Followup on ball deformation - pushing version

[doverdog]

Imagine my surprise! I shot a little more today and did the ball removal trick with the compressed air again, only this time the ball was seated with steady pressure only. I pushed hard when it was down until I got the satisfying crunch. No swabbing had been done during the course of 15 shots. That is my normal method of shooting. When I retrieved the ball, it had as much damage, if not more, as the ball from the thrown rod loading. It was just a little more uniform. I guess if you put 40 or so pounds of pressure concentrated on a small area by a hard metal ramrod tip, the soft lead shows the effects. This was a very small test, using only 1 sample of each, but it is enough for me to quit worrying altogether about whether the ball picks up a few marks from loading. ::

 

[roundball]

Superflint, not that it has anything to do with your tests, but just a question...

Noticing the ramrod mark on the ball seems surprisingly small for the diameter of the ball...was curious what kind of ramrod tip you might be using?

I seat my round balls with a single stroke then compress it with maximum pressure so I can hear the powder crunch. I use caliber size cleaning / seating jags and always pull them after a days hunt but they never have seating marks on them like that.

Again, I can't imagine the mark making any difference, just curious about the size of the ball and ramrod or jag

 

[Claude Mathis]

When I retrieved the ball, it had as much damage, if not more, as the ball from the thrown rod loading.

Have you tried using a rod tip that cradles the ball so as not to poke a hole in it? :winking:

 

[doverdog]

The tip on the part of my rod that is stored down in the thimbles is a 5/16" tip. It fit in easier when I was making the rod. That's why it's so small. I use that end instead of the bigger end because I just pull the rod out and move it over slightly and push it down the barrel. I don't flip flop the rod over, saving some useless motion. I don't plan on using a bigger jag the fits the ball better since I haven't noticed any need to eliminate the mark. I am becoming convinced that a little bit of deformation on the ball is just a tempest in a teapot. I would think the ball becomes out of round anyway, due to setback at ignition. Next time I cast balls I'm going to save out some ratty looking ones from the first tries, before the mold heats up. I'll do a little shooting with those and see if I can tell any difference.

 

[roundball]

I figfured that's wayt was maing the small size mark...and I agree I doubt it would make any measureable difference.
I've shot balls pulled with screw type ball pullers with the big deformity they make...and balls I've dropped onto the concrete floor making a flat spot on one side, etc...at least at 50yds I couldn't tell any difference in accuracy.