I just finished making a 4 gauge Blunderbuss and although I will primarily shoot shot, I do want to TRY a round ball. The bore is 1.050 Diameter so I want a round ball that I could patch and I am thinking anything from .995 and up to 1.02 would work. I do NOT want to BUY a MOLD and make my own. I am looking for already made ROUND BALLS. Anyone can point me in the right direction? Thanks!
4 Bore ROUND BALL
- Thread starter Zoar
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Musketman--- I do dig the scare crow.
The molds are not what I am looking for. I want a some molded balls. Thanks for posting though. I know I can get Jeff Tanner Mold that is right to spec for about 30 bucks. Someone must have .995 or 1.0 lead round balls already molded up.
The molds are not what I am looking for. I want a some molded balls. Thanks for posting though. I know I can get Jeff Tanner Mold that is right to spec for about 30 bucks. Someone must have .995 or 1.0 lead round balls already molded up.
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I know that you want ready to shoot 1" RBs. The closest I can find are 1.06" lead alloy balls at
http://www.aaamunitions.com/items_for_sale.htm
There is an extensive list of cannon and mortar suppliers at: http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php/topic,2814.0.html
Cabela's sells "cannonball sinkers" (as do other suppliers). A one inch ball weighs 4oz., I think.
You'd have to cut of the loop - easy enough to do. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?type=pod&id=0019635
Here's another supplier - way less $ than Cabela.
This may be something that you can use. http://www.throbbinrodtacklecompany.com/catalog/catsearch.asp?sinker=Cannon Ball&item=CB0400#show
There is an extensive list of cannon and mortar suppliers at: http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php/topic,2814.0.html
Cabela's sells "cannonball sinkers" (as do other suppliers). A one inch ball weighs 4oz., I think.
You'd have to cut of the loop - easy enough to do. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?type=pod&id=0019635
Here's another supplier - way less $ than Cabela.
This may be something that you can use. http://www.throbbinrodtacklecompany.com/catalog/catsearch.asp?sinker=Cannon Ball&item=CB0400#show
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A one inch pure lead round ball weighs 4.6 oz.(1506 grains). So the four ounce sinkers may be workable with a patch.
Pete
Pete
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I checked The Gun Works site and they don't sell the balls, though they sell 4- and 8-bore guns (and moulds, of course). You might contact them regarding a source of precast. I bet they can help.
Thanks guys for the info so far. That link you provided above for the "throbbinrod" cannonball sinker options looks about the best so far. But they are out in Oregon so I'll have to wait a few hours before I can call them. I'm guessing they will not know if their 4 oz sinker is
FYI--- Pete D. thanks again for those leads above. I ended up calling throbbin rod and I ordered the cannon ball sinkers with NO EYE! The guys makes them himself! He did say prices are way up so the new price is 52 cents each so 2.04 a pound verses 1.40 a pound. Ten bucks for shipping and a minmimum 10 pound order so I'll end up with 40 BIG-O-ROUND balls to test in my 4 bore BLUNDERBUSS! YeeeHoooo!
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You watch and dont hurt yerself with them
Big ole balls! :rotf:
I thought my .886 Blunder buss was a big one untill, I read your post....
1/4 pound balls....just think about it.
You might want to mount a swivel and use it as a wall gun at the Fort.
Big ole balls! :rotf:
I thought my .886 Blunder buss was a big one untill, I read your post....
1/4 pound balls....just think about it.
You might want to mount a swivel and use it as a wall gun at the Fort.
yeah, I plan on starting with 80 grains of 2F powder. I know what 4.5 ounces of 38 caliber round balls packed in very tight kicked like with 100 grains of 3F!
I do not mind a stern shove, but I do not intend to hurt myself.
This blunderbuss is WAY COOL!!! I am finishing the stock now. I will post pictures when it is prettied up along with a few quarter pound round balls!!!
I do not mind a stern shove, but I do not intend to hurt myself.
This blunderbuss is WAY COOL!!! I am finishing the stock now. I will post pictures when it is prettied up along with a few quarter pound round balls!!!
Va.Manuf.06
58 Cal.
Jeez, Zoar. :shocked2: fffg in that gun? You might consider ffg or even fg. It does sound like fun. Have you posted pics yet?
Well that will kick for sure, but remember, mostly a blunderbuss wasnt fired from the shoulder because it was often loaded with that much shot that it would have broken a mans shoulder. Many pirates shot it like a soldier would shoot a rifle grenade.
Yes. 2F will be the powder I use next in this. When I bought my last 25 pounds I ordered 2 pounds of 4F, two pounds of 2F and the rest 3F. With the way it looks like I might be comsuming 2F powder in this Blunderbuss, it appears I'll be needing to order more sooner rather than later!
Right now the Blunderbuss is disassembled and I am staining/finishing the stock. Since I like a stock with a deep red finish with many layers of hand rubbed tung oil as a topper, this process could take a while... But I bring the stock with me to work and back how everyday so I cane get two layers on a day verses one! I want to get her out for Turkey Hunting ASAP and in NY State here Turkey season has already opened! But when I finish the stock I will post pictures for sure! I am looking at shooting #4 pellets in this Blunderbuss for Turkey. 4 ounces of shot would be ridiculous but I know I will have to set up some cardboard in my range and shoot four+plus ounces of #4's at it from 30 feet. I am also planning to load it up with 7.5 sized pellets. Do you realize that would be about 1500 PELLETS! per shot with a a little over 4 ounces of shot!
