Dissecting cast bullets

[sniper68]

I am always courious about air pockets or voids in my cast balls. :hmm: Using a knife never exicited me, so I didn't do it much. That is until I tried doing it with a PVC cutter. All I did is sharpen the blade. No more worries about sliceing my fingers off. Makes a perfect cut with every time. :grin: Got mine from a plumber that threw it away cause the blade was dull. :shake: Harbor frieght has them for $2.99(I think) :v

 

[john12865]

That is a great idea!

 

[jtmattison]

As long as the ball is spinning on its axis when it is fired you will never know that void is there.

HD

 

[sniper68]

As long as the ball is spinning on its axis when it is fired you will never know that void is there.HUD

The void in the pictured ball, as long as loaded spur up you are entirely correct. This store bought ball is a cast from a bottom furnace. All voids will be perpendicular to the pouring angle and rarely round, but elliptical in shape. When casting from a ladle, the mold will be held at an angle. Hence the void will be offset, and though minuscule, out of balance on its axis. I've found that tumbling the balls does not reveal all voids. That's why I leave the spur on and load spur up(just in case I have an imperfect ball :shocked2: ). The difference in performance will only be noticed with "serious" shooters where that 1/8" or 1/2" can make all the difference, as with Cross stick, Chunk, bench shooters and the like. For me and most shooters, it just means that we miss more accurately. :thumbsup: :rotf:

 

[Stubert]

Its easier to weigh them, than to cut them and recast.

 

[trent/OH]

"All voids will be perpendicular to the pouring angle and rarely round, but elliptical in shape."

In the photo the void appears to be parallel to the angle of pour, not perpendicular. Am I looking at something wrong?

 

[sniper68]

In the photo the void appears to be parallel to the angle of pour, not perpendicular. Am I looking at something wrong?

I have the ball laying on its side. You can see the spur to the left and right if you look real careful. Here's a better picture..Sorry I ain't near bein professional with my picture takin. :v

Buy the way, that my ball on top and comercial cast ones on the bottom...

 

[gmww]

In the photo the void appears to be parallel to the angle of pour, not perpendicular. Am I looking at something wrong?

I have the ball laying on its side. You can see the spur to the left and right if you look real careful. Here's a better picture..Sorry I ain't near bein professional with my picture takin. :v

Buy the way, that my ball on top and comercial cast ones on the bottom...

:shocked2: The ones with the voids are commercial?

 

[Bill Hall]

Fascinating how all three imperfections are identical. Whatever they did wrong, they did it consistantly. Bill

 

[JOHN L. HINNANT]

Greeting All,

IF the voids are exactly the same size AND

IF the voids are in the same exact place AND

IF the balls are loaded exactly on the same axis and the position,

THEN

voids are not an accuracy problem, DEPENDING,

on your individual definition of acceptable accuracy for competion shooting or hunting.


In the meantime, I will continue to sort by surface appearance and weigh my cast balls for both competition shooting and hunting.

Ninety to ninety five percent of my cast balls meet my standard for maximizing accuracy.

Best regards and good shooting,

John L. Hinnant

If you are not an NRA amd NMLRA Member, why not? I am carrying your load.

Ploiticians Lie!!! US Freedoms Die!!!!

 

[brubincam]

how do you shoot the ball without the void after you cut it in half???? :haha: :haha: :haha: are the halves cut evenly???

 

[sniper68]

how do you shoot the ball without the void after you cut it in half????

I put them in a pot of molten lead and they come out round again. The hot lead kinda of melts them back together.. :shake: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[brubincam]

---------COOL-------

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Hey ... HC too!

As wasn't it Daniel Boone who used balls cut in half to get small game when captured by the Indians? That is until he had enough lead stashed away to use for his eventual escape.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Thought it was Fess Parker. Cut them in half when running low and said to wait till the Indians were closer.

 

[brubincam]

two with one shot...COOL...

 

[brubincam]

saw a movie once that the men were under attack,running low on lead,someone had gold coins so they melted them,,,one guy said something in this order[hope this fight doesn't last too long every shot is expensive]not exact words,,,don't remember the movie name... :hmm: :hmm: :hmm:

 

[MSW]

well, that's a darn good question... to quote a bumper sticker, "Heisenberg may have slept here!"

he might have petted Schroedinger's cat, too.