BALL WEIGHTS

[Dr5x]

WHAT IS THE IDEAL WEIGHT OF A .490 LEAD BALL SWAG?ED?

WHAT IS THE IDEAL WEIGHT OF A .490 CAST BALL WITH SPRU?

WHAT IS THE IDEAL WEIGHT OF A .495LEAD BALL SWAG?ED?

WHAT IS THE IDEAL WEIGHT OF A .495 CAST BALL WITH SPRU?

I'm doing some math and all my static information was put aside and lost when I thought all washer.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I have my calculations for a pure lead sphere. My value for the specific gravity of lead is from my 1964 "Handbook of Physiscs"

A spherical ball of 0.490" diameter pure lead weighs 176.9245 grains
A spherical ball of 0.495" diameter pure lead weighs 182.3960 grains

The swaged ball should be the same weight as a spherical ball.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I suspect different brands of mold produce slightly different weights of ball due to differences in sprue length. Lee's produce hardly any sprue. My older TC mold has a more noticeable sprue.

 

[rafterob]

I have my calculations for a pure lead sphere. My value for the specific gravity of lead is from my 1964 "Handbook of Physiscs"

A spherical ball of 0.490" diameter pure lead weighs 176.9245 grains
A spherical ball of 0.495" diameter pure lead weighs 182.3960 grains

The swaged ball should be the same weight as a spherical ball.

Wow! That is way too scientific for this hobby. But impressive!

 

[mooman76]

It isn't just the sprue. If someone cuts the ball mould a fraction under round from one side or the ball is .0001 off, that will change the weight. Lyman cuts their cherries and they wear down smaller as used until they decide they are too small and they make a new cherry. And Lees are actually sprueless.

 

[Dr5x]

It isn't just the sprue. If someone cuts the ball mould a fraction under round from one side or the ball is .0001 off, that will change the weight. Lyman cuts their cherries and they wear down smaller as used until they decide they are too small and they make a new cherry. And Lees are actually sprueless.

Thanks to all who responded to my question..
To my surprise I have gotten returned days of yore when Spent hours explaining details.
It's really fun

Dutch

 

[William Sublette]

I was googling to find out what caliber a gun would be that shot round balls at 32 balls to the pound.


(read about it in some hawken book)


I came up with 216 grns - probably 52 - 53ish caliber.



and then found this chart:

Pure Lead Ball Weight
.310 = 45 grains
.315 = 47 grains
.321 = 50 grains
.350 = 65 grains
.360 = 71 grains
.375 = 80 grains
.395 = 92 grains
.400 = 96 grains
.433 = 122 grains
.437 = 127 grains
.440 = 128 grains
.443 = 131 grains
.445 = 133 grains
.451 = 138 grains
.454 = 141 grains
.457 = 144 grains
.490 = 177 grains
.498 = 180 grains
.520 = 212 grains
.530 = 224 grains
.535 = 231 grains
.543 = 241 grains
.550 = 251 grains
.560 = 260 grains
.562 = 276 grains
.570 = 279 grains
.575 = 286 grains
.595 = 317 grains
.600 = 325 grains
.610 = 342 grains
.648 = 410 grains
.662 = 437 grains
.678 = 469 grains
.680 = 473 grains
.690 = 495 grains
.715 = 550 grains
.730 = 586 grains
.735 = 598 grains
.760 = 661 grains
.775 = 700 grains
.835 = 875 grains
.919 = 1167 grains
1.052 = 1750 grains

 

[Carbon 6]

Doesn't matter what your balls weigh, so long as the ones you're shooting weigh the same.

 

[nkbj]

It isn't just the sprue. If someone cuts the ball mould a fraction under round from one side or the ball is .0001 off, that will change the weight. Lyman cuts their cherries and they wear down smaller as used until they decide they are too small and they make a new cherry. And Lees are actually sprueless.

Well, yeah, but the Lees are still nice people.

