.760" round ball mould

[wmitty]

Would a .760" dia. round ball sized down to groove diameter ( haven't figured out the sizing die setup yet.) work o.k. in a Savage 212 bolt gun? Seems like the rifling lands would have more to grip if the bearing surface were longer. Anyone see a problem other than sizing the ball down .025" or there about?

[OnHoPr]

It would load and fire out the end of the muzzle, but would it stay on its acksis. If it started of its acksis being off a truer center radius weight with the flats it might have a knuckle ball effect maybe. The weight would carry it true or should for short range 25 yds maybe 50, who knows maybe 100 yd minute of deer. But, why in a supposed accurate bolt gun, just for the economics or because it might be a thumper @ 50 yds or so.

[longbow]

I'm thinking you would be better off with something closer to groove diameter so when it enters the bore it is engraved and stable and spinning on it's axis as OnHoPr points out.

Having a football shaped slug being pushed by wads from behind its liable to tilt as it heads for the bore.

If you have the mould and just want to try, there's no harm in that but if it were me buying a new mould I think a round ball of about groove diameter or a few thou larger or flat based slugs would be better.

YMMV

Longbow

[FullTang]

I think the previous posts have identified the major potential problem: keeping the sized "belt" aligned with the bore axis. Tilting would not only lead to inaccuracy, but also could cause a huge pressure spike, and a shotshell isn't meant to hold anything in alignment, unlike a metallic casing. One possible solution: epoxy the sized ball to a gas seal (something like the LB12/Gualandi double-ender) so that it will have a fixed "tail". I can tell you from experience that this tail will pop off at some point after firing, but it should maintain alignment into the rifling. You could try the old screw through the ball and into the wad expedient, but that would have to be precisely centered if you want any kind of accuracy.

[wmitty]

Thanks for the heads up, guys! I see what you are describing and I don't think there is an easy solution to keeping the "football" aligned w/ bore. I'm gonna pass on this one.