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Doc Thornton
06-27-2009, 07:20 PM
Please excuse me for asking this question. I'm sure that many new
BP shooters using a patch and ball and casting their own ask this,
but what about the sprue left on the .490 balls that I cast yesterday?

How can they be eliminated or reduced?
What happens if you just leave them as cast?
What position in the bore should the sprue be placed?
Dosen't the sprue cause the ball to have an erratic flight?

The balls are well cast and filled out but the sprue is very pronounced.
I am using a single cavity Thompson Center mold.

A few words of experienced wisdom from the folks would be appreciated.

Thanks, Doc T.

RayinNH
06-27-2009, 07:24 PM
Doc, just load them as is. Place the sprue bump centered as best you can and facing outward toward the muzzle. They'll cause you no problem at all. Welcome aboard also...Ray

jim4065
06-27-2009, 07:55 PM
You can also get rid of the sprue with a file, or by rolling the balls between two flat plates of steel or whatever. The "between two flat plates" trick works best with pure lead, natch. And Welcome, also.

imashooter2
06-27-2009, 09:05 PM
Put them in a cookie tin in your trunk for a couple of weeks and let them roll around.

frontier gander
06-27-2009, 10:52 PM
what mold are you using? Im using Lee and its been great. It just leaves a small flat spot on the ball. You end up with that flat spot everytime you load a ball. I load Sprue up.

JeffinNZ
06-28-2009, 05:14 AM
As Ray said, keep them on top, facing straight up and they will do OK.

I actually did some testing loading sprues off center and it made not a great deal of difference over 50m. Less than I expected. Still, why add a variable if you can avoid it ah?

mooman76
06-28-2009, 09:35 AM
If they bother you that much the best thing to do is not have them to start with. I'd get a Lee double cavity mould. That way you kick them out twice as fast and there is vertualy no sprue, just a small flat spot. I've never shot them with a sprue before because I have always shot the Lee's but test have been done and they suggest like other have stated there is little if any noticeable difference in the way you load them vs accuracy but it is siggested to load it sprue forward. Plus if you have a starter that is the right size/shape for your ball and it will probably round down that sprue some.

Rockydog
06-28-2009, 10:02 AM
Doc, Just load them sprue up or carefully trim them off with a utility knife. In some cases people inflict damage to the front of the ball with their short starter or ramrod that would have a bigger effect on accuracy than the sprue has. When patch material is too thick or powder residue starts plugging up the barrel grooves and people persist in loading by hammering away with the ramrod the face of the ball can get pretty mangled. RD

piwo
06-28-2009, 10:57 AM
Leave the sprue and fire away. I load sprue up as well. They bothered me at first just knowing they were there, but not anymore. Never seen a sprue mark on a target, and none of the deer that were so introduced mentioned it!

TAWILDCATT
06-28-2009, 11:34 AM
old old moulds did not have a sprue cutter,they just sniped the sprue or cut with a knife.:coffee:[smilie=1:

shotman
06-28-2009, 12:06 PM
You can also take a flat mill file and run the ball over it a couple of times. or put in a tumbler with nothing but the balls and it will get rid of it too

Doc Thornton
06-28-2009, 01:01 PM
Thanks everyone, for your responses.

I am using a Thompson Center single cavity mold, stated size of .490
and casting in pretty much pure lead. The lead is from the stick on
type soft wheel weights.

Since our relatives from Alabama have headed back home now I will
be able to get out to the range and give my version of a cast ball
a try.

I have been shooting .490 Hornady swaged balls and they work fine.
Perhaps I will pick up the Lee double cavity mould when I can get one
on the cheap.

Doc T