My .60 cal Tri-Ball Load Results

[Drakehammer]

This is my first OP here on Cast Boolits. I spend a lot of time working up buckshot loads for deer, but got interested in the Tri-Ball loads that are often discussed here. Had some .602 cal hard balls made up by an experienced fellow up in Cartersville, GA. So here are my results at 40 lasered yards. I had to make a few improvements to keep the wad base cup intact but other than that pretty much closely followed the Dixie recipes and recommendations shared here. This is out of my Beretta A400 26” barrel with a custom prototype choke I am developing. I am totally psyched! Stay safe and Enjoy!



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[5Shot]

Wow! What distance? Approx. Choke diameter?

[Hogtamer]

Looks like a pighammer to me! I'm just up the road in Appling.

[Drakehammer]

Looks like a pighammer to me! I'm just up the road in Appling.

Here on on Baker Place Rd. off of Columbia Rd. Turn at William Few. Harlem alma mater.


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[Drakehammer]

Wow! What distance? Approx. Choke diameter?

My choke designs have multiple constrictions but this was my .680 version. Shot was a lasered 40 yards yesterday.


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[Drakehammer]

The load is a 3 1/2” version using Steel powder, TUPRW123 wad, PSB and a roll crimp.

You can see by the picture, on a previous shot I failed to fully slit the wad to the cup, and now that wad and a round ball are a permanent feature in my shot trap frame.


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[5Shot]

I missed that wad poking out the first time...probably going to have a tough time getting it out of there!

[Traffer]

this is some serious stuff!

[HiVelocity]

Hal-

Sounds like you need to go visit this gentleman; put your heads together...........see what you two can put together.

HV

[Markopolo]

Wow... very interesting stuff here.... how was the recoil???

Imagine that... I just placed an order from precision... too bad them wads weren’t part of the package...

Those look very cool I must say... nice work!!!

[Drakehammer]

Wow... very interesting stuff here.... how was the recoil???

Well they are quite potent. Like a serious turkey load. But the Beretta A400 is known to be a “softer recoiling” gun say compared to my SBE II. My A400 is shimmed to fit me as closely as possible and it is modified with a better recoil pad that has a more appropriate shape for my chest/shoulder geometry. So that really helps. I believe the calculated recoil is 80-90 lbs but I’ll have to run those numbers when Im back at my computer to be sure.



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[luke777]

Well they are quite potent. Like a serious turkey load. But the Beretta A400 is known to be a “softer recoiling” gun say compared to my SBE II. My A400 is shimmed to fit me as closely as possible and it is modified with a better recoil pad that has a more appropriate shape for my chest/shoulder geometry. So that really helps. I believe the calculated recoil is 80-90 lbs but I’ll have to run those numbers when Im back at my computer to be sure.



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Well the plot thickens!! Ha ha ha!! I wnt down the triball road too a couple of years back. Living in Australia it was a real journey getting components but I did it. How amazing are they... absolute power-hammers. Recoil really knocked me around though. I was pretty rattled after 6-8 rounds and when the pigs are on I needed to be able to shoot more hence I am looking at some buckshot loads. So tempting to revisit these though seeing as I have all the components... Interesting to see you made a 3.5" version!! I have nothing chambered for 3.5" so I will have to stick with the 3". Your choke looks very interesting and results are truly excellent. Well done!

[Traffer]

I don't hunt pigs but think you would want something with smaller balls. Yikes 3 .60" balls in a 2" group? Single wound channel. These would be better suited for bear, I would think.

[LeonCarr]

Looks like you have experienced the power and the majesty of Tri-Ball Buckshot firsthand...there is no going back now.

Everything else is well, just buckshot.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

[Drakehammer]

Looks like you have experienced the power and the majesty of Tri-Ball Buckshot firsthand...there is no going back now.

Everything else is well, just buckshot.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

That’s funny but you could very well be right.


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[longbow]

Did you dimple the balls or is that from impact? Looks like the intentionally dimpled round balls I have seen for muzzleloaders.

That really is a nice tight group at 40 yards! Maybe makes a better choice than a slug?

Have you shot them further? Just wondering how the group holds up at 75 yards or beyond. If smoothbore slug accuracy just isn't there and those Tri-Ball loads keep at least a couple balls in th ekill zone at long range they may well be a better choice.

That is some serious stuff!

Longbow

[Drakehammer]

Did you dimple the balls or is that from impact? Looks like the intentionally dimpled round balls I have seen for muzzleloaders.

That is where the sprue was. I first tumbled the round balls together for several hours to smooth the sprue as much a possible. The balls are very hard so the sprue wasn’t completely smoothed out but was close. Just like the muzzleloader guys do, I stacked each ball in the wad with the sprue centered and pointed directly upward (toward the muzzle) to potentially minimize its contribution to the balls tumbling in flight. The sprue on the bottom and middle balls get flattened a bit on setback. That’s what you see in the picture.

I have not taken the balls any farther than 40 yards yet but will post results when I do.


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[luke777]

That is where the sprue was. I first tumbled the round balls together for several hours to smooth the sprue as much a possible. The balls are very hard so the sprue wasn’t completely smoothed out but was close. Just like the muzzleloader guys do, I stacked each ball in the wad with the sprue centered and pointed directly upward (toward the muzzle) to potentially minimize its contribution to the balls tumbling in flight. The sprue on the bottom and middle balls get flattened a bit on setback. That’s what you see in the picture.

I have not taken the balls any farther than 40 yards yet but will post results when I do.


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I think he may mean the tiny little dimples all over the balls that is from the spherical shot buffer? That is if you use spherical shot buffer? If you use #47 or something else well then I don't know what I'm talking about. Ha ha!

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[Drakehammer]

I think he may mean the tiny little dimples all over the balls that is from the spherical shot buffer? That is if you use spherical shot buffer?
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Yes the “eroded” or “pitted” surface is a result of the use of the spherical buffer. If you study the balls, you can tell the order that the balls were stacked in the wad.

Here’s some nickel plated buckshot that shows the effect of spherical buffer on the surface as well.




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[luke777]

Yes the “eroded” or “pitted” surface is a result of the use of the spherical buffer. If you study the balls, you can tell the order that the balls were stacked in the wad.

Here’s some nickel plated buckshot that shows the effect of spherical buffer on the surface as well.




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Will be casting some more soon myself. Have some Linotype and pure lead and dusted off the PID controller and melting pot so I am good to go. Still trying to decide whether or not to water drop them.... What hardness do you get with your shot again? Was it around 18 Brinell?

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