Author Topic: Round balls (Read 1561 times)

hunman55 · « **on:** March 21, 2007, 04:01:13 PM »

That sounds a little funny,doesn't it? Anyway, has anybody tried round balls in 12 and 16ga. shotguns? An article in Backwoodsman mag. has sparked my interest. Any info will be appreciated. Hunman55

greg916 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 21, 2007, 11:35:22 PM »

I personally have never shot a round ball out of a shotgun, however I have heard discussion about it. Those that have say the foster slug is a better projectile.

db22 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2007, 12:51:43 AM »

Accuracy is the issue. It's been said that a smoothbore musket could hit a man-size target at 50 yards, but beyond that it was questionable. That's one reason why infantry tactics of that day called for volley firing. A Revolutionary War infantry square was sort of like a giant shotgun that fired volleys of .67-caliber balls at the enemy's infantry formations. I would hesitate to shoot at a deer with such a load, for fear of wounding and losing the animal. Foster slugs are still about three bucks a box around here, and will shoot 3" groups at 50 yards from my cylinder bore barrel.

myarmor · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2007, 08:56:07 AM »

Now theres and odd Idea for ya... Would be fun though

-Aaron

hunman55 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2007, 10:47:36 AM »

Thanks for those replies. My take is this(from what I've read): you have to consider your choke and use the right size round ball-like .690 for 12ga. or .646 for 16 ga. or .600 for 20ga. Load them in the plastic wad just like shot-use a filler(corn meal) on top of ball to bring load up to crimp height. The plastic wad acts like a patch in a muzzleloading rifle. Accuracy should be as good as any smoothbore to 40/50 yds- 3 or 4 inch groups-good enough for any deer at that range. This is not a long-range load, but a close-in load for the woods and a 450grain .690 rb at 1200/1300fps is plenty strong enough and probably doesn't have the recoil of a foster slug moving at 1600fps. My take, guys. Feel free to comment . They are welcome. Hunman55

Brett · « **Reply #5 on:** March 22, 2007, 01:09:45 PM »

My take is why not just roll your own Foster slugs and have 3' or 4" group accuracy out to 75 or 100 yards? If recoil is the main issue there are several ways to deal with it such as adding a recoil pad to the butt stock, pore the bolt channel of the butt stock full of lead shot, load liter loads with the Foster slugs, wear a 'sissy pad' under your jacket. IMO round balls are for Civil War reenactments. I'd be willing to bet 99.8% of muzzle loader hunters shoot bullets these days and there must be a reason for it.

Mulegunner · « **Reply #6 on:** March 22, 2007, 01:13:41 PM »

I've read the very same article in BWM and have been toying with the idea too! If you try this out....please post on how it works. Right now my Pardner is a mod choke...but Im thinking of cutting it back to around 22 inches to get a cyl bore and a knock around woods gun. Im intrigued about the round ball load....even if its nothing more than a fun round to touch off.

Cookiemann · « **Reply #7 on:** March 22, 2007, 01:33:52 PM »

Mulegunner, you hit it on the head in the last line of your post

Quote from: Mulegunner on March 22, 2007, 01:13:41 PM

even if its nothing more than a fun round to touch off.

Sometimes that's what its all about. JUST FOR THE FUN OF I!

rangerwillie · « **Reply #8 on:** March 22, 2007, 04:04:06 PM »

I just cast a few 690 round balls this week and I plan on loading them tomorrow and hopefully will have a range report for late saturday.

Markus · « **Reply #9 on:** March 22, 2007, 04:21:05 PM »

I just read that article too. Sounds like a fun project.

hunman55 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 22, 2007, 11:28:41 PM »

Rangerwillie,I'll look forward to your range report and Cookieman, you got it right. It's all about fun-just like this forum. And Brett, you're right about the foster slugs, but they are a few of us that like the idea of shooting a round ball-within it's limitations-at targets or game and also using an old single-shot shotgun to accomplish that. You just have to get close and place your shot-very simple. My last deer was killed at less than 20 yds with a .440 ball in a flintlock. More comments along with range reports will be appreciated. Thank all of you. Hunman55

Brett · « **Reply #11 on:** March 23, 2007, 12:40:36 AM »

Well, you know what they say, "Different strokes for different folks." If we all liked the same things or did things the same way life would be pretty dull.

