Non-Toxic Prb Alternative - Solid Brass Ball Testing

[roundball]

I don't have a .58... :hmm:

Do I hear wheels turning ??????
:grin:

 

[BrownBear]

I had the same thoughts about re-use, but even if you found a medium other than sand, there's the problem of a ball striking one from a previous shot. I see this a fair bit with lead balls in my trap. The solution might be to have multiple bulls and fire one shot at each, ala small bore targets.

 

[roundball]

"...a medium other than sand..."

Speaking of that...wonder if the chipped up little pieces of rubber would work well, instead of sand.

The kind that is used in and around playground equipment that kids can jump / fall into, etc.

 

[Oldnamvet]

I would bet that the chipped rubber would work better than sand for recovery. Sand is much more abrasive -- the rubber chips would not even scuff them. Make sure you polish them well with brasso for best results. Tarnished balls just don't fly right. :rotf: With a light load I bet you'd be able to see them glint on the way to the target.

 

[BrownBear]

"...a medium other than sand..."

Speaking of that...wonder if the chipped up little pieces of rubber would work well, instead of sand.

The kind that is used in and around playground equipment that kids can jump / fall into, etc.

Someone on here reported great results for lead balls in a thread a couple of years back. I live right on the shore with sand galore.... That is until everything freezes up, come winter.

 

[roundball]

I would bet that the chipped rubber would work better than sand for recovery. Sand is much more abrasive -- the rubber chips would not even scuff them. Make sure you polish them well with brasso for best results. Tarnished balls just don't fly right. :rotf: With a light load I bet you'd be able to see them glint on the way to the target.

Heck, I might be able to market this:
".58cal Tracer Ball...Whompability with Flash"

 

[roundball]

Just found that Home Depot sells 'Playground Rubber Mulch" in different size bags...I'll pick some up and make a sturdy cardboard catch box.
:thumbsup:

 

[gmww]

I like the way you think!

 

[Oldnamvet]

If the balls are as uniform as you have found and being brass are not prone to easy dents.....hmmm...wonder what they would do in a smoothbore? That round and smooth, maybe they wouldn't turn into a knuckleball with no spin on them. Haven't seen any talk of 58 smoothbores -- just 54 and then up to 62. I am sure someone has one.

 

[F.G. Ford]

I would be concerned with ricochet, with a hard ball like that.
Safety is always a concern, and bullet placement, is a major concern in a hunting environment, especially if other hunters are in the area.
A ricochet ball has no controlled direction, where as a soft lead ball does deform badly on impact.
However, YES, a replacement is needed with the ever encroaching tree hugging, save the environment, super eco-frindly waco people, who sit at home, or jog in parks, change the world.
Please keep up the good work!
Fred
By the way, years ago, I have tried steel ball bearings in my smooth bored muzzleloaders.
They were fun, but bullet bounce was terrible.
I was shooting towards trees and rocks.
I had obtained a coffee can full that fit my 28 gauge just fine. Very minimal recoil!

 

[roundball]

Just finished experimenting with patch fit in the garage.
.028" cotton duck patching is an excellent very firm/snug fit in the .016" round bottom groove barrel.
Required a short starter of course, seated it down, blew it back out into a box of towels with a CO2 discharger.
No marks or problems at all so balls & patching are good.
Picked up a few bags of "rubber mulch" at Home Depot for the catch box.
Range trip planned first thing in the morning.

 

[gmww]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

Rubber Mulch Catch Box to try and recover some fired balls

15" deep from front to back, roughly the width of a deer broadside.
Front, rear, and both partitions are double thickness of heavy cardboard.
2 bags of rubber mulch poured and settled full in all compartments.

And if the balls drive through all of that material, that'll be very telling too.

 

[gmww]

Do you think it will stop them? I'm wondering if a phone book at the very back for insurance.

 

[roundball]

IMO, that really wouldn't tell me much if I have to stop it on the back side...outside...of all that...as far as I'm concerned, if the balls drive completely through there's not a whitetail that'll survive it.

(I'm also taking a few regular lead ball deer loads with me too).

 

[gmww]

Yep!

 

[dbutch]

I've seen posts for years that rifling marks are supposed to be engraved on 100% lead ball...even patch weave marks on lead balls. But personally, I've never recovered lead balls from water jugs, wet phone books, or deer that ever showed any marks of anything engraved on them,

...............................................................

RB..seat a rb on a long patch and drive it 1/2 to 1" in the bore of your rifle ..pull the patch and rb will come with it..you'll see the engraving and weave on the soft lead.
I learned this cause I maybe mighta sorta da-da-da-dry...ba-ba-balled once :rotf: Kindof!

Can you get any soft brass? :hmm: :grin:

 

[roundball]

Well, I don't know what to tell you...so far in 20 years I’ve never seen that and I use pretty tight PRB combos.
I’ve recovered them after firing them into a line of gallon water jugs”¦no marks.
I’ve pulled many, many loads after hunts over the years”¦no marks.
I’ve removed them after being fired into deer”¦no marks.

Hornady .570”s pulled after a hunt

.440” from the hide on the off side of a buck

.600” from back of ham after passing through the full length of a buck

 

[Zonie]

Adding the phone book or a bag of sand behind your rubber filled box might not tell you much but it could save you the cost of the ball.

Chances are very good that the recovered ball will be undamaged (except for a little surface abrasion) and could be used again.

Course, if you just want to let the ball go flying off into the distance that's your business.

 

[roundball]

Adding the phone book or a bag of sand behind your rubber filled box might not tell you much but it could save you the cost of the ball.

Hadn't thought of that...and haven't had any paper phone books for years, but I can take another box filled with rubber mulch and sit it right behind the first one to catch any pass-throughs.

I've already added a group of gallon size jugs filled with water...the Blazer is filling up pretty quick with support gear...LOL