Round balls?

[NavyVet1959]

Near as I can tell, round balls are the lightest one can get for caliber. Anything lighter would be like trying to seat an aspirin tablet in the case.

That's probably true with most bullet designs, but there are some "collar button" bullets that are slightly lighter.



Lyman #427130
147 gr, 0.460"

That's about the same as it would be for a round ball, but some of the collar button bullets do not have the rounded nose and are more flat on top, so they will weigh less. Or you could hollow point it to get it to weigh less. Or you could go with a hollow base design and create basically a skirt around the base of the bullet.

The main advantage of round balls is that it doesn't matter if your bullet *tumbles*.

[RED BEAR]

I load 12 gauge with all different round balls punk in ball Buck and ball and don't mind experimenting with all different sizes.

[Bookworm]

Ok I got it...your example will be what I’m interested in first. A .311 ball

I went and checked my notes.

.311 ball, sized .311, rolled in 45-45-10 lube, seated into an unsized .30-30 case - sprue up or down.
2.2g Clays.
868fps in a 20" Mossberg .30-30. 34fps deviation, 75fps spread.

It'll hold 1" at 25 yds, iron sights. When i pull the trigger, it goes Pffft. I can hear it smack the cardboard. Then I giggle. Repeat until out of ammo.

I keep meaning to try 2.5g Clays, but according to my notes I haven't gotten to it yet.

[sharps4590]

Speer used to list round ball loads in their manual, for some cartridges.

[mdi]

I have a load for my .44 Magnums that uses a 432" ball over a dusting of Bullseye. I found a used 2 cavity mold that dropped 123-125 gr 432" balls (can't remember where I found it though). My first thought was to use the balls in my Wrist Rocket then I measured one and 44 Magnum being my favorite round, I rolled the balls in alox and loaded them up in Magnum brass (just below center and used a very light roll crimp). Very accurate in my Super Blackhawk; 1 1/2"-2" at 20-25 yds...

[AllanD]

I have percussion pistols and require three different sizes of round balls .451 for my big Colt, .440 with a patch for my pair of single shots and .310 for my "little Remington", but I also cast ,490RB for my Neighbor for his 50cal flinter.

[longbow]

I've run 0.440 RB's through a .434" sizer then loaded into .44 mag brass for my Marlin. They shoot pretty well at up to moderate velocities (about 10 grs. Unique) and little recoil or noise compared to heavier boolits and standard charges. Like shooting a .22 but makes MUCH bigger holes!