Using wheel weights to cast for patched loads.

[Drifty4]

Can you use wheel weights to cast round balls to use in patched blackpowder loads, or does it have to be plain lead?

[quail4jake]

Can you use wheel weights to cast round balls to use in patched blackpowder loads, or does it have to be plain lead?

Happy new year! Certainly if the round balls are for a revolver soft lead is necessary. But that isn't your question. I cast thousands of round balls and use 'em all in a years time, the vast majority for PRB rifle and smoothbore. I never gave anything but pure lead a thought and this is why:1) pure lead is easy to handle and has a high surface tension which makes it seek the roundest form in the molten state making round balls a natural.2) Pure lead is the most dense of our common casting metals and the softest...so, you end up with a soft, heavy projectile which is the only terminal ballistic advantage that a round ball offers. Low B.C., no controlled expansion, no jacket, poor aerodynamics etc. 3) It's authentic, we know that any shoulder weapon projectile prior to 1860s era was lead unless it was inadvertently alloyed or made of silver or gold (very rare). I'm interested in other's input!

[SSGOldfart]

For years we used wheel weights to cast nearly every thing,then learned to use pure lead because it's softer which is easiest on the gun,you'll also get better shot to shot consistency with pure lead to.

[arcticap]

Can you use wheel weights to cast round balls to use in patched blackpowder loads, or does it have to be plain lead?

It depends.
They may not be as accurate in a rifled bore, but should be okay in a smooth bore.
Harder balls may not obturate the same when fired.
Round ball molds are usually intended to be used with pure lead, and wheel weight lead may produce slightly larger balls.
But some folks may like harder balls for hunting if they penetrate better because they expand less.

[GARD72977]

I have shot quite a few WW cast round balls. I never noticed much difference shooting paper.

As side note a club I shot in wanted you to use soft lead because hard lead damaged the knocked down targets.

[Drifty4]

Thanks a lot. Good answers.

Guess straight lead it is.

[RU shooter]

For a smooth bore I'd say ww are fine . In a rifled bore I found it harder to get the ball started with the same patch thickness I use with soft lead after it's started though both ram down the same

[mooman76]

I used WW lead and range lead for years. I didn't have any pure lead at the time. It works just fine, even in rifled bores. Like stated not good for revolvers because you could bend/break the loading rod and they do come slightly larger so you may need to use a slightly thinner patch.

[Thundermaker]

I use WW in everything, because I got a lot of it for free, and I'm a cheapskate. I have never bent a loading lever on a revolver. As has been stated, round balls typically come out larger than the listed mold diameter (usually about 0.003", I find). I got excellent accuracy in my old .45 percussion gun with WW round balls, a patch of muslin, and crisco for patch lube. I was able to start the ball easily with thumb pressure. I never used a starter. Dang, I miss that gun. It was an FIE "kentucky" style gun, considered bottom-tier quality, but it sure was a tack driver.

Reminiscing aside, just select your patch material accordingly, and It'll work fine. At least it has for me.

[dondiego]

WW work just fine with patched round ball shooting.

[waksupi]

I've been using WW's in my muzzleloaders for 45 years, with good results.

[Hanshi]

I liked them and used them quite successfully in my .40 and in my smoothbore. Not for revolvers, however.

[charlie b]

I used WW balls in my 58 Remington all the time. That pistol had really 'sharp' edges on the chambers and shaved lead off the balls nicely.

Also used patched WW balls in a .45 Kentucky rifle. Was good enough for a few inches at 100yd.

[Tasbay]

Never notice much difference between Wheel Weight and Pure round ball with a patch. In 50cal I use .490 wheel weight and .495 Pure. The 58cal`s .562 Wheel weight and .570 Pure. All shoot just fine.

[slim1836]

I say try different alloys using the same mold, check for size, and shoot them. See if you can tell the difference and let us know your findings. Experimenting is the fun part, reporting back is worth the reading.

Your opinion matters.

Slim

[mattri]

Why not in revolvers?

[Thundermaker]

Why not in revolvers?

