Help me get started with round ball loads for 12 and 20 gauge

[Cerberus62]

Thanks slingshot. Any idea where to get a mold?



-John

Lee makes a .600 RB http://leeprecision.com/mold-sc-ball-600.html

[longbow]

Sounds like that would suit any ball down to maybe even 0.662". I should order me some of those!

Thanks,
Longbow

[singleshot]

Lee makes a .600 RB http://leeprecision.com/mold-sc-ball-600.html

Lyman makes one, and I see other brands on ebay. Depending on your choke, you could go to .610...

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Greetings, for the very best prices on Lee molds go to MidSouth and you can get them for $18 plus change!
Lee only makes .600 RB and not .610"
Hoping it helps

Best regards,
Ajay

[BAGTIC]

I shoot 12 gauge round balls in a Remington 1100 with a rifled barrel. They are .735 diameter 600 grains from HTWW. The mold is a Lyman .735. I tried casting hollow base slugs and it was a PITA.

I use Blue Dot powder charges for 1 3/8 oz shot load. I cut the petals off a shot cup short enough that they don't reach the maximum diameter of the ball. I Fill the rest of the case with a couple of packing material 'plastic peanuts'. They are mild shooting as I keep them between 1000-1200 fps. They wil shoot 3-4 inches at 50 yards and penetrate about 8-10 inches of Douglas Fir.

I use the same technique for an H&R 20 gauge smoothbore with a .615 round ball that weighs 350 grain from HTWW. Heat treating the balls greatly improves penetration.