.32 caliber Patch and Ball combos - share yours

Rookie21 · March 5, 2020, 08:49 PM

Hi all,

I'm working with a .32 caliber pistol and was wondering what y'all use for a ball and patch combo. I've been looking at Ballistic Products - they sell some .320 diameter buckshot in an eight pound jug thats pretty reasonably priced but I'm pretty sure it's a hardened lead. For muzzleloaders we use soft lead. I'm trying to buy some in bulk since I don't have much soft lead left in my stock. Just wondering what people are using for a ball AND what patch thickness do you use along with it. I've been looking at Hornady and other brands but they all sell it by the 100 count. I wanted to buy in a bigger quantity. Thanks

Oh! And - I have a fair amount of the soft stick on (adhesive) type wheel weights... wheel weights are a mixed alloy and typically thought of as too hard for a muzzleloader but the stick on type ones seem pretty soft to me. What do you guys think of those?

Hawg · March 5, 2020, 10:06 PM

Quote:

wheel weights are a mixed alloy and typically thought of as too hard for a muzzleloader but the stick on type ones seem pretty soft to me. What do you guys think of those?

I have a good supply of stick on weights and the BHN is 6. Pure lead has a BHN of 5. The stick on weights are plenty soft enough to load in revolvers. However hardness has no impact on a patched ball but you're going to have a helluva time pushing a hard lead .320 ball down a .320 bore even without a patch.

bamaranger · March 6, 2020, 12:23 AM

I've been shooting a CVA squirrel rifle a bit as of late. If I shoot round balls, I use store bought Hornady's at .310 and denim for patches, cut at the muzzle. I've got 250 or so of the Hornady's, for me & the .32, that would be a bunch of shooting. Charge is thrown from a 25 gr spout on my flask, so a bit less then 25gr actually, say 24? I've looked at the Ballistic Products buck shot, they sell a .310 , #1-1/2 buck pellet that is alleged to serve well as a projectile for muzzleloading rifles. Eight pounds of those would last me the rest of my life and then some.

What I have shot the most of the past year or so has been .32 Maxiballs.
I bought a mold from the Track of the Wolf folks. Been using scrap lead, whatever I can find, old sinkers, range scrap, a bunch of cheap lead .38 slugs that were just to soft to shoot in revolvers, etc. The same 25 grain charge will allow me to hit a 12" gong offhand if I'm lucky, and consistently off the bench with about a 6" group. At 50 yds the maxi will shoot into a playing card. Round balls shoot a bit tighter, but I do not have to cut patches with the Maxi's, and I like that.

Old Stony · March 6, 2020, 08:05 AM

I used the stick on weights to cast round balls and mini's for many years, with no problems. They are plenty soft..

mehavey · March 6, 2020, 03:08 PM

March 6, 2020, 12:23 AM	#3
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,309	CVA .32 squirrel rifle I've been shooting a CVA squirrel rifle a bit as of late. If I shoot round balls, I use store bought Hornady's at .310 and denim for patches, cut at the muzzle. I've got 250 or so of the Hornady's, for me & the .32, that would be a bunch of shooting. Charge is thrown from a 25 gr spout on my flask, so a bit less then 25gr actually, say 24? I've looked at the Ballistic Products buck shot, they sell a .310 , #1-1/2 buck pellet that is alleged to serve well as a projectile for muzzleloading rifles. Eight pounds of those would last me the rest of my life and then some. What I have shot the most of the past year or so has been .32 Maxiballs. I bought a mold from the Track of the Wolf folks. Been using scrap lead, whatever I can find, old sinkers, range scrap, a bunch of cheap lead .38 slugs that were just to soft to shoot in revolvers, etc. The same 25 grain charge will allow me to hit a 12" gong offhand if I'm lucky, and consistently off the bench with about a 6" group. At 50 yds the maxi will shoot into a playing card. Round balls shoot a bit tighter, but I do not have to cut patches with the Maxi's, and I like that.

March 5, 2020, 08:49 PM	#1
Rookie21 Senior Member Join Date: August 15, 2009 Posts: 212	.32 caliber Patch and Ball combos - share yours Hi all, I'm working with a .32 caliber pistol and was wondering what y'all use for a ball and patch combo. I've been looking at Ballistic Products - they sell some .320 diameter buckshot in an eight pound jug thats pretty reasonably priced but I'm pretty sure it's a hardened lead. For muzzleloaders we use soft lead. I'm trying to buy some in bulk since I don't have much soft lead left in my stock. Just wondering what people are using for a ball AND what patch thickness do you use along with it. I've been looking at Hornady and other brands but they all sell it by the 100 count. I wanted to buy in a bigger quantity. Thanks Oh! And - I have a fair amount of the soft stick on (adhesive) type wheel weights... wheel weights are a mixed alloy and typically thought of as too hard for a muzzleloader but the stick on type ones seem pretty soft to me. What do you guys think of those?

March 6, 2020, 08:05 AM	#4
Old Stony Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,705	I used the stick on weights to cast round balls and mini's for many years, with no problems. They are plenty soft..

March 6, 2020, 03:08 PM	#5
mehavey Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 6,896