round ball alternative to slugs???

[mossbergman]

I've been reading alot about round pumkin balls vs using slugs... i hear that the round balls are more accurate at 50 yards. Since I am mainly using it for target practice i would like to have more accuracy... are people fold crimping with these? or can you roll crimp? also i do not want to go over 1 oz. so can anyone provide me with the right mold size. Currently I have the lees 1 oz slug but that allong with the plastic wad is about 1/32" too wide. Thanks

[LUTNIT]

The most common pumpkin ball for 12ga is .690 and weighs I believe a tad over 1oz.
If the Lee slugs are too wide with your wads you may need to use a wad with a thinner pedal. I run Lee slugs in WAA12R and WAA12 wads and they fit nice and snug.
There are quite a few threads about it even on the first page so a quick look will garner some results:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?156606-690-Ball-in-12g
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?186880-690-Round-ball-loads-Help!

[longbow]

0.662" in pure lead is exactly 1 oz. but they are slightly small for standard shotcups so have to be "patched" to size for decent fit. I have gotten very good results from 0.662" balls.

A better fit for shotcups is 0.678" balls which are about perfect and just over 1 oz. Mine run about 460 grs. cast of range scrap lead.

Lyman makes both those moulds but they will cost about $65.00.

You might get a scissor mould at 0.680" from Dixie Gunworks or Track of the Wolf. They will be cheaper than the Lyman. Not slamming Lyman, almost all my round ball moulds are Lyman and they cast very well.

Lee makes a 0.690" ball mould but I have had trouble getting 0.690" to work in any shotcups I have tried. It can be done because people are doing it but you need thin petal shotcups or brush wads (cup with no petals). The 0.690" ball weighs about 1 1/8 oz.

Longbow

Oops! I forgot crimping. I have used both fold and roll crimp but prefer fold crimp with the round balls in shotcups because of the wad petals ~ they butt up against the roll crimp and can be wrinkled or bent unrolling the crimp. Fold crimp seems to work better for me anyway.