No longer a real Boolit virgin....

[unstableryan]

I had to get a flat fixed today so I asked about the buckets of wheel weights. I gave the guy 20 bucks for a bucket I could barely lift.. maybe 3 gallons of them.

A few weeks ago, in my quest for small game rounds from my 45-70, I bought a round ball mold. Today I actually tried it.

With a camping stove, an ugly little steel pot, an old spoon for getting the clips out and a kinked/bent soup ladle for ladling... I made 130 beautiful shiny .457 round balls with about 10 or 15 that weren't pretty. They either got the pot again or the sling shot in the back yard after everything was cool. They go through sheet metal at 30 yards. I like it. Way better than the 3/8 steel balls...

I learned a lesson, when the cleaning spoon gets too hot and you cool it in water, do not stir the molten metal. I was lucky. It made the bad popping molten lead spraying sound and I only have a little burn on my arm. I learned a good lesson, even though I knew it was bad...

I am interested in quiet 1 ball loads and some hotter (1000 fps) 3 ball loads. I have a can of unique I have been using for my super soft 340gr cast hp's. I've tried 8-16 gr with them and settled on 10.5 for maybe 1100fps. I think it's about the same as a .44 mag in actual hitting power.. could be wrong but I plan on using them for whitetail this year as I seem to shoot them up close. At that speed they mushroom out pretty good being 30-1 and really soft.

But I digress... I have read to push the 1 ball loads down to just above the powder level so everything ignites well and a few other things about round ball loads..

If anyone has some words of wisdom, I'm all ears. This is new to me. In real life, I am a technician, and I listen to most other tech's talk... because I might learn something. Although, some cannot be helped :)


Thank you and I know you guys have more years of experience than I will ever have.

Ryan

[stubshaft]

You might want to consider using a felt washer saturated with lube (let harden then cut out with punch or sharpened case) over the powder and under the ball.

welcome to the world of cast projectiles. There's something satisfying about making and shooting your own projectiles.'

Good luck,

Joe

[Bret4207]

Glad you made the leap! It'll never stop stop now.

[dubber123]

As you seat the Rb's, once just below the neck, you can hand smear a little lube in the crack between the ball and case. Repeat as the multiple Rb's are seated. It seemed to work fine the time I tried it. I have heard of others just Liquid Aloxing the Rb's before loading also. Have fun.

[unstableryan]

Fun to look back on old threads. I've put a few thousand cast through my 45/70 now and killed a few deer, some snowshoe hares and a coyote with cast bullets. 3 ball loads with 12gr of unique or trail boss seem to have a little authority, though I've only shot small game with them. I cast a few bullets for this rifle, but I've only shot big game with a 480gr gas checked flat point with great effect. My hunting load is about 1600 fps and more powerful than it needs to be but the rifle loaded with those gives me more confidence than some of my other rifles when griz also live here. I have a savage .243 and a tikka 6.5x55 and they shoot deer very well, but they don't quite feel the same in thick bush.

[GhostHawk]

Pride of ownership, and rightfully so. Those are YOUR balls, you made them.

And the loads you create with them will be uniquely YOU also.

Be careful, tis a heady mix, it can go to your head.

Welcome to the brotherhood.