What I have learned (so far) about loading roundballs

[Blood Trail]

If you want some 0.735" RB's to try I can send you some. Let me know.

I could probably send a dozen in a package as lead weights. Canadian postal rates aren't cheap but that should be doable.

My best RB groups to date are with 0.662" RB's cloth patched into a shotcup in hull. Cloth thickness selected to give tight push through fit of patched ball in shotcup through smoothbore barrel, and 0.735" RB's over wad column of plastic gas seal then hard card wads topped with nitro card wad.

Both give 3" to 4" groups to 50 yards.

The 0.735" RB's also gave me +/- 2" groups at 50 yards when shot from a borrowed rifled Remington 870. That was for three 5 shot groups.

Sub bore RB's in shotcups will likely have to be fitted with shotcups to suit a rifled bore and maybe paper or cloth patched (shimmed) to correct fit.

Like I said, the 0.678" RB's fit well in some shotcups but are too loose in others. Cloth patching 0.662" RB's might be easier to get good fit plus keep the ball from skidding in the shotcups. Of course if fit isn't fairly tight in rifled gun the ball will skid in the shotcup.

Recovered 0.735" RB's showed good rifling so they didn't skid.

Longbow

I may take you up on that offer.


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[megasupermagnum]

I know how weird it is to ship bullets to Canada. I don't know if the reverse is true. If it is a pain, I can easily send some .735" balls myself.

[longbow]

No issues sending "projectiles" to the States. It is illegal for you guys to export though unless you have an FFL. Homeland Security does not like bullets or even empty brass exported. Of course powder and primers are restricted but even bullets of any kind and empty brass. Go figure.

The only issue is the cost of the Canadian postal service. We don't get flat rate boxes like you guys. I could likely mail about a dozen 0.735" RB's for $20.00 or so. I think last time I sent RB's to Hogtamer it cost me that. Hah! In the States I can ship up to 50 lbs. or is it 70 lbs. across the country for about $8.00 if memory serves.

I used to drive down to Waneta in Washington and mail from there but it turns out that technically I am not allowed to do that anymore. I'd be in possession of projectiles in the US and not being a citizen that is a no-no! I used to shot for reloading supplies in Colville Washington but can't do that anymore either.

Anyway, I don't mind sending a dozen or so 0.735" RB's if you want to try them. I normally cast from ACWW or range scrap so moderately hard balls. The ones I shot through rifled barrel and recovered showed nice crisp rifling.

Let me know if you want me to send some... and PM me your address of course.

Longbow

[megasupermagnum]

You have got to love those flat rate boxes. I've even seen molds sold on here that cast ingots perfectly to fit into a flat rate box. Those poor workers must hate when they have to pick up a full medium flat rate box. 70 pounds is the limit for any size I believe, which is about a 3/4 full medium box of lead. If my math is correct, .735" balls should stack nicely 2x7 by 12 rows high in a small flat rate. 168 balls should weigh about 14 pounds. I could send that for $8.30.

[Outpost75]

Where do you find a .625 or .630 round ball mold for a 20-ga. cylinder bore?

[Maven]

Outpost, Google Tanner Ball Moulds. They make excellent single cavity brass moulds (sans sprue cutters) to your specifications. Although they are in England, delivery is quick and prices are reasonable (based on current exchange rates).

[longbow]

Hahahaha!

"168 balls should weigh about 14 pounds. I could send that for $8.30."

Not from Canada! Like I said, it cost me about $20 CDN (about $15 US) to ship about a pound of round balls to Hogtamer. I don't recall what it cost me to ship the last slugs I sent to BT but had to be about the same for a dozen or so slugs.

I hear a lot of complaints (or at least I used to) about USPS but you guys have way lower rates and way faster delivery. Canada post says they deliver same day within city, 3 days within province and 4 days nationally. HAH!!! It takes a week to get a letter to the next town which is a 20 minute drive away and it has taken a month more than once to get mail from Castlegar to Vancouver or Calgary both about 8 hour drive away!! And they have a little slot they check anything thicker than an envelope with and if it won't go through it is about 3x the regular postage.

Okay... sorry... Canada Post rant off.

That's why I used to drive to Waneta Washington to mail slugs to people. It is about a 45 minute drive but what I spend in gas I save in postage and can mail larger/more weight cheaper... and it gets to its destination in the States usually in about 3 days at most. I just can't do that anymore. From Canada it usually takes 2 weeks to a month to clear customs then get into USPS system.

Anyway, not a problem. If BT wants some round balls I'll send him some round balls. I'd like to see 0.735" RB's really rung out in a rifled gun with a variety of load recipes and posted with pics.

msm... you've done quite a bit of 0.735" RB shooting haven't you? Have you posted detailed field results? I may have seen some but don't recall a lot of detail. I have been wanting to see the comparison between RB loads and typical slug loads. If you've posted details please point me to the post(s). Thanks.

Longbow

[Blood Trail]

Hahahaha!

"168 balls should weigh about 14 pounds. I could send that for $8.30."

Not from Canada! Like I said, it cost me about $20 CDN (about $15 US) to ship about a pound of round balls to Hogtamer. I don't recall what it cost me to ship the last slugs I sent to BT but had to be about the same for a dozen or so slugs.

I hear a lot of complaints (or at least I used to) about USPS but you guys have way lower rates and way faster delivery. Canada post says they deliver same day within city, 3 days within province and 4 days nationally. HAH!!! It takes a week to get a letter to the next town which is a 20 minute drive away and it has taken a month more than once to get mail from Castlegar to Vancouver or Calgary both about 8 hour drive away!! And they have a little slot they check anything thicker than an envelope with and if it won't go through it is about 3x the regular postage.

Okay... sorry... Canada Post rant off.

That's why I used to drive to Waneta Washington to mail slugs to people. It is about a 45 minute drive but what I spend in gas I save in postage and can mail larger/more weight cheaper... and it gets to its destination in the States usually in about 3 days at most. I just can't do that anymore. From Canada it usually takes 2 weeks to a month to clear customs then get into USPS system.

Anyway, not a problem. If BT wants some round balls I'll send him some round balls. I'd like to see 0.735" RB's really rung out in a rifled gun with a variety of load recipes and posted with pics.

msm... you've done quite a bit of 0.735" RB shooting haven't you? Have you posted detailed field results? I may have seen some but don't recall a lot of detail. I have been wanting to see the comparison between RB loads and typical slug loads. If you've posted details please point me to the post(s). Thanks.

Longbow

Sending you my addy.


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[longbow]

Got it.

I think I have to do some casting but will check later. If so I can do that fairly quickly and get these RB's on their way.

Thanks for doing this.

Longbow

[megasupermagnum]

I've reported my results at the shooting range, but have not hunted much with the .735". Last year was the first and only time I shot an animal with them. This year our deer limit is only 1, so I've let everything pass so far, plus I've been using my muzzleloader. We had an early antlerless season that allowed more, and the first day, a doe came running right in, and cut by on the trail in front of me not 10 feet away. I raised the gun, but it was too fast. I tried to get a shot, but by the time she slowed, she was straight away from me. I'm not one to try and shoot deer up the backside, although it would have been lethal. That's just another deer in a long list that would have been dead if only we were allowed to use a shotgun with buckshot, as I would have shot her as she trotted past.

As for comparisons to regular slugs, that depends on what regular is. I do have a few pictures of rifled slugs recovered from deer, I could show how they flatten out. I've never recovered any other type of slug from a deer. I wouldn't say I've done a ton of shooting with a .735" ball. I think I got my first mold that size 3 years ago. I've had great results right off the bat with rifled barrels, but not as much with smooth bores.