Load suggestions for my 54 caliber flintlock

[dhaverstick]

I kind of forgot about starting this thread. Thanks for all the advice!

I am intrigued about the alloy balls. Does anyone know where I can buy some? I do not have the tools, or raw materials, to make any.

Darren

 

[Col. Batguano]

I think some of Track's RB's are cast of non pure lead. You would have to call them and ask though.
Why would you want harder ones? Better penetration? With a belted ball there would be a reason; it may grab the lands to impart spin better, but the 2-groove guns that need that are pretty scarce today. Don't think anyone is currently making that sort of a barrel, except maybe Charles Burton, and only on special order. They're a real PITA to deal with, and tough to get a good seal. Accuracy isn't anything special either.

 

[MSW]

I would commend Dutch Scoultz' method to your reading and use. he guarantees that your groups will shrink, and I can attest that mine did. here's a link:
http://blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com/

 

[Stumpkiller]

I kind of forgot about starting this thread. Thanks for all the advice!

I am intrigued about the alloy balls. Does anyone know where I can buy some? I do not have the tools, or raw materials, to make any.

Darren

You're the first muzzleloader I ever ran across who wanted alloy instead of as pure a lead as possible for roundballs. Bullets maybe. Balls no.
Rotometals.com sells all kinds of alloy. But I don't know of any pre-cast impure balls.

 

[Dr5x]

Thoughts on alloy balls
The usual erection o this problem arises from the adding of wheel weights to the lead mix in order to get some cheeper balls or because you just can;t find pure lead. \Balls car t from a mould using a wheel weight alloy will be harder than a pure lead ball and smaller than lead balls cast from the same mould.
None of this is from my own experience but from countless posts pointing out the problem.

On the other hand , balls cast from a bismuth was required for a subscriber of mine who rented out his larger acreage to hunters in California where he was told the lead (which comes from the earth)will now be hazardous to wild game which will accidentally ingest it. We both search high and low for a ounce of non lead cartable material.
We, or mostly he, were finally successful and found a source of this material.
How he made out with the California State Game people I have not yet heard.

It's all in the Book. The Bizmuth balls were a bit lighter than lead and how they performed in use I have not heard.

Dutch Schoultz