So... I got a Lee 0.600" mould for Christmas! You got to love family that gives you casting and reloading presents!
I've been toying with the idea of two and Tri_Ball loads for some time. James Gates posted Dixie's Tri-Ball load recipe which I will try but I also wondered about a two ball load in 2 3/4" hulls.
I cast up a bunch of balls yesterday and the mould cast perfectly. No cleaning (forgot), just sprue plate and pin lube, pre-heat and cast. Got keepers right from the start. No burrs, no issues, no problems of any kind. I haven't mic'd or weighed balls yet but they do look nice. The only downside is that the mould heats up quickly and has to be cooled or casting pace slowed but I used cooling and kept going fast with no other problems. This is a new style Lee mould and I would say good value for money and well made.
I have been wondering about why there doesn't seem to be much info on two ball loads and even Tri-Ball loads (which did get some press) when there is considerable interest in buck and ball loading. Personally I think a single projectile or something like Tri-Ball or two ball load is a better choice for bear or human self defense though any of these are a bit much for close range home/human defense. However, for bears that have taken exception to a guy being in the bush I think they are the way to go.
In any case, I am getting ready to try out some two ball loading. Two 0.600" RB's fit perfectly into 12 ga. CSD wads and should allow a nitro card wad in the bottom. They are a bit undersize but 3 wraps of note paper fixes that and I use 3 individual strips at 1 wrap each so they separate easily. I'll check bore fit but this seems good so far and is adjustable to bore by chaging paper thickness so will work and be used.
My plan is to use Federal field hulls and birdsshot load recipe of equal weight ~ around 626 grs. in wheelweights according to the Beartooth Bullets round ball calculator... I'll weigh some later.
I'll put either a nitro card wad under or a scoop of COW under and a nitro card wad between balls. With the paper wrap the column is firm so I won't use buffer.
If these RB's stay close this should be quite an effective load at least out to where ball spread is too large. If it all works out well, I'll check for equal weight slug or buckshot load data to improve performance. That may require hardened balls (currently ACWW). James recommends hardened balls for Tri-Ball loads.
The only two ball load I have read with any detail is from Shotgunworld ~ Deer Assassins two 0.690" RB load. Does anyone here have two ball load data they will share? And field results which is even better. If spread is too much too fast then not much point but since Tri-Ball loads seem to reach out a ways, these should too I think.
SIARM has both 3 and 2 ball "wads/sabots" but not sure if they ship to Canada. There must be interest on these loads in Europe. I'll check to see if they ship to Canada and at what cost.
If anyone has tried this or has any info please share. I will be loading up and testing in the next couple of weeks.
Longbow