...Is it possible to use wheel weights to cast roundballs? I know its harder ...(I use it for rifle cast bullets). I have alot .....just wondering if anyone has casted roundballs with it and shot them out of a flintlock...Thanks ,Jeff
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Wheel weights for roundballs
- Thread starter jcdflint
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Have done so for years for rock lock rifle general plinking and such, for hunting still use pure lead. You might have to go to a thinner patch or a mold that throws a smaller ball for use with a thicker patch.
For the Fusil smoothbore, cast WW round ball is about all I use. Hard to beat a five gallon bucket of WW for 15 bucks at local tire shop.
For the Fusil smoothbore, cast WW round ball is about all I use. Hard to beat a five gallon bucket of WW for 15 bucks at local tire shop.
someone gave me a 25lb sack of wheel weights, and I've added them to the melting pot with good results...about 3 months ago, got a good scale and began weighing the balls...surprised at the variety in weights, I've stopped adding WW for a while, need to figure out a way to standardize how much I add to get a more common weight...the balls to which I had added WW shot fine by the way...I have not needed to vary my usual patch size..Hank
jcdflint said:
Sure it's possible, I doubt that it'll harm these new fangled, modern steel barrels much, 'sides, there's still a patch between them. You can also scrounge around the rifle range for spent lead, I have Jethro and Elly Mae gather them in a poke and bring them home soas Granny can recast into roundballs, make sure you skim off the dirt and grime as it floats to the surface during the melt.
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Practially all I shoot are wheelweights or scrap bullets from the range backstop. My wife finally made me stop picking them up off the road. She thinks a 5 gallon bucket full is enough. The harder alloy should cast slightly above pure lead size. I have seen it suggested that keeping the freshly made balls in cool storage will reduce age hardening, keeping them softer. I'm thinking about buying a hardness tester to try this out. Its also a good excuse to buy another toy.
I use pure WW from time to time (when pure is scarce). I prefer a smaller ball with thicker patch. I melt down all that I can and blend it the best I can, skimming as often as possible after stirring.
I use a big old Stainless speggetti(?) pan over a hot wood fire and just add weights as they melt. Clips and all sorts of crud floats for easy skimming, then ladel out to muffin tins.
I try to do this twice because of my bottom pourer needs no excuse to clog.
The more I stir & skim, the better I like it.
In my smoothies, they seem to be as good as pure, But, in the rifle I seem to loose some accuacy.
I use a big old Stainless speggetti(?) pan over a hot wood fire and just add weights as they melt. Clips and all sorts of crud floats for easy skimming, then ladel out to muffin tins.
I try to do this twice because of my bottom pourer needs no excuse to clog.
The more I stir & skim, the better I like it.
In my smoothies, they seem to be as good as pure, But, in the rifle I seem to loose some accuacy.
Bruce Herb
32 Cal.
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:thumbsup: I use wheel weights all the time.
A local shop cleaned out an old shed two years ago . Got 500 lb of them for $10.00.
They shoot ok for balls but don't use um for slugs. Too hard to load!
Boo
A local shop cleaned out an old shed two years ago . Got 500 lb of them for $10.00.
They shoot ok for balls but don't use um for slugs. Too hard to load!
Boo
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In general wheel weights ain't as accurate off the bench as pure lead. They can be a great asset when you need more penetration than expansion. Like when hunting Bear, Boar, Elk, Moose, etc.. They cast a few grains lighter and need a thick patch as possible. Watch for the patch being cut by the rifleing if too tight, cause the hard ball won't give much. With a felt wad over the powder and a couple of extra grains of powder, to make up for the lighter ball, you can make a pretty good huntin load, Elmer Keith style!!! :grin:
Sure its possible as long as you are not a
precission bench shooter demanding 5 shot clovers
at 100 yards. I see no reason to change patch.
(.490 or .495 is still .490 & .495) but only
shooting will tell you. I would not hesitate to
use W/W at all if you have them available to you.
At least try them, keeping in mine how barrels
react to different loads. MO
snake-eyes :hmm:
precission bench shooter demanding 5 shot clovers
at 100 yards. I see no reason to change patch.
(.490 or .495 is still .490 & .495) but only
shooting will tell you. I would not hesitate to
use W/W at all if you have them available to you.
At least try them, keeping in mine how barrels
react to different loads. MO
snake-eyes :hmm:
Wheel weights cast a couple of thousandths larger in diameter than soft lead and will weigh a few grains lighter. Thats why they will change the point of impact for some people.
It doesn't seem to be as big an issue for muzzle loaders as it is with black powder cartridge rifles.
Regards, Dave
It doesn't seem to be as big an issue for muzzle loaders as it is with black powder cartridge rifles.
Regards, Dave
A good source for wheel weights is small tire shops, they have buckets full just waiting to be given away, they can't afford the cost to have it dumped, so it just sets around...
Another great source is any parking lot... :rotf: (just joking, don't do that)
Another great source is any parking lot... :rotf: (just joking, don't do that)
Russianblood
45 Cal.
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I guess I'm fortunate as my brother is an industrial roofer and I have a lot of pure lead that he has removed from old roofs.
Shooting wheel weight projectiles in a muzzleloader to me would be the same as using a black powder substitute. I'm too traditional for either.
Shooting wheel weight projectiles in a muzzleloader to me would be the same as using a black powder substitute. I'm too traditional for either.
Guest
As you can see there are many different trains of thought concerning the subject of wheel weights.
Flintlock or caplock, the barrel mechanics remain the same. I have been using wheel weights for years with better than average sucess. The important thing I have found with using wheel weights is to use a thick patch. It is the patch that transfers the twist of the barrel rifling to the spin of the ball. A thick patch firmly grasps the ball and fills the grooves of the rifling. With soft lead this is easy to achieve, with harder lead you need the firm grasp of a thick patch.
Now for the reason why I like wheel weights for round balls, one word, penetration.
CP
Flintlock or caplock, the barrel mechanics remain the same. I have been using wheel weights for years with better than average sucess. The important thing I have found with using wheel weights is to use a thick patch. It is the patch that transfers the twist of the barrel rifling to the spin of the ball. A thick patch firmly grasps the ball and fills the grooves of the rifling. With soft lead this is easy to achieve, with harder lead you need the firm grasp of a thick patch.
Now for the reason why I like wheel weights for round balls, one word, penetration.
CP
I dont want to contradict anyone, especially because Im fairly new to this and most of you have had much much more experience with this than I have, but I can't see how tire weights would cast "larger" than anything else melted and poured into the same mould. Especially if the mold were held closed until all cooling had occured. I can envision something actually shrinking (due to its material content) but how would it "swell" on cooling. What is the reason for this??
After a bit of thought, I may have answered my own question. I am sure that all material "shrinks" a bit on cooling and mould sizes take this into consideration. I assume that moulds are made fore pure lead and nonpure lead shrinks "less" than pure lead thus resulting in a bit larger than desired ball. Is that correct?? thanks all
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