Round balls in .44 &.45 cartridges, update.

JeepHammer · February 12, 2018, 10:35 AM

I have been using some round balls in .44 & .45 revolver cartridges, and I'm loving it!
A little bigger diameter ball than a regular jacketed bullet, and they are dead accurate, cheap shooting, and just plain FUN to shoot!

Now, it's back to cleaning lead from the bore, so a little grease helps, but it's easy & fun!
I give them a little grease just before loading in the chamber, and leading is greatly reduced.

If you have 'Cowboy' revolvers, I recommend doing this at least once just for fun.

mikld · February 12, 2018, 11:50 AM

My shooting .432" balls in my 44 Magnum revolvers was a hoot! I rolled the balls in alox and seated just below center so I could put a very light roll crimp on them. My charge was about 3.5 grains of Bullseye. Not too much leading in my Super Blackhawk...

mkl · February 12, 2018, 12:10 PM

00 buckshot woks well in a .32 caliber. Had a lot of fun with an old .32 S&W my Grandfather left me.

F. Guffey · February 12, 2018, 12:48 PM

If I was shooting my black powder 6 shot as thought it was a single shot, that would be one thing but when I load all 6 rounds I have no choice but to grease the holes. When I pull the trigger I want one shot for ever hammer fall. I am the fan of grease when it comes to sealing flash over.

And I load round soft lead balls that that turn to cylindrical lead bullets when I use the little press that is mounted under the barrel.

And I do not want any space between the powder and the back of the bullet when the trigger is pulled.

F. Guffey

JeepHammer · February 12, 2018, 02:01 PM

.454 balls seem to be a little more accurate than .451 or .452 balls in my .45 cartridge guns.
Seated just below center line so I can crimp, I don't grease until I'm ready to shoot, not because I'm worried about chain fire, but because raw lead sticks way worse than with a little grease...
Makes cleaning MUCH easier.

REALLY easy to load, quick & simple! Fun to shoot!
I even loaded some with pyrodex just to make smoke, and that was fun too.
With pyrodex (or black powder) you MUST seat the ball, either powder or some kind of media.
The cowboy powders work well, but are a little expensive, while common (smokeless) powders work fine.

This is REALLY forgiving with a round ball, you almost can't overpressure the round, but target loads are the most fun to shoot anyway, so no real sense in working up a 'Hot' load.
I'm having a blast with these, makes cowboy shooting FUN again!

This also lets me use 'Seconds' brass, dented, dinged mouths, etc.
I'm not going for super-duper pressure or hyper accurate loads, so the 'Not Quite' brass works just fine...

This is just plain fun all the way around, and I'm working on a load for my modern .357 cowboy guns, more of a .38 Spl. load so it can be used in those firearms also.
It's a popular cowboy gun load and I have more than a couple laying around that were tons of fun to shoot.

F. Guffey · February 12, 2018, 02:29 PM

Quote:

This also lets me use 'Seconds' brass,

You are using brass as in cases

?
F. Guffey

mkl · February 12, 2018, 03:54 PM

F. Guffey wrote:

Quote:

I have no choice but to grease the holes.

Yes, but are you using Crisco shorting? Seems most of us can't get bear fat anymore.

And the experience of cleaning black powder revolvers is so much fun -- remember the old "dish pan hands" commercial?

mikld · February 12, 2018, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F. Guffey

You are using brass as in cases

?
F. Guffey

Reread the OP. States cartridge revolvers...

JeepHammer · February 15, 2018, 10:18 AM

I use smooth (creamy) peanut butter sometimes in actual cap & ball black powder guns.
PB is cheap and since the wife likes it, handy.

I just scrap a little lube off the bullet lube block in my cartridge guns.
Punch a couple holes, stick cartridge in the hole scraping the sides with case mouth.
Quick & easy.

No, I don't try round balls in semi-auto pistols, just cartridge revolvers.
Yes, I have a bucket of 'Seconds', or if you perfer, 'Scratch & Dent' brass that's not quite bad enough to throw out (Considering the cost of the brass for some of these calibers), but it's not first quality either...
Price some of the old revolver brass sometime, you will understand why you don't just toss it at the first sign of wear.

