Round Ball

[Mathias]

Hi

I am woundering if it is safe to use RB cast from wheelweights in a smoothboore (cal .72)

Regards
Mathias

 

[paulvallandigham]

Yes, as long as the diameter of the ball is less than the bore diameter of the barrel. Understand that Wheelweights rarely expand on hitting flesh, and only a little when striking bones. They are a great way to get more penetration with a RB.

However, they tend to weigh less than a pure lead RB from the same mold, and will be sligthtly larger. Use scales to weight these, and sort them. Use a micrometer, or caliper to measure them, and to sort them. Alloyed lead tends to give a range of weights as cast, more so than pure lead does.

Because they are lighter in weight, using the same amount of powder often causes them to strike higher. You either have to adjust the sights, or your POA to hit the same POI on a target.

There was a recent article in Muzzle Blasts where the Bevel Brothers tested Wheel Weight balls and found them to be just as accurate, PROVIDED they are sorted by diameter and weight. Just remember that they will strike higher with the same sight setting you are using for pure lead balls.

Good casting, and great shooting to you. :thumbsup:

 

[nw_hunter]

Sure it is. Your going to have a cloth patch between the ball and barrel anyway.....Right?

 

[paulvallandigham]

Second Thought: Because the diameter of WW balls will be larger, you will probably have to reduce the thickness of the cloth patching you use around the ball, particularly because you are shooting these out of a smoothbore. :thumbsup:

 

[Mathias]

Yes there vill be cloth betveen the ball and the barell. And i understand that i have to meassure the ball to see just how much. Thank you :thumbsup:

Regards
Mathias

 

[Toomuch_36]

The only thing extra I would caution here is not to use PRB in a choked tube, you would only want to use them in a cylinder bore or at the most an improved cylinder, other than that you should have no problems.

Toomuch
...........
Shoot Flint

 

[roundball]

"...And i understand that i have to meassure the ball to see just how much..."

Just to be clear...its not as simple as pure mathematics of the measurements...the patch cloth compresses a good 50%.

So if you had a .50cal bore and .490" ball, at first you'd think you only needed a .005" patch because when on both sides of the ball it would take up the .010" difference between .490" and .500".

 

[J.D.]

Sure is. I shoot ATM lead almost exclusively in my bess. ATM lead is anything that melts, BTW.

A ball cast from ATM in .715 mould mics .718, so there is a coupla thou difference, but they work well with the same .018 patch.

 

[Many Klatch]

I have used ball bearings without a problem in a smoothbore so I don't see a problem with using wheel weight round ball. I understand that they cool differently so the weight is slightly different. As long as you know what the weight is and you have practiced with that particular ball you shouldn't have any problem.

Many Klatch

 

[bebloomster]

Can't say as I've ever noticed all that much difference in the point of impact when using wheelweight instead of soft lead in my Brown Bess. I normally fire offhand so there is more than enough wobble to negate any meaningful difference.