Author Topic: Punkin' Ball Loads? (Read 1756 times)

willysjeep134 · « **on:** December 01, 2004, 04:00:31 AM »

Hey all,

I couldn't help but notice that in the Midway USA catalog BPI has a .690 round ball listed. They say it fits in a normal wad and makes a great short range slug load. I also noticed that a LEE .690 round ball mould is only $10 more than a card of 25 of these BPI roundballs.

I'm thinking a few things here. I have a .71 flintlock pistol that I could use some of these balls in, and I also have a few 12 gauges that I wouldn't mind some cheap slugs for. Any comments on punkin' ball slugs in general..or the BPI or LEE mould ones in specific.

The first thing I think I'll do if I get any is try to roll one through my full choke tube. If it will fit through that, it shoul be safe in all of my guns.

New Hampshire · « **Reply #1 on:** December 01, 2004, 12:08:11 PM »

I say go for it. To be honest I dont think they will be any worse than rifled slugs. As much as people dont want to believe it those vanes on the rifled slugs dont really impart a whole lot of spin. I think BPI has a technical write up with data for those balls. Usually the price is a buck or two. Might be worth a look see on their web site.
Brian M.

.45 COLT · « **Reply #2 on:** December 02, 2004, 02:30:56 AM »

I got the LEE mold for the .690" ball. The loads are a lot of fun, and accuracy ain't too bad either. The ball weighs right about 1 1/8 ounces, I just use data for that weight.

I also got a .33" mold, 00 buckshot, and a .575" mold. Now I'm playing with ball & buck loads. (.690 over three 00 buckshot) Not much earthly use, but, again, a lot of fun. :grin: Heavy ball loads from a shotgun have always fascinated me.

willysjeep134 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 02, 2004, 04:39:14 AM »

Beartooth Bullets has a lot of neat ballistic calculators on their site. One gives you the approximate weight of a roundball made of several diferent alloys. I ran the calculator for a .690 round ball and then found another calculator to figure grains to ounces.

Pure lead: 495 grains / 1.13 ounces

Wheel Weight: 477 grains / 1.09 ounces

I'm thinking that depending on what I cast the balls out of, if I get the mould, I can use appropriate data for that perticular alloy. I'm also thinking that a hard wheel weight ball is going to hold together pretty well inside of a deer. As long as the shot cup keeps the ball from rubbing in the bore I shouldn't have to worry about any leading. It will be like a relally really cheap sabot slug. If I go with 1-1/8 ounce data I have a little more of a safety margin, or I could use BPI's data if I can find it. I think I will order the mould instead of the card of BPI balls though. For not much more cost, why not have an unlimited supply of these things. Who knows, mabey I'll get a .70 black powder musket some day too.

Catfish · « **Reply #4 on:** December 02, 2004, 02:52:08 PM »

I played around with punken ball years ago, but couldn`t get much accuracy from them. Cheap to shoot if your looking for something for close range. If your wanting to load some good deer load get a mould for foster style slugs and cast them only with pure lead. I loaded up some of them too, and they were more accyrate than any boughten slug, includeing the sabots, in any gun tried in, both rifled and smooth bores.

Robert · « **Reply #5 on:** December 03, 2004, 05:39:52 AM »

I am new to all this, but I would tend to agree with Catfish. I have read in other places about people using W/W for balls and Foster slugs, but this is my theory, correct me if I am wrong. Hard-cast balls do not 'upset' when shooting them...permitting gasses to pass the ball, but ...my balls are .710 not .690..they wont fit into a shotcup so I patch them with Wonder Wads....so this might not be a factor with the .690 in a shot cup. HardCast Foster slugs.....these are like 'Minnie Balls'...the skirting expands into the rifling and improves accuracy...I would think that hard cast hollow slugs would crack....either in the muzzle....exiting the muzzle, or on impact with bone they would probably shatter. I tried some W/W Fosters this year...shot them into a gallon olive oil can filled with sand...they did not exit and I couldn't find slug peices any bigger than a match head.....they completely powdered-out. These were with an old black powder shotgun and light loads.

50 Calshtr · « **Reply #6 on:** December 03, 2004, 06:55:47 AM »

I've tried .690 round balls, Lyman and Lee foster slugs and the Lyman 535 grain slug that looks like a huge air rifle pellet over the last ten years. The only one that gave consistant accuracy from several guns was the Lyman 535. It's very accurate, easy to load, uses a fold crimp so you don't have to play with a roll crimp, and it is hell on deer. I cast mine from sorta pure lead and they penetrate completely and hold 2-3 inch groups at 100 yds from 3 guns. Once you get the mould they are as cheap to load as any and cheaper (and easier) than some that require card wads and a roll crimp device. There's good data for it in the Lyman shotgun loading manual.
Best