My .60 cal Tri-Ball Load Results

[luke777]

I'd try for 725-750 and run the mold HOT. Once that mold is scorching you should get good fill on every pour.

It's funny you should say that. I have just fired it up again and I am going for 720°. I am also heating the mold up on the gas stove top to get it pretty warm before I start. I will let you know how I go.

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[longbow]

I think "HOT" is required for the Lee buckshot moulds.

I dont use a thermometer and am a ladle caster from a pot on a propane stove. However, I know the characteristics of the lead and what is hot. My brass moulds and NOE moulds like much hotter alloy than my iron moulds. My Lee 00 buckshot mould likes really hot!

Running the Lee 00 buckshot mould past typical frosting heat is the only way I could get good fill out and all three high cavities to fill. Once hot and running though the mould works well.

Longbow

[luke777]

I think "HOT" is required for the Lee buckshot moulds.

I dont use a thermometer and am a ladle caster from a pot on a propane stove. However, I know the characteristics of the lead and what is hot. My brass moulds and NOE moulds like much hotter alloy than my iron moulds. My Lee 00 buckshot mould likes really hot!

Running the Lee 00 buckshot mould past typical frosting heat is the only way I could get good fill out and all three high cavities to fill. Once hot and running though the mould works well.

Longbow

I think you are right. I'm at 750 and still no dice. Ambient temp here is 31C so around 90 deg in your scale so that's not a (comparable) factor in temp loss really. I'll keep creeping up.

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[Hogtamer]

Get that nice laminated strung longbow away from that heat!

[luke777]

Get that nice laminated strung longbow away from that heat!

It's a bit of an optical illusion Hogtamer. It's well enough away from the heat. Nice spot though! That's my American flat longbow. My favourite rig at the moment.

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[5Shot]

Ordered the wads and have some balls here from 6pt-sika, so as soon as I have everything here I'll be trying these out.

[6pt-sika]

Ordered the wads and have some balls here from 6pt-sika, so as soon as I have everything here I'll be trying these out.

Wads I ordered are “supposed” to be here Tuesday . All that speedy shipping they claim to have is still taking 9 days .

[EVR]

What a great thread!

Anybody got a clue for a load using Win AA huls or Rem STS/Gun Club hulls? I'm assuming a 2-ball maybe?

[6pt-sika]

What a great thread!

Anybody got a clue for a load using Win AA huls or Rem STS/Gun Club hulls? I'm assuming a 2-ball maybe?

Those are the hulls I plan on using . And I’ll arrive at a load with SR7625 based my WEIGHED weight for the balls used . I wanna try and keep the pressure a bit low and the predicted velocity around 1000-1100 FPS . In the 10 gauge and if the .69” ball is kinda snug in the steel shot wad I’ll use 29.8 grains of SR7625 and that will be in the pressure velocity range I’m looking for .

[6pt-sika]

On a side note I cast 80 or so solid base Lyman sabot slugs from my NOE mold in an alloy of 50/50 WW/Pure . Plan on loading a dozen or so of those the same time I try and do the .600” round balls .

[5Shot]

On a side note I cast 80 or so solid base Lyman sabot slugs from my NOE mold in an alloy of 50/50 WW/Pure . Plan on loading a dozen or so of those the same time I try and do the .600” round balls .

Did you find load data for that solid slug?

[6pt-sika]

Did you find load data for that solid slug?

Not yet I'll weigh them tomorrow and go from there . I shouldn't think the solid base is more then 60 grains extra .

[Markopolo]

You won’t have any trouble finding data for the solid base... I have a bunch if you give me the weight I can dig around if you can’t find nuthin..

[6pt-sika]

The wads arrived from Precision Tuesday I’ve gotta preview an auction tommorrow so I’ll see if I can’t drag a couple loafers to the shop Friday and load some double balls for 12 2 3/4” and possibly triple balls for 12 3” . Also wanna load some 69 balls for the 10 gauge it “appears” to be a fair fit with those rather thick petaled steel wads and hopefully load some 12 2 3/4” with the solid base slugs . FWIW those felt 1/4” wads work very well or so it appears in between the balls . 20’s for the 10 gauge and 28’s for the 12 .

[EVR]

FWIW those felt 1/4” wads work very well or so it appears in between the balls . 20’s for the 10 gauge and 28’s for the 12 .

Do they introduce any "give" in the whole payload? I'd think this would be a no-no. Don't you want a solid stack with no slop between the balls? Or are those felt wads "hard"?

Looking forward to your 2-ball testing.

[6pt-sika]

Do they introduce any "give" in the whole payload? I'd think this would be a no-no. Don't you want a solid stack with no slop between the balls? Or are those felt wads "hard"?

Looking forward to your 2-ball testing.

Yes they’re soft .

[6pt-sika]

Well I have my MEC Steelmaster that’s set for 12 gauge 3” , a MEC 600JR that’s set for 12 gauge 2 3/4” , my MEC Sizemaster that’s set for 10 gauge 2 7/8” and a menagerie of powders , wads , hulls and other stuff in the back of the truck for trial and error at the shop tommorrow . I have no doubt the 10 gauge with 69 ball inside the Precision steel wad should go easily and the 12 gauge 2 3/4” with the solid base Lyman sabot slug . The 12 gauge 2 3/4” and 3” with double or triple .600” balls might be a slightly different story

[6pt-sika]

I’m kinda sniffing around a rather nice but well used Belgium Browning A-5 20 gauge magnum , if I’m able to get the deal struck I’m gonna get a bunch of once fired Remington 20 gauge 3” hulls and another roundball mold

[Drakehammer]

James at Dixie slugs was adamant that the round balls are stacked directly on top of each other without anything in between including buffer. I’ve had great luck following this suggestion. I stack the balls with a quarter inch cork or fiber wad in the shut cup. The last round ball will be about half way into the 3 inch wad. Then I hold the balls in place while I pour the spherical buffer and vibrate it all into place. I am having better accuracy results with the 3 1/2” version.


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[EVR]

James at Dixie slugs was adamant that the round balls are stacked directly on top of each other without anything in between including buffer. I’ve had great luck following this suggestion. I stack the balls with a quarter inch cork or fiber wad in the shut cup. The last round ball will be about half way into the 3 inch wad. Then I hold the balls in place while I pour the spherical buffer and vibrate it all into place. I am having better accuracy results with the 3 1/2” version.


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This is what I thot, that one should not place any felt or other material between the balls.