I use them in revolvers all the time.

[Eddie2002]

I've tried wheel weights for my .50 caliber and noticed that they weigh less and had less drop at 100yds with the same powder load when compared to pure lead round balls. Just don't get them mixed up when trying to work up a load, it will ruin your day at the range. LOL

[GregLaROCHE]

With out a doubt, pure lead is the best choice for reasons already stated. However, what if you don’t have a good source of pure lead, like me. I have a big stockpile of range scrap, but it usually around, at least 12 BHN. I’ve been shootings round balls in a smooth bore for two years and I have just bought a rifled muzzle loader.

I am for sure still on the learning curve and my guns are originals, so those are two big variables.
Anyhow when I tried pure lead, I didn’t see any difference. I load cream of wheat on top of the BP and then a patched ball. I do it this way, because that is the way the serious competitors do it.

I just read the other day, that soldiers shooting Enfields, would often add clay to help the expansion of mini balls.

[waksupi]

Why not in revolvers?

I broke a couple loading levers over the years using the harder wheel weight lead.

[mattri]

Interesting, thanks.
Every day is a school day.

[KCSO]

In a revolver you don't want too tight a ball with w/w. Instead of 457 I drop back to 454 and so on. I prefer softer lead for my rifles but use w/w for all my smooth bores.

[gunther]

Revolvers cut a ring of lead off the edges of a properly fitting round ball as you seat them. If the ball is too small, to make it easier to seat, sooner or later, you might get a chainfire. Quite an experience. Patched roundballs in a rifle show engraving from the patch material. WW lead will require a small hammer to start into the bore. Pure lead is the best way to go.

[dondiego]

Revolvers cut a ring of lead off the edges of a properly fitting round ball as you seat them. If the ball is too small, to make it easier to seat, sooner or later, you might get a chainfire. Quite an experience. Patched roundballs in a rifle show engraving from the patch material. WW lead will require a small hammer to start into the bore. Pure lead is the best way to go.

Not true, I have never had to use a hammer on my WW balls. I had to use a short starter once when I was experimenting with patches

[doulos]

I have used 20-1 alloy for both .54 and .58 cal roundballs. Not a lot of them. I didnt have any real problem loading and they seemed just as accurate as pure lead. I used the 20-1 for casting bullets for my Sharps. The alloy is listed is supposed to be slightly softer than COWW.

[rmark]

I’ve used soft lead, range lead, and wheel weight lead for round balls in rifles, all worked fine at 50 yards.

[charlie b]

Revolvers can be a problem, sometimes.

My remington replica had very 'sharp' chamber mouths. Easily took WW round balls without much extra stress on the load lever.

Father-in-law had a .36 colt replica and it was tough to load with WW stuff. The chamber mouths were not as 'sharp' and swaged the ball a little (.001 or .002" maybe) as it shaved off a bit of lead.

[509thsfs]

Stick on WW's I use for my flintlocks. You can use clip ons I guess. They are harder. No biggie for punching paper, but not going to flatten out on a deer like pure or stick on will. I personally like them flattening out and doing more damage

[waksupi]

Stick on WW's I use for my flintlocks. You can use clip ons I guess. They are harder. No biggie for punching paper, but not going to flatten out on a deer like pure or stick on will. I personally like them flattening out and doing more damage

A round ball is pre-expanded. I prefer insuring a complete pass through with WW balls.

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello Drifty4,

I was told if you can put a finger nail scratch into the ball, it's soft enough.
When a Patched Ball is loaded, the weave of the patch should be able to impress itself into the ball.

AntiqueSledMan.

[ogre]

Ummmm...that is WAY too tight a load in IMHO. The weave of the patch should impress itself when the ball obturates from the force of the explosion behind it during the firing sequence not upon the loading sequence.

Soft lead is recommended for most applications (especially BP revolvers) but not always. I have a 62 caliber underhammer rifle with Forsythe rifling. The maker suggested I use wheel weights or lead of an equivalent Brinell hardness number when I cast the balls. He was spot on and so is the rifle.