Kidding aside, on their smaller diameter ball molds the hard ball that is pressed into the aluminum to finish the cavity shape would sometimes take the path of least resistance and move towards the opening side of the blocks. Lee's method of manufacturing round ball molds differed from the traditional means of having the cherry finish the cavity. So, the cavity could actually be slightly displaced and create lop sided balls. In small diameters (such as the .350 diameter ball mold that I received) you can end up with a ball shape that precludes accurate shooting in a rifle. If a lop sided ball got squished into a revolver chamber and deformed under swaging pressure it probably would not matter but in a small bore rifle it's bad mojo.

 

[Dr5x]

I was googling to find out what caliber a gun would be that shot round balls at 32 balls to the pound.


(read about it in some hawken book)


I came up with 216 grns - probably 52 - 53ish caliber.



and then found this chart:

Pure Lead Ball Weight
.310 = 45 grains
.315 = 47 grains
.321 = 50 grains
.350 = 65 grains
.360 = 71 grains
.375 = 80 grains
.395 = 92 grains
.400 = 96 grains
.433 = 122 grains
.437 = 127 grains
.440 = 128 grains
.443 = 131 grains
.445 = 133 grains
.451 = 138 grains
.454 = 141 grains
.457 = 144 grains
.490 = 177 grains
.498 = 180 grains
.520 = 212 grains
.530 = 224 grains
.535 = 231 grains
.543 = 241 grains
.550 = 251 grains
.560 = 260 grains
.562 = 276 grains
.570 = 279 grains
.575 = 286 grains
.595 = 317 grains
.600 = 325 grains
.610 = 342 grains
.648 = 410 grains
.662 = 437 grains
.678 = 469 grains
.680 = 473 grains
.690 = 495 grains
.715 = 550 grains
.730 = 586 grains
.735 = 598 grains
.760 = 661 grains
.775 = 700 grains
.835 = 875 grains
.919 = 1167 grains
1.052 = 1750 grains

THAT QQUESTION COMES UP EVERY 5 OR 6
months or so and Fotum members should print out your chart.

There is a Sublette street in the very old part of St. Louis but I can find no history of the person it was named after.

The song
Frankie and Johnny is about an actual event that took place in the same area where the Blues play Hockey today

There's history all around us that's fun to find out
Dutch Schoultz

 

[Dr5x]

WHAT IS THE IDEAL WEIGHT OF A .490 LEAD BALL SWAG?ED?

WHAT IS THE IDEAL WEIGHT OF A .490 CAST BALL WITH SPRU?

WHAT IS THE IDEAL WEIGHT OF A .495LEAD BALL SWAG?ED?

WHAT IS THE IDEAL WEIGHT OF A .495 CAST BALL WITH SPRU?

I'm doing some math and all my static information was put aside and lost when I thought all washer.

My editorial staff of two, both with the ability to see, have informed me that I now have a Blog attached to my web site. I have a tendency to get off the Bang &Smoke subject line of the Forum
and wander into other subjects much to Zonie's justified horror.
I'll try to put the off subject mumbling in the Blog rather than clutter your minds and the Forum with such things as my cure for some forms of arthritis and such
Anyone who wants to discuss such off subject things should contact me at [email protected]. The worst offender now says Lets Keep the Forum on Subject.
Dutch.

 

[Grenadier1758]

There is a Sublette street in the very old part of St. Louis but I can find no history of the person it was named after.

There's history all around us that's fun to find out
Dutch Schoultz

There's also a Sublette Park on the Hill.

There were 5 Sublette Brothers. You are probably most interested in William. The Sublettes were Mountain Men, involved in the Fur Trade, and trade along the Santa Fe Trail. William returned to St louis for a career in business and St. Louis Politics.

https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-williamsublette/

 

[Dr5x]

There's also a Sublette Park on the Hill.

There were 5 Sublette Brothers. You are probably most interested in William. The Sublettes were Mountain Men, involved in the Fur Trade, and trade along the Santa Fe Trail. William returned to St louis for a career in business and St. Louis Politics.

https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-williamsublette/

 

[Dr5x]

ZTHERE IS ALSO A PARK.THE NAME ESCAPES ME WHERE THE HUNDREDS. POSSIBLY THOUSANDS WERE BURIED IN HEAPS DURING AND AFTER THE GREAT 1839
mass deaths that in the 1970's became a popular area of refinishing and upgrading the beautiful homes built around that great funeral pile.
Dutch

 

[Dr5x]

I suspect different brands of mold produce slightly different weights of ball due to differences in sprue length. Lee's produce hardly any sprue. My older TC mold has a more noticeable sprue.

