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Offline Bowhunter57

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Roundballs?
« on: January 14, 2005, 01:08:45 AM »
Has anyone ever reloaded a lead roundball, in your centerfire revolver?

I've hunted with cap and ball revolvers and the killing effects of a roundball are very impressive. However, I'm curious if a roundball can be loaded in a modern cartridge and fired safely.....with a moderate powder charge. A slight crimp could be done at the center of the ball.

Your opinions and experience is appreciated.
Thank you, Bowhunter57
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Offline Special Ed

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Roundballs?
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2005, 03:21:45 AM »
Hmmmmm, seems to me my old Speer manual lists roundball loads for some revolver cartridges. If I remenber though they are very light target loads.
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Offline dakotashooter2

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Roundballs?
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2005, 04:43:11 AM »
I've seen listings for roundball loads too. In 45 colt I believe.  Speer and maybe the lyman manual. I've also heard of loading 2 balls with fairly good short range results.
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Offline New Hampshire

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Roundballs?
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2005, 05:52:24 AM »
I think the older Lyman books have .45 colt data with roundballs.  If you like I will try and find the data and post it for you.
Brian M.
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Offline dakotashooter2

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Roundballs?
« Reply #4 on: January 14, 2005, 02:45:32 PM »
Speer #10   loads

.454 dia. 141 gr.

Assumed max loads. Not specified.

4.5 gr. Unique... 632 fps
4.0 gr. 231........ 544 fps
3.2 gr. Bullseye. 553 fps
3.2 gr. Red Dot.. 568 fps


Lyman 47th

.454 dia.  142 gr.

Max loads

4.3 gr Red Dot.. 536 fps
6.5 gr Unique.... 521 fps
7.2 gr. SR-7625. 602 fps
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Offline rickyp

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Roundballs?
« Reply #5 on: January 15, 2005, 04:07:26 AM »
I have used round balls out of my 45 colt and 375 jdj.
I have not hunted with them but they tend to be very accurate out to about 40 yards
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Offline sawfish

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Roundballs?
« Reply #6 on: January 15, 2005, 08:47:11 AM »
8) I have used a single 000 buckshot in an unsized .38 Special case over 1.5 gr. of Bullseye.  Push the ball all the way down on the powder (not compressed) with a wooden dowel, and drip in a couple of drops of beeswax from a candle (old school), or use one of the liquid lubes like Lee.  Makes a fine small game load.  Very accurate at short ranges, and has noise level about like a .22 short.

I have also used two #1 buckshot in a .38 Special case with a Speer shot capsule.  Used the same powder charges that Speer recommends for its shot capsules.  The balls strike fairly close together at 50 feet (6-10").  Should make an effective defense load, or good medicine for garden raiders and varmints.  Good luck.
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Offline 8rounder

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Roundballs?
« Reply #7 on: January 15, 2005, 10:48:49 AM »
Used to put two roundballs in a .38 and take to my pistol club. If the target required two hits, I'd fire only one and watch them try to figure out why the target had two holes in it. :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D  

Lots of fun!!!! :D
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Offline Daveinthebush

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« Reply #8 on: January 15, 2005, 01:00:19 PM »
Yes! In the .44 Mag.  Use a .431 dia ball and 5-6 grains of Unique with a filler material.  Works great on rabbits and such.  Good to about 20 yards and then you can probably out run it.
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Offline Bowhunter57

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Roundballs?
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2005, 02:47:01 AM »
Thank you for the informative replies, gentlemen! :grin:

I own a Ruger GP-100 .357 Mag. and would like to try some roundballs in it, for groundhogs, at close ranges of 30 yards or less. Now, all I have to do is find a .358 caliber roundball. :roll: Or purchase another handgun. 8)

Good hunting, Bowhunter57
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Offline gino

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Roundballs?
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2005, 03:58:05 AM »
Quote from: Bowhunter57
Thank you for the informative replies, gentlemen! :grin:

I own a Ruger GP-100 .357 Mag. and would like to try some roundballs in it, for groundhogs, at close ranges of 30 yards or less. Now, all I have to do is find a .358 caliber roundball. :roll: Or purchase another handgun. 8)

Good hunting, Bowhunter57


As Sawfish pointed out 000 buckshot works in the .357 bore. IIRC 000 is .360 nominal diameter. I have used pretty much the same load the Sawfish mentioned but with .360 cast balls that I picked up at a gun show.
gino  :-)
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Offline rickyp

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Roundballs?
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2005, 11:22:35 AM »
Quote
I own a Ruger GP-100 .357 Mag. and would like to try some roundballs in it, for groundhogs, at close ranges of 30 yards or less.


Groundhogs are tough little critters. I shot one with my marlin 9mm camp carbine at 30 yards. the round spun it around, then the groundhog just walked off like it wasn't even hit. I know I killed it because the farmer didn't see it any more. the animal died in its den. You would be better off using full power 357 or 38 loads.
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Offline Bowhunter57

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Roundballs?
« Reply #12 on: January 17, 2005, 02:16:45 AM »
gino and sawfish,
Thank you for the "tip" on the 000 buckshot size. I'll have to give them a try. I'm going to Cabelas today, so I'll see what they have in stock.

rickyp,
I'm with ya brother! Them g-hogs are tough customers. I shot one with my .22-250 and didn't see him again through the summer and assumed that I'd killed him. However, later that fall I was bowhunting through the woods next to the den area of that groundhog and there he was walking around on 3 legs. :oops: I got a good shot with my bow and killed him.  8)

I've hunted groundhogs with a cap & ball revolver before and a roundball has an amazing killing effect, despite the horrible ballistic coefficient that it has on paper. I'm glad that the critters can't read. :wink:

Good hunting, Bowhunter57
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Offline goosepit

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Roundballs?
« Reply #13 on: January 29, 2005, 07:25:22 AM »
Hi guys,
     Ive loaded some round balls in my 45 colts, and was wondering if any of you have a problem with primers backing out? how would I fix this problem? drill the flash hole out alittle and only use these cases for this purpose?
Also I was going to try some loads with 2 round balls but when I load one ball with another on top the ball underneath is very loose( like it can roll back and forth) and I'm sure this isnt safe, even If I size the case and use a .454 RB it still seams to loose. How do you guys solve this problem?
                                    thanks
                                         Scott
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Offline bubba15301

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roundballs
« Reply #14 on: January 31, 2005, 03:08:30 PM »
i have used loaded them in 44/40-  9gr universal clays .433 rb
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Offline S.S.

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Roundballs?
« Reply #15 on: February 08, 2005, 08:08:28 AM »
YES, THEY ARE CALLED STRIKE 3 BY THE COMPANY THAT PRODUCES THEM. REMINGTON LOADED THEM FOR A WHILE AND CALLED THEM
MULTI-BALL ROUNDS. I LOAD THEM IN VARIOUS CALIBERS
INCLUDING MY .45-70'S.
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Offline S.S.

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Roundballs?
« Reply #16 on: February 08, 2005, 08:21:31 AM »
Forgot something.
To stop the balls from rolling around inside the case
I place them on a piece of wood and thump them with
a brass mallet to flatten them slightly before loading them
flat side up. This makes a tighter fit. I also put a cork wad over the powder. I take a deprimed case that has been sized and use it to
create wads. Buy a roll of cork at the local craft store
Take a piece of wood and roll the cork out on it. Use the deprimed case
as sort of a cookie cutter by tapping it with a mallet.
It will make a nice round wad. I use them in all of
my black powder cartridges too.
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