Buck and Ball

[Arisaka99]

If I wanna reload and make some buck and ball loads for my 20ga what size ball should I use? I have a modified fixed choke. Will that affect anything? I wonder if it will work on deer? Any advice will be appreciated!!!

[dogbert41]

I've been seeing more and more buck and ball on youtube lately. Looks like it's makng a comeback!

[Arisaka99]

Ok, I'll look. I know a certain manufacture (i dont remember who) Makes a 12ga buck& ball load for home defense. I want to make one for 20ga. I have a fixed mod choke on my gun, will that hurt anything?

[turbo1889]

0.570"-0.575" is your preferred "big" ball diameter for the 20ga. if you are going to put the ball inside the petals of a conventional shot wad. If you are using a naked ball that is not inside the petals of a shot wad then the preferred "big" ball diameter is much more specific to your particular gun. Measure the internal diameter of the tightest point of the choke on your gun (usually right at the muzzle) you want a "big" ball size that is no more then a couple thousandths (0.002") of an inch larger diameter and no more then about a hundredth (0.010") of an inch smaller then that diameter.

Acceptable combinations are:

1. ~ Any hardness big ball on top of HARD cast buck-shot
2. ~ HARD cast buck-shot on top of HARD cast ball
3. ~ Soft buck-shot on top of any hardness ball provided the buck and ball are loaded inside of the petals of a shot wad and do not run "naked" up against the bore.

You did notice that there isn't an option in there for the use of soft buck shot under the ball or in a "naked" load at all; below the ball soft buck is going to get mangled and won't pattern worth a hoot in either a shot cup wad or "naked" load. On top of the ball in a "naked" load it could theoretically represent a hazard if the big ball over-runs one of the soft buck pellets.

By HARD I mean that water quenched WW + a little tin is bare minimum and commercial hardball alloy or type-metal would be better. In any case the diameter of the buck-shot pellets should NEVER be more then one half the diameter of the big ball and preferably small enough to stack in layers of three or four. Also, loads will have to be developed with alloy hardness and stacking order taken into consideration. Change the stacking order or hardness of the buck-shot or big ball in the load and you change the pressure of the load unless you adjust the powder charge as well.

Buffer helps of course but can complicate trying to find "donor" load data to use as a starting point to work from (it will be the extreme exception you find published load data for this kind of combination).

Personally I prefer to put a dead soft pure lead big ball on top of a stack of small very hard buck-shot.

[Shooter]

I don't think buck and ball would be an adantage deer hunting. Buck and ball is an anti-personel load to maim and wound as many as possible.
Your .62 ball correctly placed will do the job. No need for smaller shot that may only wound and cause suffering if the main ball misses.

[GabbyM]

Unless it's legal to hunt deer with buckshot a buck and ball load might be interpreted as against the rules. They are cool loads though.

Issue I'd have with deer hunting load is the heavy weight of the combination slowing down the ball. I'd rather keep the high velocity on my ball.

[Arisaka99]

Ok, does anyone have any load data for them?