Tri-ball?

[yondering]

OK, this'll be directed mostly at James, but maybe others would have input too? I've ordered a Lee .600" round ball and plan to make up some tri-ball loads, as James Gates has described, using hard cast balls. I ordered the BPI Multi-Metal 3" wads with a .045" wall (http://www.ballisticproducts.com/prodinfo.asp?number=3221230), which do not have a cushioned base. Is a .25" cork wad acceptable for a cushion? Or maybe I need two cork wads?

Also, I saw a post recommending to start with 28gr Blue Dot for this load. Can anyone verify this? If I "start" with 28gr, how much farther can I go?

Thanks in advance.

[Adam604]

Hi,

I'm not an expert at shotgun shell loading.

I have tried a few multi ball loads:

I used 2 Hornady .578 round balls in a 2 3/4 hull.

Load #1:
Federal target hull
Federal 209A Primers
20 Grains Unique
Federal 12S3 wads (pink)
20 gauge card wad with a hole punched into the center
Hornady ball
Cream of Wheat to cover Ball
20 gauge card wad with a hole punched into the center
Hornady ball
Cream of Wheat to cover Ball
Crimp with a 8 segment fold

I only loaded 5 of these and got good results at 40 yards, both balls hit about 3 inches or less apart at point of aim. Recoil was mild. I haven't shot more as I've been playing with LEE slugs and .735 Round Ball

I tried two rounds with out the center hole punched spacers and the results were not very good, one ball very near point of aim and the other barely on the 4'x4' sheet of paper.

As James of Dixie Slug has mentioned, the center punched wad or donuts wad seems to have a good bit of merit to it.

Future loads of heavy shot for me will be using Blue Dot...

Adam604

[turbo1889]

Well, specifically about your 12ga. multi-ball load I can't give specifics because I don't make them for the 12ga. However, I can give some general experience because I've done a triple-ball load for the 20ga. and my GF did one for her 10ga. -- In both cases we used "Steel" powder, tough Steel/Heavy-Shot wads, high-quality teflon based buffers, and got our initial load starting point from published very-heavy buffered shot loads -- i.e turkey and heavy-shot load data and then tweaked the load from their.

Be careful, use some common sense, use hard lead for your balls, and go slowly and you will do just fine.

Should of course give credit where credit is due --- James from Dixie Slugs blazed the trail in this area and if he hadn't we would all just be wandering in the wilderness.

[Dixie Slugs]

Excellent indeed! Now you good folks can make up some homemade Tri-Balls for yourselves.
Now...let's talk about what to do and what not to do! First of all use a good straight wall hull...we like the 12 ga 3" Cheddite from Graf & Sons.
The BPI wad was the first wad we used, but later went with the Precision Reloading TUPRW123 (orange)....it's a little tougher wad.
Next is the powder...Using 28 to 31 grs of Blue Dot will work, if you are careful about getting the crimp length of no more that 2.71" OAL for repeating guns.
Next...be sure the balls a tapped down tight in the wad! Use a wood dowel and a rubber hammer....and tap light! Then a buffer must be vibrated down around the balls until the buffer just covers the top ball. Tap again to be sure the balls did not move up while you vibrated the buffer in. The best buffer we have used is the Teflon buffer from Precision Reloading, but we have also used BPI's fine grade buffer.
Now Friends, there has been hundreds of deer and hogs killed with Tri-Ball loads over the past four years. It has proven itself in the field indeed. By following in detail these instructions, you can reloade/load Tri-Balls yourself indeed. Do not try to push the envelope more that I have posted here on powder. Use hard balls that will not setback and cause sidewall pressure.,,,you can even heat treat the balls if you want to, but it is not needed if you use WW with a little tin added.
Why does Ole" Dixie give out the recipe to Cast Boolits?....simple, most fellows here do not buy factory ammo and we also cater to the cast bullet folks indeed.
Be careful and stay with the recipe I have posted.
Regards, James

[missionary5155]

This is the old 80 caliber "Blunderbuss" load... 85 grains 2F or F + wading+3 balls+wadding. Used to "Repel Boarders" and "Boarders Away" by numerous navies until the advent of repeating arms.

[yondering]

James, thanks for the load data! Very helpful indeed! I have one final question though; do I need a cork disc under the BPI wad for cushion? You didn't specify it in your post above, but a picture of the Tri-ball load on your website shows the orange wad with a cork disc.

Thanks again for the input; it's very generous of you to share load data that you have worked up. You are right that many here (myself included) won't buy factory ammo; however, if I have success with this load this hunting season, I can direct my non-reloader relatives to your business, as they will probably want to try these as well. We are hunting whitetail in Mississippi, but are hoping for some hogs this year too.

[longbow]

yondering:

turbo1889 is one of the fellows that helped me out with slug loading info. He is a good guy to ask.

Also, +1 for all the information and help James has offered.

Longbow

[yondering]

OK, finally got the supplies I needed, and was able to fire a couple shots of tri-ball tonight. The load was as follows, per Jame's advice:
Rem "Nitro Mag" 3" hull
28gr Blue Dot
Win 209 Primer
3" BPI Multi Metal wad
3 .600" round balls, WCWW from Lee mold
cream of wheat filler

I vibrated the filler in between each ball. The bottom ball is a snug fit, but the top is loose, because the wad has tapered petals.
I did not use a cork wad, because there wasn't room for it.

It was getting dark when I shot them this evening, but the shot from my 28" Mossberg barrel with a cylinder choke grouped all 3 balls in one large hole at 25 yards. The 18" shorty barrel shot the balls spread out about 4" at the same distance; didn't get to try my smoothbore slug barrel yet. Recoil was very impressive.

Since it was getting dark I didn't use the chronograph. More experimenting with this load to come.

[Dixie Slugs]

Excellent! No, there is no wad, other than the wad holding the balls. There is an over-shot wad. Be careful with what you use as buffer! Some will pack and run the pressure uip. We have tried many different buffers and the most consistant is the Precision Reloading PRPSB22. It takes a little over 2.8cc of buffer to work best. And again...be extra sure that bottom ball is tight down in the bottom of the wad!!!!!
I have reloaded ammo since 1956 and will always support it...period. Most reloaders have friends that buy some type of factory ammo. and it is a fact that reloaders have led the way for many factory loads to be on the market. It was the reloaders than developed hard cast hangun loads that led the ammo people to wake up and put some on the market.
As for the Dixie Tri-Ball...just follow the recipe I gave you all...and go make meat with the load. You might what to put some sights on those smootbores wjem using a Tri-Ball design load. We use the Tru-Glo Gobbler Dot's on our vent rib barrels.
Regards, James.

[Hawk78]

Hello sir. I am waiting on my 12 gauge percussion side by side with a full and modified choked barrels. I'm fixing to order some 3 inch shot cups. I already have all the tradional wads and cards. I hunt small game, shoot skeet, and love to shoot deer running in front of my 6 beagle hounds. I am gonna develop a 00 buckshot load, and a .319 Lee mould load because 00 is .330, so close enough. I cannot afford to keep buying buckshot so I bought that mould. Anyways any suggestions on a buck n ball load and a tri-ball load fir my lovely muzzleloader? I appreciate everything guys.