Round ball with sprue

[Oldbear63]

A revelation came to me when lighting conditions at a range were perfect and I was able to watch my shots spiraling down the range. Every shot describes a spiral and the perfection of the projectile defines the diameter of the spiral. The size and position of the sprue, or any other deviation from a perfect sphere should determine the amount of deviation from a straight line. The position and shape of the patch should also define the trajectory as the bullet leaves the muzzle. If each bullet describes a spiral and we vary anything like the exact amount of powder, the thickness of the patch or the weight of the ball we change the spiral and alter where that spiral intersects the target. With perfect shot charges, patches and balls we should get perfect and uniform spirals resulting in tight groups. Vary the distance to the target, the velocity or the amount of "spiral" and we change the position of the intersection of the spiraling ball trajectory with paper.

What I need to do is spend more time on the range with a good rest and compare cast vs swaged for myself (don't we all).

Sorry for lecturing.....

 

[wb78963]

I use Lee molds that drop almost surface level sprues.

yes Lee ball moulds make the sprue almost invisible and I doubt the difference in accuracy would be noticeable but I am not that AR since all I want to do is KD a 6" plate on a rack 30 feet away.
Bunk.

 

[M. De Land]

A revelation came to me when lighting conditions at a range were perfect and I was able to watch my shots spiraling down the range. Every shot describes a spiral and the perfection of the projectile defines the diameter of the spiral. The size and position of the sprue, or any other deviation from a perfect sphere should determine the amount of deviation from a straight line. The position and shape of the patch should also define the trajectory as the bullet leaves the muzzle. If each bullet describes a spiral and we vary anything like the exact amount of powder, the thickness of the patch or the weight of the ball we change the spiral and alter where that spiral intersects the target. With perfect shot charges, patches and balls we should get perfect and uniform spirals resulting in tight groups. Vary the distance to the target, the velocity or the amount of "spiral" and we change the position of the intersection of the spiraling ball trajectory with paper.

What I need to do is spend more time on the range with a good rest and compare cast vs swaged for myself (don't we all).

Sorry for lecturing.....

Do you mean you could see it cork screw in flight down range as opposed to spin on axis ?

 

[Oldbear63]

Do you mean you could see it cork screw in flight down range as opposed to spin on axis ?

Yes, you can see it corkscrewing down range. Every shot describes a corkscrew, even match cartridge bullets, precision bullets just have a smaller diameter flight path. Our goal for precision shooting is to create uniformity so that we repeat the same spiral each time.

 

[cal.43]

If you hit your target there will be a round hole and the hole don´t care where the spruce was ;-)
Much more important is that you weight your roundball to avoid that you have no blowholes in.

 

[Oldbear63]

As an experiment I made a pair of dies with 1/2" round cavities. These do work well to swage out the sprue on cast balls, I can get the sprue swaged to the point of being invisible. There is a slight amount of a belt or scar around some balls, but they appear quite round without any apparent or obvious direction.

 

[Bighorserider]

In the latest issue of Muzzle Blasts the Bevel Brothers have a reprint of an earlier article where they did very precise shooting from a bench using a scope. Their groups varied slightly based on where the sprew was, but most of their groups could be covered with a quarter.

 

[Rfp10000]

The Lee cast .454 sprues are almost non-existent on the balls I got & for my purposes seem just fine.

 

[Oldbear63]

Now, when can we expect to get new molds from the suppliers (Lee)?

 

[Grenadier1758]

You will have to check with mold suppliers to determine if the molds are becoming available again.

 

[Red Owl]

Elmer Keith said he always loaded with the sprue toward the muzzle, that the flat end hit harder. I drilled a very slight depression in the rammer so the sprue would be dead center. On accuracy, I think the perfectly round ball is a little better BUT......is not our hobby about being period correct? We should be using balls with a sprue.

 

[flntlokr]

Some folks will put their cast balls on a cookie sheet, put it in the trunk of their car and drive around for a couple of days to get rid of the sprue's.

So you are saying that if I take my balls for a ride, I'll shoot straighter? With the price of gas these days, it better be worth it! (lol)

 

[SamTex1949]

just how they all going to stay on the cookie sheet ??

 

[wb78963]

Cap. I grabbed a random hand full of balls out of yesterdays casting and weighed them. They varied +- one grain and could easily sorted out many +- .5 grain so I am not casting voids at least from the 10 I checked. These were .451" cast in a Lee mould.
The alloy was a mixture of 1:40 tin and pure lead. The 1:40 was a small amount I had and did not feel like throwing it away.
I used some of them in my1860 Army snubby and they seated easily with a small lead ring shaved off.
Hold center
Bunk.

I found out even 1:40 was too hard for revolver balls. I melted the whole bunch .both .44 and .36 ball and recast them into .54" Sharps ring tail slugs in a Moose Mould and .54 ball also for the Sharps. It hurt to do that but they were not usable in a hand gun.
Stay safe
Bunk

 

[George]

Yes, you can see it corkscrewing down range. Every shot describes a corkscrew,,,,

Please put me down as one who doesn't believe that is possible.

Spence

 

[wb78963]

Please put me down as one who doesn't believe that is possible.

Spence

Well Dr. Mann's bullets made an arc straight down the range but he was using Harry Pope barrels and suppository guns with bullets not ball which may make a difference.
I have seen a couple of time at high power matches when conditions are right to follow the bullet straight down to the target 300 yards away. The supersonic shock wave condenses the moisture in the air and is visible. Sitting right behind the shooter I could see that they do not make a cork screw.path..
Hit Center
Bunk