round balls

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Grizz
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round balls

Post by Grizz »

I have a few soft lead .69 roundballs, I'd like to find someone making them with hard lead, about where Marshall's alloy is. something less likely to go 'SPLAT' and more likely to go through.

Anyone have a link to such a product??

thanks in advance,
765x53
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Re: round balls

Post by 765x53 »

Splat?
On stone or steel, maybe.
On flesh and bone. I don't think so.
Les Staley
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Re: round balls

Post by Les Staley »

If you're shooting these aforementioned round balls in a rifle with a patch to engage rifling, then they should be dead soft. It is necessary that the lead be soft to let the warp and weave of the patch impress in the lead so the spin is positively imparted to the ball. Hard lead often times will be inaccurate because of this. I have recovered balls in the snow in the spring and close examination reveals the cloth imprinted where the rifling is. HTH. Les
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Re: round balls

Post by J35 »

You could always cast your own .

https://www.lymanproducts.com/brands/ly ... oulds.html

Or maybe something here http://www.dixieslugs.com/products.html

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Re: round balls

Post by AJMD429 »

Les Staley wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:39 pm If you're shooting these aforementioned round balls in a rifle with a patch to engage rifling, then they should be dead soft. It is necessary that the lead be soft to let the warp and weave of the patch impress in the lead so the spin is positively imparted to the ball. Hard lead often times will be inaccurate because of this. I have recovered balls in the snow in the spring and close examination reveals the cloth imprinted where the rifling is. HTH. Les
Now that's interesting.....thanks for posting.....!
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Re: round balls

Post by Ysabel Kid »

AJMD429 wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2017 10:42 pm
Les Staley wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:39 pm If you're shooting these aforementioned round balls in a rifle with a patch to engage rifling, then they should be dead soft. It is necessary that the lead be soft to let the warp and weave of the patch impress in the lead so the spin is positively imparted to the ball. Hard lead often times will be inaccurate because of this. I have recovered balls in the snow in the spring and close examination reveals the cloth imprinted where the rifling is. HTH. Les
Now that's interesting.....thanks for posting.....!
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3leggedturtle
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Re: round balls

Post by 3leggedturtle »

I cast both roundballs and REAL bullets out of straight wheel weight and never had a problem with accuracy or loading, never shot much more than 50 yards tho. YMMV
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Re: round balls

Post by Rusty »

Lee makes round ball moulds for cheap.
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Re: round balls

Post by 6pt-sika »

Rusty wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:39 pm Lee makes round ball moulds for cheap.
You sure you didn't mean to say "Lee makes cheap roundball molds that are inexpensive" :lol:

Lee 6 cavity molds are pretty decent quality but the one and two cavity jobs leave a bit to be desired . However one must take into consideration what gets for $20-25 .
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Grizz
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Re: round balls

Post by Grizz »

Rusty wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:39 pm Lee makes round ball moulds for cheap.
I have the mold. I don't have time to use it. I do have time to order hard cast roundball boolits if anyone knows of anyone who sells them.

thanks mucho
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Ray
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Re: round balls

Post by Ray »

something like a 11/16" steel bearing ball might work....not as expensive as you might think.....i buy various sizes from ebay to use in smoothbore muzzleloaders......
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Re: round balls

Post by Nath »

Ray wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 12:33 pm something like a 11/16" steel bearing ball might work....not as expensive as you might think.....i buy various sizes from ebay to use in smoothbore muzzleloaders......
Tell us more??
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Re: round balls

Post by Blaine »

Ray wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 12:33 pm something like a 11/16" steel bearing ball might work....not as expensive as you might think.....i buy various sizes from ebay to use in smoothbore muzzleloaders......
Those lighter balls would have initially lower energy, and what there is would rapidly drop off over a short range. It's all related to sectional density. I'm willing to listen to arguments on that.
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Re: round balls

Post by GunnyMack »

11/16 ball bearings = muzzle loader armor piercing ( you know for deer wearing vests)
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Ray
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Re: round balls

Post by Ray »

BlaineG wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 2:16 pm
Ray wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 12:33 pm something like a 11/16" steel bearing ball might work....not as expensive as you might think.....i buy various sizes from ebay to use in smoothbore muzzleloaders......
Those lighter balls would have initially lower energy, and what there is would rapidly drop off over a short range. It's all related to sectional density. I'm willing to listen to arguments on that.
William Charles Baldwin in his 1863 book AFRICAN HUNTING wrote of shooting alligators and sea cows with a seven to the pound gun which we can infer his meaning was crocodiles, hippopotami and a 7 ga. smoothbore......