Right now the Blunderbuss is disassembled and I am staining/finishing the stock. Since I like a stock with a deep red finish with many layers of hand rubbed tung oil as a topper, this process could take a while... But I bring the stock with me to work and back how everyday so I cane get two layers on a day verses one! I want to get her out for Turkey Hunting ASAP and in NY State here Turkey season has already opened! But when I finish the stock I will post pictures for sure! I am looking at shooting #4 pellets in this Blunderbuss for Turkey. 4 ounces of shot would be ridiculous but I know I will have to set up some cardboard in my range and shoot four+plus ounces of #4's at it from 30 feet. I am also planning to load it up with 7.5 sized pellets. Do you realize that would be about 1500 PELLETS! per shot with a a little over 4 ounces of shot!
Received my 10 pound minimum order of quarter POUND pure lead round balls and tried them in my Blunderbuss 4 gauge barrel... They are a tad TOO LARGE!!!
UGH!
Anyone have any good ideas of how to easily shave off a little skin off these pure lead round balls and get them to a 1 inch? My bore measures 1.05" and these are rough cast and are 1.05" PLUS.
UGH!
Anyone have any good ideas of how to easily shave off a little skin off these pure lead round balls and get them to a 1 inch? My bore measures 1.05" and these are rough cast and are 1.05" PLUS.
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I don't know what you would use to do it, but I'd consider tumbling with a suitable abrasive medium.
Any rock polishers in the crowd?
Any rock polishers in the crowd?
Well I "bit the bullet" so to speak and ordered up a Jeff Tanner round ball mould in 1.03" diameter.
The so called 1.0 INCH cannon ball sinkers that I bought actually measure over 1.05" so they will NOT fit. The shavng process on a table top belt sander is messy and nasty, although I was able to effectively shave one down to fit and it came out as 1.03". I have the 4 BORE BLUNDEBUSS put back together and I will take photos of it this AM and try to post them in the GUN BUILDERS section of this forum. I have never posted pics before so I may need to email them to someone else first to post. I will be shooting it this weekend with however many round balls I can shave down today!
The so called 1.0 INCH cannon ball sinkers that I bought actually measure over 1.05" so they will NOT fit. The shavng process on a table top belt sander is messy and nasty, although I was able to effectively shave one down to fit and it came out as 1.03". I have the 4 BORE BLUNDEBUSS put back together and I will take photos of it this AM and try to post them in the GUN BUILDERS section of this forum. I have never posted pics before so I may need to email them to someone else first to post. I will be shooting it this weekend with however many round balls I can shave down today!
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i had a bunch of bearings from a race that i broke one time, they were about .990. now i know steel isnt the same as lead but if the difficulty is getting the right size balls, this might be an option to visit a local machine shop and see what they might have to give ya.
I found it useful to run my rough cast 6ga. balls -.915- through a homemade ball mill.
I had seen ball mills for .50 cal made by machinist ML friends to take the sprue off cast balls. The mill was a piece of steel with a circle cut out of the middle and put on another piece of steel. The circle was drilled throught the center and set in the middle of the cut out piece on a vertical shaft with a small handle to rotate the circular piece.
Cast balls were placed between the two pieces of steel and rotating the circluar piece gave you smooth balls in about 15 min.
I made one out of wood with a 12 inch circle and faced the milling surfaces with sheet steel from a scrap road sign. I motorized my my mill with a friction drive electric motor. Rough .915 balls were made smooth after about 4 hours in this rube goldberg set up. They also went down in diameter
about .005
I had seen ball mills for .50 cal made by machinist ML friends to take the sprue off cast balls. The mill was a piece of steel with a circle cut out of the middle and put on another piece of steel. The circle was drilled throught the center and set in the middle of the cut out piece on a vertical shaft with a small handle to rotate the circular piece.
Cast balls were placed between the two pieces of steel and rotating the circluar piece gave you smooth balls in about 15 min.
I made one out of wood with a 12 inch circle and faced the milling surfaces with sheet steel from a scrap road sign. I motorized my my mill with a friction drive electric motor. Rough .915 balls were made smooth after about 4 hours in this rube goldberg set up. They also went down in diameter
about .005
Molding your own is the best way to go. I know you didn't want to do it initially, but I think you'll be far happier in the end making your own. In the meantime, while shaving those sinkers down, I'd strongly suggest setting up the sander on a table or stand outside and wearing a good quality respirator. Obviously, you don't want to inhale that lead dust, but you also don't want piles of it laying around your shop or workroom either. :shocked2: :thumbsup:Zoar said:
Hi Zoar, sounds like you are blunderbuss addicted.
I haven't shot a rb in my 4 bore yet. I purchased a 1.25" bore cannon this summer and I have a Jeff Tanner mold for it. Unfortunately, the 1.17" balls are too big for my blunderbuss. Maybe we can work out a deal for some of you JT rbs? Let me know how they shoot in your gun and if you have a shoulder left :wink:
I haven't shot a rb in my 4 bore yet. I purchased a 1.25" bore cannon this summer and I have a Jeff Tanner mold for it. Unfortunately, the 1.17" balls are too big for my blunderbuss. Maybe we can work out a deal for some of you JT rbs? Let me know how they shoot in your gun and if you have a shoulder left :wink:
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