Soft VS. Slightly Hardened Balls?

[andy52]

It’ll shoot strait through an elk.

I know muzzleloaders don’t have a lot of energy, as compared to modern smokeless, but there’s still a measurable significant amount of energy in a blackpowder projectile. From experience, a hard-cast RB doesn’t really transfer energy to the target, very little deformation…hence very little energy transfer. You are relying almost entirely on shot placement, with a projectile that is less accurate than a projectile made from pure lead.

It doesn’t take mush to harvest a rabbit or a squirrel, hard lead from .32 calibre on up, will do the job. Big game hunting is a different situation. You want every reasonable advantage to ensure a clean humane harvest. Shot placement is your most important factor, energy transfer is a close second.

I use soft lead for big game.

When I said large animals I was referring to Grizzly and dangerous ones in Africa.
Where the projectile has to punch through heavy-boned critters.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

When I said large animals I was referring to Grizzly and dangerous ones in Africa.
Where the projectile has to punch through heavy-boned critters.

Yeah…dangerous game was outside my thought processes.

Dangerous Game…you’re going to want large calibres shooting deep penetrating projectiles.

 

[Valkyrie]

I use lead cable sheathing for round balls. It’s about as pure as I can get for free. Scrounged up about 150lbs of it. I use wheel weights and unknown alloys for fishing gear. My round balls measure right at the mold specs, .490 and .530 respectively on a caliper.