My .60 cal Tri-Ball Load Results

[6pt-sika]

Funny looking Tri-Ball. Good luck.


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No tri balls in those two pics I didn’t load any three inch stuff Monday just 2 3/4” and 10 gauge .

[bikerbeans]

Funny looking Tri-Ball. Good luck.


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Thread drift is SOP on this site.

BB

[Markopolo]

I Am subscribed to this thread, not because of the exact topic, but because I am interested in what these folks have to say, even if it’s off topic... maybe we should just have a topic like “6pt-Sika’s ramblings and musings”..I would subscribe to that one too... or one by drake, hogtamer, blood trail, longbow and many many others. Ramble or drift away.. I am with ya.. I read ya every day!

Funny looking Tri-Ball. Good luck.


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[bikerbeans]

Thread drift is SOP on this site.

BB

And a good thing, IMO.

BB

[5Shot]

My mould arrived today from the classifieds (0.575) - I'm going to cast some up and compare the patterning to the 0.600. I will be water dropping and heat treating to compare that as well.

[Drakehammer]

My mould arrived today from the classifieds (0.575) - I'm going to cast some up and compare the patterning to the 0.600. I will be water dropping and heat treating to compare that as well.

Make them 50% pure Pb and 50% Linotype and drop in water and they will make BPI and PR shot look like marshmallows. You actually won’t need to do a thing, but drop in water if you like. They are about perfect for Triball loads in my opinion.


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[5Shot]

My first attempts with Tri-Ball were a total failure. I'm going to try a few without buffer and see if I am messing things up on this step. Wads were totally destroyed and some loads missed the board entirely at 35 yards.

[Markopolo]

Big bummer 5shot!!!

[Drakehammer]

Doubt its the buffer. What size roundball, plastic wad, fillers, and choke are you using? Can you post pics of the spent wads or spent round balls?


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[luke777]

Doubt its the buffer. What size roundball, plastic wad, fillers, and choke are you using? Can you post pics of the spent wads or spent round balls?


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I agree. My experience leads me to suggest to you to look elsewhere for problems before buffer. Some pics of your recipe and results will be a help. Don't give up!

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[longbow]

The question is... did you follow the Dixie Tri-Ball load recipe and procedure exactly, as outlined by James Gates?

It seems several people have tried and failed when they didn't use the exact components James listed and I believe the wad being the most important.

Also, the buffer is there so help support the balls so they don't wedge and jam up. Not sure just what would happen without buffer. James did say not to use soft cast RB's as that could be dangerous for the same reason.

When I tried my 2 ball load I used some CSD steel shot wads I had and while the loads didn't do too badly (okay actually) the wads were totally destroyed. I'll use the wads that James recommended next time.

Longbow

[bikerbeans]

My first attempts with Tri-Ball were a total failure. I'm going to try a few without buffer and see if I am messing things up on this step. Wads were totally destroyed and some loads missed the board entirely at 35 yards.

More questions,

What lead alloy.

Heated treated, water dropped, air cooled.

Powder charge and type

Crimp.

0.600 or 0.575 round balls.

Sorted by weight?

Choke construction.

Wad type.

Hull type.

Lots of variables to consider before omitting the buffer.

BB

[EVR]

dongiveupguys!!

me neither...

[5Shot]

OK - I followed the Dixie Slugs Recipe exactly.

My balls were 0.575, 50/50 COWW/Pure, heat treated to 24 Bhn - I did not weight sort.
Remington Nitro Steel Hulls with the yellow base wad (same volume as the Chedite).
TUPRW123 wad
28.0 Blue Dot
PR Spherical Buffer
Roll Crimp (GAEP)
Kick's 0.670 GT Choke, Benelli M2 Barrel

I didn't save any of the spent wads, and I didn't dig any of the balls out of the dirt. Wads were destroyed, some with the bottoms blown out (I'm sure that was the one that missed the backer completely). I seated the balls hard in the bottom of the wad, and held them tight while vibrating the buffer in. Roll crimped with a GAEP tool using clear overshot disks and 0.030 card. Neither worked.

I'm not giving up, but it wasn't a promising start. My mould is a Lyman, which has more of a sprue than the Lee, and I did not try to minimize it in any way. Would not have thought it would make a huge difference at 35y.

[luke777]

OK - I followed the Dixie Slugs Recipe exactly.

My balls were 0.575, 50/50 COWW/Pure, heat treated to 24 Bhn - I did not weight sort.
Remington Nitro Steel Hulls with the yellow base wad (same volume as the Chedite).
TUPRW123 wad
28.0 Blue Dot
PR Spherical Buffer
Roll Crimp (GAEP)
Kick's 0.670 GT Choke, Binelli M2 Barrel

I didn't save any of the spent wads, and I didn't dig any of the balls out of the dirt. Wads were destroyed, some with the bottoms blown out (I'm sure that was the one that missed the backer completely). I seated the balls hard in the bottom of the wad, and held them tight while vibrating the buffer in. Roll crimped with a GAEP tool using clear overshot disks and 0.030 card. Neither worked.

I'm not giving up, but it wasn't a promising start. My mould is a Lyman, which has more of a sprue than the Lee, and I did not try to minimize it in any way. Would not have thought it would make a huge difference at 35y.

So by the sounds of that, the biggest difference are: the hull, the use of mica wad slick and no thin overshot card under the bottom ball?
I used Fiocchi hulls which I was advised were interchangeable for Cheddite hulls for the triball recipe and were the only option for me to import into Australia from the US at that time.
I used wad-slick to dust the wads and dropped a circle-fly thin overshot card (20 gauge I think ) into the base of the wad before the balls. It sits under the first ball and helps reinforce the wad base. Once I did all these things and used the spherical buffer as you describe I had success. There may well be other ways but I only have experience in this method.
Good fortune!

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[5Shot]

I did use mica - forgot to mention that. I did not use anything under the first ball, and don't recall that ever being mentioned before.

[luke777]

I did use mica - forgot to mention that. I did not use anything under the first ball, and don't recall that ever being mentioned before.

Yeah mate I will double check now but I am 99% certain that that was part of the recipe that was given to me. I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

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[luke777]

Yeah mate I will double check now but I am 99% certain that that was part of the recipe that was given to me. I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

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I am not very technologically gifted so I am going to take a photo of the email I was sent regarding this exact problem. I remember now, I had the same problem as you. The balls would blowing holes through the back or the base of the wads. Adding within over shot card to the recipe fixed it. This may be the answer to your problem hopefully.

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[luke777]

I am not very technologically gifted so I am going to take a photo of the email I was sent regarding this exact problem. I remember now, I had the same problem as you. The balls would blowing holes through the back or the base of the wads. Adding within over shot card to the recipe fixed it. This may be the answer to your problem hopefully.

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Of course, all this reloading stuff is at our own risk but I am going to make the assumption we are all adults here. Be safe! These recipes are not mine and whilst they worked for me.... Blah blah....

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[bikerbeans]

The OPs accurate triball load used .602" balls, not 0.575". Since the .602" balls fit well in a tuprw 123 wad i would think there would be enough room for the 0.575" balls to be off centerline in the wad. OP also used Steel not Blue Dot and Steel tends to run less peak pressure Blue Dot for a given payload and velocity.

Just my thoughts, i am lucky when i can get 1 roundball to go where i point it.

BB