Could I Coat My Round Balls

[trapper44shooter]

Hey guys I am a GREENHORN could I use some kind od a coating on my round ball for my 44 cal cap & ball revolver I am worried that the lead will take away form the accuracy or will they do ok as is

[kevin c]

Won't people think you're shooting marbles? Of course, I've been accused of loading lipsticks into my magazines, so maybe I shouldn't yank your chain ;^].

I don't see why you couldn't coat your round balls, but I'll let a real front stuffer who knows what they're talking about give you the straight dope.

[rondog]

The coating would probably get shaved off when you press them into the cylinder. Mine always cuts a lead ring off the balls. A powdercoating might them more difficult to load too.

[cwlongshot]

It’s been done before.

CW

[rancher1913]

think he means a lube coating. just use a lube cookie under the ball or some crisco on top

[Petrol & Powder]

trapper44shooter - cap & ball revolvers work fine with soft lead projectiles and some type of lube (lube over the bullet/ball, a lubed wad under the ball, etc.). In fact, they worked that way for a long time before there was anything else available.

There's a LOT of misinformation out there concerning lead projectiles and leading of barrels. A lot of uninformed people will tell you that pushing any lead projectile down a barrel will result in leading; it's just not true.

As for coating a lead ball before loading, I agree that most of that coating is going to be removed when the ball is seated in the chamber.
When the ball is properly sized for the gun, a tiny bit of lead is shaved off when the ball is seated. Some type of lube is used either under or over that projectile. The combination of a properly sized, soft lead ball and some type of bullet lube will work just fine.

Black powder pressures and velocities are relatively low. The projectile needs to be soft (which means nearly pure lead). A hard lead projectile WILL result in leading.
With cap & ball revolvers and black powder; the fouling from the powder is far more annoying than any issues caused by the lead projectile.

[Petander]

It’s been done before.

CW

Yes.

[Three44s]

Metal flake?

Who would of ‘thunk it!

Three44s

[bangerjim]

Of course.YES! I coat round balls all the time with the shake-n-bake method. You will get a little divot on the bottom where it sits on the baking sheet or foil but no big deal.

I coat for cartridges.......38, 40 and 45 cal. NOT black powder rifles.

Coat away!


banger

[dikman]

The projectile needs to be soft (which means nearly pure lead). A hard lead projectile WILL result in leading.

DO NOT try and load anything other than pure lead in a cap-and-ball revolver! Hard lead will jam and may break the loading lever!

Ask me how I know!!!!

I coated some with Hi-Tek once (like Petander), doesn't actually achieve anything other than making them look pretty.

[GregLaROCHE]

I’ve wondered the same thing for a muzzle loading gun. Now I guess you can.

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

I don't think there is any performance benefit in coating RBs. In a C&B revolver you'll shave off the coating, in a regular muzzleloader the coating never comes in contact with the bore since the RB is typically patched. That said, I started coating all my RBs for the sole purpose of minimizing lead exposure. Powder coating RBs does not hurt anything.

[dikman]

That said, I started coating all my RBs for the sole purpose of minimizing lead exposure.

That is actually a good point, given that when shooting muzzleloaders we tend to handle lead a bit.

[owejia]

Have powdered coated a small amount of bird shot just to see if it can be done. Use powdered coated .360 dia round balls in my snubbie home defense loads. Have some .310 dia round balls that will be powdered coated for use in a couple of Nagant revolvers. I use a silicone mat on top of my baking plates. A large dia silicone ring will contain the balls from rolling off when loading the oven. As BangerJim said shake and bake works really good on the round balls.

[Dragonheart]

This is Buckshot I coated after pressure rolling to make them round.

[longcruise]

I can see some benefit in using PC to make a ball a little larger. I have a mold that drops a .533 ball. PC could probably make it around .535.

[Drew P]

DO NOT try and load anything other than pure lead in a cap-and-ball revolver! Hard lead will jam and may break the loading lever!

Ask me how I know!!!!

I coated some with Hi-Tek once (like Petander), doesn't actually achieve anything other than making them look pretty.

I would contend that it would still have the benefit of being a barrier to touching toxic lead when out shooting. That’s a bonus I enjoy with my coated cartridges.

[Doubles Shooter]

I would contend that it would still have the benefit of being a barrier to touching toxic lead when out shooting. That’s a bonus I enjoy with my coated cartridges.

I'm thinking the same thing. I just picked up a .36 cal. round ball mold to make slingshot ammo for the grandkids. Coating them would be great for that. Going to try soon. I love PC, but I'm out of boolits to coat. This will give me a temporary fix for the addiction.

[cwlongshot]

WXCELLENT use and absolutely YES better for them grand babies!!

[country gent]

simple lubed wad between powder and ball doe help a lot.It is simple and easy to use. Just drop the charge then seat he wad with a thumb. This will get the lube in and also help to reduce the chance of a chain fire. Another way is after seating the ball simply fill the chambers remaining opening with crisco.

The powder coating will reduce lead contact, but will probably shear off when loaded with the lead thats sheared off still exposing lead to the bore. An actual lube on the balls lee alox, 45-45-10 ect may in a muzzle loader inhibit the patch release affecting accuracy. In the cap and ball revolver this lube may ease loading and give a tighter fit to the chamber