LEO · « **Reply #12 on:** March 23, 2007, 03:22:10 AM »

I haven't shot them out of a cartridge shotgun but I have a muzzle loading shotgun that I have shot patched roundballs out of. It will shoot into about what you said 3 or 4 inches at 50 yards but that is with just the bead sight. I haven't hunted with them yet but I am sure they would work fine on a deer at the 50 yard or so range. I mainly just did it because like you I read and article about them somewhere and thought I would give it a try. I don't see why it wouldn't work as well out of a cartridge shotgun so long as there was a good gas seal which the wad provides. In years gone by there was a lot of game killed by the old "pumpkin" ball loads. Let us know how it turns out.

Odinbreaker · « **Reply #13 on:** March 23, 2007, 04:57:52 AM »

i cast 662 round ball put in wad i check choke by pushing the wad and rb down barrel through the choke. I just crimp with a standard shot crimp

hunman55 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 23, 2007, 09:11:53 AM »

Odinbreaker, give us some specs on that load. 12ga.? What type wad? And filler,if any? Powder-what kind and how much? How did it shoot? Loaded by hand or on a press? And how did you get that name? Your reply was greatly appreciated and look forward to hearing more. Hunman55 And LEO, thanks for your reply. I did the same years ago with the 12ga that H&R made-a muzzleloading shotgun-I think I used a .715 ball and 100grains of 2F. I remember it shot OK at close range-40yds. I wish I had it still-let it get away. Hunman55

rangerwillie · « **Reply #15 on:** March 27, 2007, 01:23:35 PM »

Well, I made it to the range today (down to a slight drizzle) I set up a target at 40 yards.I hit it. Two balls in the center ring and the third about 6" out. 19 gr green dot, WAA12 wad with 1/4" felt under ball, Rem hull. I shot them with a mossburg 500 pump, 24 " smooth bore.This load proved to have a mild recoil and was fun to shoot.
The mold I used is an oldie, Ideal 690. It has the large steel handles(Looks like a pair of sizzors) and achunk of steel on the end . I had to use side cutters to cut the spru. I plan on casting more and try some different and faster loads. and I'll use my "handy" with a rifled barrel.
If anbody would like to try some of these round balls, let me know.

hunman55 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 28, 2007, 03:41:32 PM »

Rangerwillie, that sounds like a deer load to me. Let us know more when you go to the range again. I'm still trying to get everything together. More info from anyone interested in this is appreciated. Hunman55

Froghunter · « **Reply #17 on:** March 30, 2007, 10:25:28 AM »

To All,

Is anybody loading this in 20 ga. If you are, I and a couple others on the forum would like the info for the loads?

Thanks!

Froghunter

hunman55 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 31, 2007, 01:47:51 AM »

Froghunter, the twenty would be a great "round-ball" project also. Ball size would be .575/.600 depending on the choke and wad. I have no reliable info on this at this time,but would like to hear some. This round ball project could take a couple of years to cover all the bases. Thanks. Hunman55

jedman · « **Reply #19 on:** April 02, 2007, 02:16:09 AM »

I have shot .400 dia. round balls out of a 410 cylinder bore, I load 2 of them in a 2 1/2 shell with a standard plastic wad with the shotcup part cut down and a load of 13.5 grs. of WW 296.
At 20 yards they shoot within a few inches of each other.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #20 on:** April 02, 2007, 04:17:01 AM »

that sounds like a home brewed (and nice!!) cooy of the "Tri Ball" load put together by Dixie Slug. I do mean to get some of those, they sound very effective when shot out of the properly choked barrel, a choke tube with a constrictin to .660 I believe is what they recommend in the 12 gauge....<><....