February 12, 2018, 10:35 AM	#1
JeepHammer Junior member Join Date: February 27, 2015 Posts: 1,768	Round balls in .44 &.45 cartridges, update. I have been using some round balls in .44 & .45 revolver cartridges, and I'm loving it! A little bigger diameter ball than a regular jacketed bullet, and they are dead accurate, cheap shooting, and just plain FUN to shoot! Now, it's back to cleaning lead from the bore, so a little grease helps, but it's easy & fun! I give them a little grease just before loading in the chamber, and leading is greatly reduced. If you have 'Cowboy' revolvers, I recommend doing this at least once just for fun.

February 12, 2018, 11:50 AM	#2
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	My shooting .432" balls in my 44 Magnum revolvers was a hoot! I rolled the balls in alox and seated just below center so I could put a very light roll crimp on them. My charge was about 3.5 grains of Bullseye. Not too much leading in my Super Blackhawk... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

February 12, 2018, 02:01 PM	#5
JeepHammer Junior member Join Date: February 27, 2015 Posts: 1,768	.454 balls seem to be a little more accurate than .451 or .452 balls in my .45 cartridge guns. Seated just below center line so I can crimp, I don't grease until I'm ready to shoot, not because I'm worried about chain fire, but because raw lead sticks way worse than with a little grease... Makes cleaning MUCH easier. REALLY easy to load, quick & simple! Fun to shoot! I even loaded some with pyrodex just to make smoke, and that was fun too. With pyrodex (or black powder) you MUST seat the ball, either powder or some kind of media. The cowboy powders work well, but are a little expensive, while common (smokeless) powders work fine. This is REALLY forgiving with a round ball, you almost can't overpressure the round, but target loads are the most fun to shoot anyway, so no real sense in working up a 'Hot' load. I'm having a blast with these, makes cowboy shooting FUN again! This also lets me use 'Seconds' brass, dented, dinged mouths, etc. I'm not going for super-duper pressure or hyper accurate loads, so the 'Not Quite' brass works just fine... This is just plain fun all the way around, and I'm working on a load for my modern .357 cowboy guns, more of a .38 Spl. load so it can be used in those firearms also. It's a popular cowboy gun load and I have more than a couple laying around that were tons of fun to shoot. Last edited by JeepHammer; February 12, 2018 at 02:09 PM.

February 12, 2018, 12:10 PM	#3
mkl Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Location: DFW area, Texas Posts: 494	00 buckshot woks well in a .32 caliber. Had a lot of fun with an old .32 S&W my Grandfather left me.

February 12, 2018, 12:48 PM	#4
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	If I was shooting my black powder 6 shot as thought it was a single shot, that would be one thing but when I load all 6 rounds I have no choice but to grease the holes. When I pull the trigger I want one shot for ever hammer fall. I am the fan of grease when it comes to sealing flash over. And I load round soft lead balls that that turn to cylindrical lead bullets when I use the little press that is mounted under the barrel. And I do not want any space between the powder and the back of the bullet when the trigger is pulled. F. Guffey

February 15, 2018, 10:18 AM	#9
JeepHammer Junior member Join Date: February 27, 2015 Posts: 1,768	I use smooth (creamy) peanut butter sometimes in actual cap & ball black powder guns. PB is cheap and since the wife likes it, handy. I just scrap a little lube off the bullet lube block in my cartridge guns. Punch a couple holes, stick cartridge in the hole scraping the sides with case mouth. Quick & easy. No, I don't try round balls in semi-auto pistols, just cartridge revolvers. Yes, I have a bucket of 'Seconds', or if you perfer, 'Scratch & Dent' brass that's not quite bad enough to throw out (Considering the cost of the brass for some of these calibers), but it's not first quality either... Price some of the old revolver brass sometime, you will understand why you don't just toss it at the first sign of wear.