The Curse Of The Sprue

[George]

Concern about the effect of the sprue on accuracy goes back quite far.

Doddridge, Joseph; "Notes on the Settlement and Indian Wars of the Western parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania, from 1763 to 1783, Inclusive...."

Dodderidge quoting Capt. Teter preparing against an attack on his father's fort, 1782-83:

"...when you run your bullets, cut off the necks very close, and scrape them, so as to make them a little less, and get patches one hundred finer than those you commonly use, and have them well oiled, for if a rifle happens to be choked in the time of battle, there is one gun and one man lost for the rest of the battle. You will have no time to unbritch a gun and get a plug to drive out a bullet. Have the locks well oiled and your flints sharp, so as not to miss fire." p. 281-82.

Spence

 

[Crow-Feather]

Not necessarily heavy on one side. If you can flatten the sprue, and then true the ball, truly round afterwards, it will not have any side heavier than any other. Solids cannot be compressed. When you hammer metal, it does not compress, it moves. Years ago I miked balls from the two main suppliers of swaged balls, and none were perfect, but one was more consistent than the other. Been too long, I don't recall which was better.

I would agree. I believe that the ball looks round, but isn't when the sprue is flattened.

 

[toot]

I don't worry about the sprues unless they are very big. Even those can be trimmed off with nippers to a reasonable size. Back when, though, I tried tumbling some to see if it made a difference in accuracy. It didn't. Here are some .600" balls cast with a Rapine mold and then shaken hard for 20+ minutes in a plastic bottle. They shot the same before and after as far as I could tell.
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Spence

I agree. thanks for sharing with us, the results.

 

[smoothshooter]

Yes, but what is the best way to remove the sprue if you want to?

Tumbling.

 

[Griz44Mag]

Tumbling.

I have taken my small brass hammer and just tapped then into the ball.
Didn't help my loading or marksmanship any, but it was a kool experiment anyway.