Question on .575 20ga round ball

[fecmech]

Cast up some pure lead RB's and put them in 20ga claybuster 7/8 wads. The petal thickness on the wads brings the total diameter to .640 which really concerns me in a .620 smooth bore. Remington sp20 wads give me .620 so I feel better there. From what I've rad here you fellows use the BP Commander wad, what is the petal thickness on it? I don't want to screw up a barrel just to play around plinking. My plan was just to plink using target loads @ 1200 fps.

[gpidaho]

fecmech: Caliper measurement says .023 very slightly thinner at the mouth. Gp

[bcp477]

I use 0.530" balls myself....in the Claybusters wads. As such, they are a bit loose - so I use a small strip of ordinary paper to dry wrap a sort of cup for the ball to sit in, inside the wad. I also shorten the wad petals by about 1/2. Works very well - I get great accuracy. I have never actually measured the overall diameter of the load package, I just know that it fits very nicely in my 20 gauge barrel(s).

I'm no expert, but it sounds to me as if you need a bit smaller diameter ball to be safe. Perhaps something like 0.555" ? I don't cast my own, I buy them. Hornady swaged balls. I started using the .530" dia. simply because they are stocked at my local Cabelas. I know that Hornady does make several sizes above .530". Perhaps you should buy a box of those and try them out. Then you could have a good idea of what will work ...and could adjust your casting activities (mold size) accordingly.

Just my 2 cents - probably only worth about that much...

[richhodg66]

bcp477, is this in a smoothbore barrel?

[Roosterbob]

For years I have used the following with good success; NOT TESTED so use at your discretion!

2 3/4” Remington gun club hull
W209
RXP20 wad
One 28ga 1/2” fiber in wad
.575 cast RB from WW
22.5grs Blue Dot
Fold crimp

Used in an older Beretta O/U choked IC & M this has given very good accuracy for a smoothbore
at 40yds (3”-4”) and taken feral hogs and deer. YMMV.
BOB

[missionary5155]

Greetings
When I was doing the testing with our 12 gauge Fox B double I found our 30" "reamed out choke barrels shot best with at least .003 compression and up to .007 compression.
Your's may be completely different and like a tight compression or far less. But a single barrel will at least be dealing only with the one tube.
RB remember has very little metal facing the barrel. A soft cast ball will easily constrict and plastic petals easily get squeezed to the right diameter.
I can be overdone but as long as you can push it through the forcing cone area it will make it through.

[megasupermagnum]

For years I have used the following with good success; NOT TESTED so use at your discretion!

2 3/4” Remington gun club hull
W209
RXP20 wad
One 28ga 1/2” fiber in wad
.575 cast RB from WW
22.5grs Blue Dot
Fold crimp

Used in an older Beretta O/U choked IC & M this has given very good accuracy for a smoothbore
at 40yds (3”-4”) and taken feral hogs and deer. YMMV.
BOB

That seems like a very light load of bluedot for such a light payload. Have you tried this load in cold weather, say below 20 degrees? I'm genuinely curious, I know bluedot is a very forgiving powder, but for a ball that is what, 275 grains, I would expect a max load to be in the territory of 35 grains.

[Wisest.fool]

I've used the 575 in waa20 and it worked, but I didn't get good accuracy. Our of a savage 220. Just got some commander wads in so they are next on the list to try

[bcp477]

bcp477, is this in a smoothbore barrel?

Yes, indeed. 20 gauge side by side....20" cylinder bore barrels. 2" 5-shot groups at 25 yards. My eyes are not what they used to be, so at 50 yards, the best I can generally do is about 5" plus, give or take. A friend of mine (with better eyes) has done sub 4" groups with my gun and ammo at 50 yards, though, so I know that is doable.

[Roosterbob]

That seems like a very light load of bluedot for such a light payload. Have you tried this load in cold weather, say below 20 degrees? I'm genuinely curious, I know bluedot is a very forgiving powder, but for a ball that is what, 275 grains, I would expect a max load to be in the territory of 35 grains.

Don’t remember ever using this in the field when it was much colder than 40 degrees or so. And, yes, it is pretty mild but I’m using it in an older fixed choke Beretta that only weighs 5lbs/14oz. Recoil gets noticeable with 3” 1oz duck loads and the mentioned load shoots well and has given pass throughs on Arkansas whitetail and hogs under 125lbs. So far, no bloopers.
Bob

[DanLee]

Lyman's 3rd edition has recipes for .575" round balls in the 20 gauge. Wads used include the WAA20 and the SP20.