round ball, is to use just enough twist to make it stable. Most round ball twists are 1 in 60, or less.
  
  The fit between barrel, patch and ball is also very important. You really need that patch to put a death grip on the ball and the rifling. With the soft pure lead, you should be able to actually see the imprint of the patch in the ball. That is for the traditional thought of the patch only gripping the ball. The harder alloy wheel weight balls, will not engrave with the patch. This, in some instances permits the patch to spin around the ball.
  
  I have, in some of the newer Thompson Center side locks of 1980 and newer(Hawkins in 45 and 50 cal; Renegade in 54 cal; Cherokee, in 32, 36, and 45 cal; Seneca in 36 and 45 cal), searched for a patch and ball combination, where the ball just engraves the rifling, and the patch is used for a tight seal. This is because the accuracy was mediocre, because of the 1 in 48 twist. Yes it is unconventional, but not unheard of. But there is no way you would ever get anything other than pure lead to do that.
  
  Best

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  jonk

  July 25, 2011 06:03

  I use wheelweights exclusively for patch and ball guns. The harder lead deforms less on seating, is easier to pour into the mold initially with good fillout, and I don't have to change the mix in my pot.
  
  I run 40:1 for mini balls. Just a little tin to help with fill out.

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  eastbank

  July 25, 2011 06:37

  i have shot for years with a navy arms 1858 rem. in 44 and a navy arms 1860 army in 44, useing wheel weights for round ball and have shot thousans of them and the bores look in ex condition and the rifleing look to be in ex condition to. eastbank.

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  charliemeyer007

  July 25, 2011 09:21

  I learned from an old timer that owned and shot origionals. + 1 for patch engraving into soft lead ball and pure lead requires different technique for casting. Loading for target vs hunting vs people shooting at you are each usually different. Real black powder vs any of the fake is another issue.

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  v35

  July 25, 2011 22:02

  Sometimes it's easier to find a heavier or lighter patch material where the patch engraves a soft ball than to find the right size ball. Linen for thin and denim or mattress ticking for thicker. Patch material needs to be strong and not likely to come apart in the loading.
  BP rifles will shoot with a loose patch or even without a patch but for best accuracy a lubed tight patch is a must.
  A light wooden or rawhide mallet and a short starter should be part of a BP rifle shooter's kit.

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