Round Ball reloads for a 20 ga ultra?

[student]

I posted this on shotgunworld but wanted to see if you guys have any thoughts on it.

I have 20 ga round balls for my black powder smoothbore, and I was wondering if there is any experience/info out there on using them in reloads using smokeless powder for my 20 ga rifled shotgun?

I guess I could use a 20 ga nitro wad, fiber wads, the round ball, and a roll crimp, I can do all that, but does anyone have any ideas about powders/starting loads, or loading data?

I understand the accuracy will not be great, but I was thinking about something inexpensive to use at the range.

Any thoughts?

Student

[offhand35]

student,  the April 2004 issue (No. 228)  of Handloader magazine has an article about a Greener como rifle with one bbl 30-30W, and the other is 20ga rifled.
He describes smokeless loads and BP loads for 20ga roundball shells he used to get this gun to shoot.
That might help get you started.

[student]

Thanks, offhand, I'm gonna check that out.  Someone on another list suggested LYman shotshell handbook 3rd edition had roundball loads.

Appreciate it,

Student

[Tom H.]

Hello Student.

I've seen this posted on other boards, and it is pretty straightforward.
Find a shot load that carries a similar payload and instead of the shot, drop a ball into the wad.  You may have to bump it up with wads but nothing more then that.
Regular star crimp.

You didn't mention the size of the ball you are casting, but a .600 may fit.

If not, cut the petals off the wad and coat the ball with lube.  Make sure to add some lubed wads under it to cut down on leading.
If there is too much space, some people mentioned patching the ball (hey, you are a muzzleloader)

Good luck.

Tom

[student]

Thanks, Tom.  My punkin balls are .610 so maybe too big for a plastic shotcup (i"ll measure it tonight).  I did think about patching, and will probalby use cigarette rolling papers to get the right thickness.

Student

[student]

Just to let you all know, I loaded the round balls using a recipe from the Lyman Handbook for a 20 ga Foster of the same weight, using a card over powder wad and some fiber wads between that and the ball, with a roll crimp.  Even with a .61 ball in a .62 barrel I got a 4" group of 8 shots at 50 yds.  This is not quite what I'm looking for for deer hunting, but still promising.

I tried using both paper and cloth patching at the reloading bench, but had trouble seating the patched ball into the shotshell without bunching up the patching material.  It seemed a bit unsafe, and was not looking like it would give much consistency from load to load anyway.  If any of you have ideas on how to do this please let me know, I 'm still interested.

Any other ideas on cheap slugs for the 20 ga are welcome too.  

Thanks,

Student

[Tom H.]

pick up the lee mold for a 600 round ball from Midsouth.

Costs about $16.

should solve the patch problem, but then again the fast twist might wreck the patch anyway.

Tom