WHEN CASTING WITH MY LYMAN STEEL MOLD I NOTICED TO MY ALARM THAT THE SCREW HOLDING THE CUTOFF BLADE WAS VERY SLOWLY UNSCREWING ITSELF FROM THE MOLD BLOCK. THE RESULT WAS THAT THE SPRUE WAS GETTING LONGER AND LONGER AS I PROCEEDED.BEING A WEIGHT NUT I PITCHED ALL THE BALLS I HAD CAST BACK IN THE POT, FIXED THATLOOSE SCREW AND BEGAN ALL OVER AGAIN
YOU GET A SORT OF RHYTHM AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT YOU HAVE A YEAR.S SUPPLY AND MORE.

I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MY BLOG HAS FINALLY BEEN ESTABLISHED.THE LINK IS QUITE SMALL AND IS AT THE VERY TOP OF THE FIRST PAGE OF MY WEB SITE AND AGAIN IN A STACK OF RECENT POSTS.
MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN ADDING THESE FROM TIME TO TIME AFTER SHE HAS CORRECTED MY VERY CREATIVE SPELLING.
THIS, I HOPE WILL BLOSSOM.

DUTCH SCHOULTZ

 

[hanshi]

I own molds from over a half dozen makers and only a couple of them mold lousy ball. The rest work like a dream. The majority of them are Lee molds. They drop ball that's uniformly round and at the advertised weight. I really like the advantage of molding ball without a sprue.

 

[Dr5x]

I own molds from over a half dozen makers and only a couple of them mold lousy ball. The rest work like a dream. The majority of them are Lee molds. They drop ball that's uniformly round and at the advertised weight. I really like the advantage of molding ball without a sprue.

LEE MOLDS CAST BALLS WITHOUT A SPRUE?

THAT'S NEWS TO ME. HOW VEY NICE THAT WOULD B.
DUTCH

 

[Grenadier1758]

The Lee molds have a very small sprue. These small sprues can disappear when tumbled or rolled between two flat hard surfaces.

 

[Dr5x]

The Lee molds have a very small sprue. These small sprues can disappear when tumbled or rolled between two flat hard surfaces.

AND THEN YOU HAVE AS FAR AS YOU CAN TELL A NEARLY PEFECTLY ROUND BALL.
OF COURSE WHEN YOU SHORT START IT WITH YOUR RAM ROD OR SHORT STARTER IT IS NO ONGER A ROUND BALL. THE SIDES HAVE BEEN STRAIGHTENED OUT AS THE BALL IS EXTRUDED INTO THE RIFLING. THE FACE MAY BE A BIT FLATTER FROM THAT EXTRUDING WHACK SO NOW HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT SPRUE?
DUTCH

 

[Carbon 6]

AND THEN YOU HAVE AS FAR AS YOU CAN TELL A NEARLY PEFECTLY ROUND BALL.
OF COURSE WHEN YOU SHORT START IT WITH YOUR RAM ROD OR SHORT STARTER IT IS NO ONGER A ROUND BALL. THE SIDES HAVE BEEN STRAIGHTENED OUT AS THE BALL IS EXTRUDED INTO THE RIFLING. THE FACE MAY BE A BIT FLATTER FROM THAT EXTRUDING WHACK SO NOW HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT SPRUE?
DUTCH

Therein lies the big difference between guys who shoot the smaller balls and the guys who shoot the bigger balls, The guy who uses a big ball and thick patching turns his ball into a conical, so he's really a conical shooter, not a round ball shooter.
Muzzle swaging doesn't occur with a proper patch and ball combination.

Sure, that tight mallet driven combination might shoot better, but then conicals usually do.
And yes sprues are irrelevant when properly loaded.