seven to the pound sized balls measure .87" and weigh 1000 grains or 2.28 ounces......

in his own words :

" ....tried a lot of iron bullets i brought out with me; however, they did not answer at all, and i eventually threw them all away, as they were much too light and flew high, though they penetrated to a great depth."

iron balls of .87" weigh approximately 692 grs.
Last edited by Ray on Wed Jul 18, 2018 3:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Ray
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Re: round balls

Post by Ray »

Nath wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 1:20 pm
Ray wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 12:33 pm something like a 11/16" steel bearing ball might work....not as expensive as you might think.....i buy various sizes from ebay to use in smoothbore muzzleloaders......
Tell us more??
I use 17/32" steel balls in .54 and 28 ga. smoothbores.....They weigh 155 gr. and three of them, lightly patched over 70 gr. ff is not too stout and I have actually used 4 of them over 90 gr. in the t/c renegade .56.....

they fly high in some guns and low in others.....once regulation is doped-out, they pattern as well at 40 yds. as 6pointsika's 25 yd. 10 ga. buckshot photos.....

three or four 7/16" bearing balls might work in your smooth .45......

Think long and hard about it first... extracting stuck balls in case of a misfire would be nigh on impossible.....I only use them in guns that have proven first shot every time reliable......
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Re: round balls

Post by Nath »

Ray wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 3:22 pm
Nath wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 1:20 pm
Ray wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 12:33 pm something like a 11/16" steel bearing ball might work....not as expensive as you might think.....i buy various sizes from ebay to use in smoothbore muzzleloaders......
Tell us more??
I use 17/32" steel balls in .54 and 28 ga. smoothbores.....They weigh 155 gr. and three of them, lightly patched over 70 gr. ff is not too stout and I have actually used 4 of them over 90 gr. in the t/c renegade .56.....

they fly high in some guns and low in others.....once regulation is doped-out, they pattern as well at 40 yds. as 6pointsika's 25 yd. 10 ga. buckshot photos.....

three or four 7/16" bearing balls might work in your smooth .45......

Think long and hard about it first... extracting stuck balls in case of a misfire would be nigh on impossible.....I only use them in guns that have proven first shot every time reliable......
Hmmm, it's if I forgets to powder first one day !
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Re: round balls

Post by Chuck 100 yd »

Cast your own round ball. You can melt lead on a cheap hot plate ( less than $20).
I used to know a guy who hunted with a .50 cal. And loaded with two balls and a healthy charge of 2f. They would print
Within a couple inches of each other at 50-75 yards.
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claybob86
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Re: round balls

Post by claybob86 »

Ray wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 3:10 pm

William Charles Baldwin in his 1863 book AFRICAN HUNTING wrote of shooting alligators and sea cows with a seven to the pound gun which we can infer his meaning was crocodiles, hippopotami and a 7 ga. smoothbore......

seven to the pound sized balls measure .87" and weigh 1000 grains or 2.28 ounces......

in his own words :

" ....tried a lot of iron bullets i brought out with me; however, they did not answer at all, and i eventually threw them all away, as they were much too light and flew high, though they penetrated to a great depth."

iron balls of .87" weigh approximately 692 grs.
I thought you needed brass balls for stuff like that.
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Ray
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Re: round balls

Post by Ray »

Chuck 100 yd wrote: Thu Jul 19, 2018 9:07 am Cast your own round ball. You can melt lead on a cheap hot plate ( less than $20).
I used to know a guy who hunted with a .50 cal. And loaded with two balls and a healthy charge of 2f. They would print
Within a couple inches of each other at 50-75 yards.
Hey ! I resemble that remark.....

All of my 1-48" rifles shoot two balls, lead not steel, just as well or often better than just one......

I have a very heavy barreled .45 that shoots 3 of them (.440")
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Ray
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Re: round balls

Post by Ray »

claybob86 wrote: Thu Jul 19, 2018 11:28 am
Ray wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 3:10 pm

William Charles Baldwin in his 1863 book AFRICAN HUNTING wrote of shooting alligators and sea cows with a seven to the pound gun which we can infer his meaning was crocodiles, hippopotami and a 7 ga. smoothbore......

seven to the pound sized balls measure .87" and weigh 1000 grains or 2.28 ounces......

in his own words :

" ....tried a lot of iron bullets i brought out with me; however, they did not answer at all, and i eventually threw them all away, as they were much too light and flew high, though they penetrated to a great depth."

iron balls of .87" weigh approximately 692 grs.
I thought you needed brass balls for stuff like that.
Read the book.....I think baldwin had a pair of them but he did not seem to be very bright in the brain department.....
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