LEAD BALLS-SPRU,POSITION?

[montanadan]

I read the post on lead balls, but I did not see anything about position of the spru. I know about up or down position, but if the spru is slightly off center does it matter? I am still a Nu-By at this, so your knowledge does matter to me. Resectfully Montanadan(who wishes he started this a long time ago).

 

There have been extensive tests done involving thousands of rounds fired that prove conclusivly that sprue position does not affect accuracy in the slightest. Up, down or sideways.

That is in spite of the 500 following replys that will begin with:

"I don't see how!"

and

"I don't think!"

and

"You can't tell me!"

and

"I always......and it works for me!"

The tests have been done by the NMLRA and the results published in the Muzzle Blasts.

From that point on it is all superstition.

:m2c:

 

[CrackStock]

While I have heard that sprue up or sprue down did not make a lot of difference and my experience mirrors that information, I have read that sprue sideways did make a difference. Bevel Up and Bevel Down were the most recent to state this. Others have stated that side sprues were a negative as well.

I have fired shots with purposely damaged fronts and these made no diffence in accuracy. I also tried the sprue down method and found about the same results.

I would be interested in any resource that proves that a sideways sprue does not affect accuracy.

YMHS,
Crackstock

 

[smokeblower]

One of my other hobbies includes swinging a custom metal detector around some fine Civil War camps. 99% of all my .69 roundballs that were cast in the field were fired with the sprue down. There must be something to it or just accepted as being correct.

 

[RussB]

It is my understanding that the only time sprue location matters at all is when firing "naked" ball...as was sometimes done by those who were simply in a hurry to load.

Many of the NSSA shooters say they do it all the time with "thrice dipped ball" where you can't tell where the sprue is/was...and they do it with no ill effect.

I always shoot sprue up for no reason other than someone told me that was the right way to do it. I have shot sprue down, and to the side, but always with a patch.

If sprue to the side made a difference, I was not astute enough to see it. Some say it will "turn in the patch" and straighten it's self while being seated...... I don't think so, not in my rifle, the ball/patch is just to tight.

Still yet, something inside my head tells me to keep it away from the rifling if possible. :m2c:

Russ

 

[Slowpoke]

I doesn't matter, I agree with Ghost but...... it's "Good Luck" to point the sprue in the opposite direction as the wind is blowning: wind at you back sprue up, in your face sprue down, wind from the right sprue left, etc. It's just a superstition and a bad habit.

SP

 

[musketman]

I load mine spure up because I have a flat based ball starter (wine bottle corker), the big flat face lends it's self well for alignment...

Check out this old post ---> Load A Roundball Backwards?

 

[montanadan]

Thanks GHOST, as usual, sometimes get to thinking to much, always gets me into trouble. Respectfully Montanadan.(or a huge headache)

 

[montanadan]

RUSS B I agree with you , about trying to keep the sru away from the rifling. Respectfully Montanadan.

 

[montanadan]

Musketman-read your old post,thanks for the info., I would like to ask one question? What the heck is a CHUNK gun? Thanks to all for your knowledge, probably gets old for some of you. Thanks again Respectfully Montanadan.

 

[musketman]

I would like to ask one question? What the heck is a CHUNK gun?

I orginally thought it was for shooting woodchucks, turns out, it's a gun for shooting over logs/walls and chucking out lead as quick as possible...

 

[Musketeer]

it's "Good Luck" to point the sprue in the opposite direction as the wind is blowning: wind at you back sprue up, in your face sprue down, wind from the right sprue left, etc

Now, wait just a minute! Does that mean that if the wind changes direction, ya gotta pull the ball an' reload it every time the wind shifts? :: :crackup: By the by, nice avatar. "Come 'n' listen to my story 'bout a man named Jed....." :: :thumbsup:

 

[musketman]

it's "Good Luck" to point the sprue in the opposite direction as the wind is blowning: wind at you back sprue up, in your face sprue down, wind from the right sprue left, etc

Now, wait just a minute! Does that mean that if the wind changes direction, ya gotta pull the ball an' reload it every time the wind shifts? :: :crackup:

Nope, just hold your gun upside down to put the spure on the opposite side of the barrel before you pull the trigger... :winking:

 

Hold yer gun upside down. That's gotta be fun with a flinter. Does that mean they make rifleing twist th other way cause thy're on the south side of the equater. It's a good thing the wind blows, instead of . :crackup: :crackup:

 

[Slowpoke]

Laugh all you want... Great minds have always been the source of ridicule. They laughed at Archimedes, Aristotle, Democritus, Christopher Columbus, and now poor ole Slowpoke. True genius is never recognized.

One day I had a match and packed the wrong balls. I have to borrow some from a buddy. All he had were swaged round balls. :cry: I just about packed up my stuff and left.

SP

 

[musketman]

Hold yer gun upside down. That's gotta be fun with a flinter.

They will shoot that way, remember, powder explodes in all directions, so the priming powder will still set off the main charge, try it with a fouling shot (no projectile)...

 

[Rat]

Yeah...how are you supposed to load swaged[url] balls...upside[/url] down or backwards??

Loading my smoothbore sprue down "seems" to be more accurate...boy maybe I just shoot more accurately with the sprue down...????!?!?!!! My testing certainly has not been "extensive".

Rat

 

[Gatofeo]

The position of sprue on the ball, before loading, DOES matter.
I know ... cuz that's what my cousin's friend's father's sisiter-in-law's grandfather told her! So it must be true!
To heck with your testing .. it's all just scientific fact and I'm agin' it!

To properly load the rifle, orient the barrel's front sight to true North, NOT magnetic North. You'll need to know Magnetic Declination in your area to determine true North with a compass.
Now, with the ball in the left hand, cross your hand under and around the right hand, which is holding the barrel upright.
Place the ball with its terminal axis and point of deviance aligned 23 degrees off true North (or, if you're a Southpaw, reverse hand positions and place the 11.5 degrees off).
Now, the preponderance of the sprue's radius must be in the Metric Zone of Ballistic Stability of the bore. You'll need a metric pocket calculator and a metric compass for this.
They're available for only $39.95, each, at GatMart. While there, you may wish to purchase a metric watch. They're only $69.95 and well worth the money if you plan to use Metric Time (which you should, cuz it's easier).
When all is aligned with the bore, gently ram the ball down while bodily moving around the barrel so all pressure is even.
The ball should be pushed in a soft-medium-hard motion, rising with each Octimeter. Um ... Octimeter rulers are also available at GatMart ... for only $17.95. Mark each octimeter on your barrel.
With the bore properly loaded, you'll need to magnetically align your percussion cap. Use flint? Aw hell, that's too complicated to explain. Switch to percussion caps, willya? Aligning a flint will drive a person absolutely mad!
Oh, and your target should be 317 degrees relative to your barrel's declinatory ballistic alignment fracatory sublevel.
There now. Wasn't that easy? :haha:

 

[Rebel]

i thinks maybe ya haz been out in that remote Utah desert sun tooo long. :crackup:

 

:huh: :what: :youcrazy: :youcrazy:Or maybe he was abandoned there on purpose :crackup: :crackup: :crackup: