Sprue cut: Facing which way?

[bang]

Won't matter if you put them in a tumbler.

 

[Whughett]

Technically you can use special dies to bump the bore riding portion of a bullet to better fit your particular barrel bullet combinationand increase accuracy (not a critisism just another fun fact comment). Do what works best for you.

"It just goes to show you, it's always something" ~Rosanne Roseannadanna (Gilda Radner from when SNL was funny)

Friend your talking to a man who loads target velocity bullets and roundball shot in revolvers at 12 to 36 yards. All of my hand guns have the potential to shoot better than I can hold. (when I’m in doubt I ask a sharpshooting buddy to throw a few down range) he usually proves me right. Don’t get me wrong I’m no mediocre pistoleer I just like to think I’m just practical.
I adopted lees approach to lube sizing, and slowly changing over to their tumble lube style bullets out of shear boredom of doing the lub/sizing by the onesies with my RCBS lube/sizer.
Competition shooters and hunters, 100% agreement there are better methods and equipment available .

 

[FPDoc]

Friend your talking to a man who loads target velocity bullets and roundball shot in revolvers at 12 to 36 yards. All of my hand guns have the potential to shoot better than I can hold. (when I’m in doubt I ask a sharpshooting buddy to throw a few down range) he usually proves me right. Don’t get me wrong I’m no mediocre pistoleer I just like to think I’m just practical.
I adopted lees approach to lube sizing, and slowly changing over to their tumble lube style bullets out of shear boredom of doing the lub/sizing by the onesies with my RCBS lube/sizer.
Competition shooters and hunters, 100% agreement there are better methods and equipment available .

Just a comment on a valid reason to put pressure on the nose of a bullet.. Welcome to the forum.

 

[MAC1967]

I agree w another post here - on my 32 the short starter always leaves a mark on the ball … I do spru up but I think reading the black Powder book by Sam Faldo who is a top rated BP authority that It did not matter up or down. Some guys try to remove the sprue w a file but it’s not possible or at least practical on a small caliber.

 

[Centurion]

Guys! It’s not that hard! Sprue DOWN, 6 1/3 degrees off-center. Courtesy of an old Peruvian woman i met once.

You’re welcome.

don

 

[Whughett]

For you single shot guys. It’s an easy choice.
loading a revolver it’s not all that easy to get the fiddly little round ball seated in the narrow opening provided, at least not with my less than nimble fingers then repeat it 5 more times. Up down even side ways on occasion.
Shooting one of my single shot with patch it’s so easy even a cave man could do it.

 

[Whughett]

Won't matter if you put them in a tumbler.

Rotary tumbler, pins or no pins or vibrating tumbler media or no media.

 

[Brokennock]

Funny all these tight sprue smushing loads here on the smoothbore section.

 

[pwbsmokey]

For you single shot guys. It’s an easy choice.
loading a revolver it’s not all that easy to get the fiddly little round ball seated in the narrow opening provided, at least not with my less than nimble fingers then repeat it 5 more times. Up down even side ways on occasion.
Shooting one of my single shot with patch it’s so easy even a cave man could do it.

If the sprue was sideways wouldn't it get shaved off while loading? Or would it not load because the sprue is too tough? Asking because I have never shot or loaded a BP revolver

 

[unclelouie]

Easier to see if it is centered if the sprue is up, seating it may flatten it slightly.

whenn you load the round ball , sprue up, the ball starter reforms the bullet to round. try it and then air push yhe bellet out and take a look at it. not much of a sprue.

 

[Josephg]

I load with the sprue down because when I started I didn't know no better and that is how I do it. One day my shooting buddy was watching me and he told me I had to load with the sprue up. When asked why he told me so it won't get stuck in the bore if the ball turns while going down the bore. So it took me about three seconds to realize that the ball cannot turn when gripped tight by the patch. So I told him he was full of hot air and continued on my way. I had been loading rifles for about 25 years by the time I was told it was the wrong way. I don't think it makes any difference which way, up or down. I'm talking about loading a rifle. Maybe I should have read the entire thread before posting. To late...

 

[Rifleman1776]

Either up or down. But, you cannot see if it is exactly centered when down. So, I load sprue up always.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I load with the sprue down because when I started I didn't know no better and that is how I do it. One day my shooting buddy was watching me and he told me I had to load with the sprue up. When asked why he told me so it won't get stuck in the bore if the ball turns while going down the bore. So it took me about three seconds to realize that the ball cannot turn when gripped tight by the patch. So I told him he was full of hot air and continued on my way. I had been loading rifles for about 25 years by the time I was told it was the wrong way. I don't think it makes any difference which way, up or down. I'm talking about loading a rifle. Maybe I should have read the entire thread before posting. To late...

Ultimately, it's not the wrong way if the ball comes out when fired and hits the target pretty close to where it was aimed.

 

[Whughett]

If the sprue was sideways wouldn't it get shaved off while loading? Or would it not load because the sprue is too tough? Asking because I have never shot or loaded a BP revolver

Good point. Were it positioned just right it would indeed get shaved. Depending on one’s mold the sprue could be just a slightly flat spot on the ball on an actual protuberance of lead. For example a .454 Lee mold leaves a noticeable slightly, very slightly, raised bump.
On a 457 round ball iron mold from Lyman I have to look closely for it.

 

[Macman]

Guys,

Why not cast the balls with dimples like a golf ball then it wouldn't matter where the sprue was and it would travel much farther because of non-laminar airflow.

 

[FishDFly]

Bevel Bros. did a test, as long as it is consistent, it does not matter at all. Dimples on a ball do not matter either, another useless myth.

 

[Macman]

Dimples on a ball do not matter either, another useless myth.

Tell that to any golf pro and see what he says.

 

[Brokennock]

What difference does it make of it is down but not perfectly centered? When it hits air resistance after leaving the muzzle it will turn to its most aerodynamically stable position anyway.

 

[Brokennock]

whenn you load the round ball , sprue up, the ball starter reforms the bullet to round. try it and then air push yhe bellet out and take a look at it. not much of a sprue.

Again, I have to ask, just how tight is your smoothbore load that you are smashing the sprue, and even that you need a starter?
Both my smoothbores shoot sub 4 inch groups at 50 yards, one will do sub 3 inch with its best load. I can shoot those best loads as much as I want mostly seating the load holding the ramrod with 2 thumb and index finger.

A rifle I'm sure would be different. But, this is the smoothbore section and the o.p. specifically states he is shooting smoothbore military arms.
Even from a rifle. If sprue to the rear is aerodynamically superior, it won't matter if the sprue is not perfectly centered, when it leaves the muzzle, it will correct.

 

[PathfinderNC]

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