Cap N Ball Boolit Alloy

[rodwha]

I’m working on a universal bullet for my Ruger Old Army and New Model Army. I’m feeling that 0.001” over chamber diameter is plenty since they don’t really need to shave lead like with a sphere. I’m considering my next Accurate Mold setup for 2% tin to help me with fill issues and set to drop boolits at 0.454”. What if I were to eventually use a little more tin or try a little antimony? How far can I go before it doesn’t fit my Ruger properly? I haven’t measured all of my chambers, but they are supposed to be 0.453” so I wouldn’t want a projectile to drop any smaller than 0.4533” or so, and I don’t want any larger than 0.454” as my other gun’s chambers are 0.449” and chamfered, though I’m really contemplating further reaming it to get closer to the Ruger. I also don’t want my boolits too hard for loading in the Remington.

[fredj338]

When I shot cap & ball I just went pure lead.

[rodwha]

When I shot cap & ball I just went pure lead.

I seem to have fill issues with my bullets. I’d prefer to fix the issue. And it seems I can add about a BHN or two and still get adequate performance. I just want to ensure I don’t lose any obturation.

And I’m also contemplating having two cavities hollow pointed. I’ve read soft lead at these lower velocities (roughly 875-925 FPS @ ~230 grns and I’m guessing about an additional 50-75 FPS if I lose about 30 grns for the cavity). I’m thinking along the lines of a lead Flying Ashtray from the 80’s. Sure would make things interesting when using energetic powders. My NMA’s more accurate hunting load is 30 grns of 3F. With Olde Eynsford that weighs 33 grns.

[gwpercle]

I had a realy old cap and ball revolver mould that cast a round ball and a conical boolit , cast both of pure lead or as pure as scrap lead roof flashing is ... probably has a smidge of tin in there ... A good deal of testing proved the conical boolit wasn't any big improvement over the round ball when shooting paper targets , tin cans and plinking .
But both were cast of pure lead . The shooting was a replica 1851 Navy Colt - 36 cal.
Gary

[Pipefitter]

As I recall (it has been quite some time since I got the Ruger Old Army out to play) the ROA wants slugs of .457"
Somewhere around here I have a Lee mould that casts one round ball and one conical for the ROA.
If you are having fill out problems or wrinkles try turning up the heat on the casting pot, pure lead casts better at around 700-750*

[DocSavage]

I would use straight lead for the ROA bullet size .457 dia. Using a harder alloy you might break the loading lever AFAIK replacements are almost non existant.

[Tar Heel]

Pure lead.

[rodwha]

As I recall (it has been quite some time since I got the Ruger Old Army out to play) the ROA wants slugs of .457"
Somewhere around here I have a Lee mould that casts one round ball and one conical for the ROA.
If you are having fill out problems or wrinkles try turning up the heat on the casting pot, pure lead casts better at around 700-750*

The ball needs to be .457”, but a bullet doesn’t need to be grossly oversized since it has bearing surfaces.

I’m using a Lee pot, and turned all the way up and still get fill issues. I don’t have a thermometer but I’d assume it’s reaching the proper temp.

[rodwha]

I would use straight lead for the ROA bullet size .457 dia. Using a harder alloy you might break the loading lever AFAIK replacements are almost non existant.

Kaido casts his around 10 BHN for repros. The Ruger won’t break. I’m looking to stay south of 8 BHN anyway.

[Soundguy]

Lead here.

[sharps4590]

Straight lead

[gunther]

try a .452 semiwadcutter(180-200 grain) made for 45 auto's before you invest. They shoot very well and are about as large a diameter slug as you can start into an Old Army chamber.

[Castaway]

For round ball, straight lead. Round balls tend to fill out without adding tin. For the conical, I’d go pure or the least tin to do the job, maybe staring at 1:30. As mentioned above, a harder bullet puts stress on the loading ram

[rodwha]

try a .452 semiwadcutter(180-200 grain) made for 45 auto's before you invest. They shoot very well and are about as large a diameter slug as you can start into an Old Army chamber.

Someone sent me some SWCs before claiming they loaded well in his Old Army. I had to seat them backwards, which is what I’d have to do through my NMA as well since the chambers are a little smaller.

But I’ve modified both gun’s loading windows. My Ruger can load my 45-285C, my bullets have a .375” meplat as will my universal bullet.

[rodwha]

For round ball, straight lead. Round balls tend to fill out without adding tin. For the conical, I’d go pure or the least tin to do the job, maybe staring at 1:30. As mentioned above, a harder bullet puts stress on the loading ram

The balls I’ve cast all seem just fine, it’s just my bullets including REALs. However I can’t find scrap lead locally and figured when I ran out I’d just buy 2% tin from Rotometals. I don’t really shot balls from my revolvers much at all. I mostly shoot patched balls from my rifle and hardness isn’t an issue there. But this little bit of hardness I’m speaking of won’t be an issue with my revolvers either. There are people loading harder bullets than I’m proposing. I’m staying south of 7 BHN unless it were otherwise optimal, which I just don’t see.

[rodwha]

For those of you who replied with pure lead, why would you do so if your results are poor fills? From what I understand the base is more important for accuracy. Regardless 2% tin adds what 0.3 BHN? Maybe that might be important on a Remington Pocket or some other tiny fragile loading mechanism. As I said there are people hunting with Kaido’s (and other) bullets from various .44 cal repros cast around 10 BHN for going on a decade. That seems harder than I’d want, though the modified Lee 255 grn bullet reduced to 240 grns for repros pushed by full charges of 3F T7 gives nose through tail full penetration on adults hogs in Florida.

[Soundguy]

I get perfect fill out with pure lead on a nice warm mold that is clean

[Soundguy]

If it was a lead microgroove grease Groove I can understand why there might be a problem but on regular stuff not really

[oley55]

I seem to have fill issues with my bullets. I’d prefer to fix the issue. And it seems I can add about a BHN or two and still get adequate performance. I just want to ensure I don’t lose any obturation.

And I’m also contemplating having two cavities hollow pointed. I’ve read soft lead at these lower velocities (roughly 875-925 FPS @ ~230 grns and I’m guessing about an additional 50-75 FPS if I lose about 30 grns for the cavity). I’m thinking along the lines of a lead Flying Ashtray from the 80’s. Sure would make things interesting when using energetic powders. My NMA’s more accurate hunting load is 30 grns of 3F. With Olde Eynsford that weighs 33 grns.

I am still a newbie to casting, but if casting pure lead isn't the answer to "fill-out" issues just a matter of higher heat? I was/am of the impression our reasons for casting at lower temps was primarily to prevent the tin and antimony from separating out on top of the melt. Just wondering out loud...

[Castaway]

Again, balls will fill out with pure lead, conicals not as easily