Author Topic: that dirty old sprue  (Read 4752 times)

Offline Bunk Stagnerg

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that dirty old sprue
« on: September 23, 2017, 08:00:36 PM »

The Sprue
Realizing I may be opening a large can of worms now but here is the question.
Do you load balls in a percussion revolver sprue up?
Or do you load them sprue down?
Or do you just say” sprue it” stuff it in any way and let the good times roll?
Personally, I am a “sprue it” kind of guy just stuff it in and let the good times roll.
Yr’ Obt’ Svt’
Bunk

Offline Coffinmaker

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #1 on: September 23, 2017, 08:33:10 PM »

With cast balls, I have always oriented the ball sprue UP before ramming.

Offline Pettifogger

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #2 on: September 23, 2017, 08:41:03 PM »
Doesn't really make any difference.  However, with the sprue up it is easier to make sure it is not facing the side of the chamber.  (For newbies, if the sprue is on the side the ball might not seal the chamber.)

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #3 on: Today at 07:03:57 AM »

Offline Professor Marvel

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2017, 09:28:17 PM »
Ah My Good Bunk -

I am in full agreement with Coffin and Pettifogger.

Having come to this venue as a refugee from the Rondy-vooz, I myself have always loaded "sprue-up" and centered as nearly perfectly as possible.

When loading a patched ball in a muzzleloading rifle, an off-center sprue can make the difference between winning and losing a 100 yd paper-punching match. But With a C&B revolver at 10yds, this probably doesn't matter so much :-)

BTW I have to ask if any of the newcomers are aware of the meaning of our Learned Collegue Pettifogger's nome-de-plume?

yhs
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Offline greyhawk

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2017, 11:31:08 PM »
The Sprue
Realizing I may be opening a large can of worms now but here is the question.
Do you load balls in a percussion revolver sprue up?
Or do you load them sprue down?
Or do you just say” sprue it” stuff it in any way and let the good times roll?
Personally, I am a “sprue it” kind of guy just stuff it in and let the good times roll.
Yr’ Obt’ Svt’
Bunk


I use LEE ball molds and tumble em in a canvas bag with some graphite - cant see the sprue when its done - then just stuff em in and go

Offline Lefty Dude

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #5 on: September 24, 2017, 12:58:35 AM »
At SASS/CAS ranges of short prop stages, it is "Sprue It".

If I get the urge for accuracy, well then it is "Sprue UP so's I don't Screw UP".

Offline Crow Choker

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #6 on: September 24, 2017, 07:04:19 AM »
When I did have balls ( :o )-- with sprues I always loaded sprue up. That was back in the day I used a Lyman mold. Since some time in the 90's when going to Lee molds that cast with no sprue of consequence, they get loaded any ol way-never have seen any decrease in wanted accuracy.
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Offline Sir Charles deMouton-Black

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #7 on: September 24, 2017, 11:33:14 AM »
Ah My Good Bunk -

I am in full agreement with Coffin and Pettifogger.

Having come to this venue as a refugee from the Rondy-vooz, I myself have always loaded "sprue-up" and centered as nearly perfectly as possible.

When loading a patched ball in a muzzleloading rifle, an off-center sprue can make the difference between winning and losing a 100 yd paper-punching match. But With a C&B revolver at 10yds, this probably doesn't matter so much :-)

BTW I have to ask if any of the newcomers are aware of the meaning of our Learned Collegue Pettifogger's nome-de-plume?

yhs
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Offline Dick Dastardly

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #8 on: September 24, 2017, 11:54:49 AM »
I load sprue down with my Big Lube®LLC C&B bullets.  They have a nice rebate on the base that allows them to sit up straight and proud waiting to be seated.  The big lube grove lube sized and carried in the Big Lube vials, five bullets in each, makes loading a snap.  I put the cylinder on my Tower of Power cylinder loading stand, charge 5 chambers with powder, sit the bullets in the chamber mouths and ram them home snug on the powder.  All the lube that is needed is carried in the lube sized bullets.  Presto, pronto I'm ready to return the charged cylinder to the gun and cap it at the loading table.  With C&B technology evolved to this state, C&B shooting has really come of age for the fast paced SASS shooting match.

http://www.biglube.com/BulletMolds.aspx?ItemID=09d6fdda-c105-4c87-b269-68ebfdaba982

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Offline Professor Marvel

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #9 on: September 24, 2017, 01:55:03 PM »
Ah My Dear Sir C

I knew I could leave it to you to educate the masses !   :P

yhs
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Offline Abilene

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #10 on: September 24, 2017, 02:11:55 PM »
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pettifogger

And don't forget that his full SASS alias is Larsen E. Pettifogger. 
Larsen E. = Larceny  ;D

Offline hellgate

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #11 on: September 24, 2017, 03:17:05 PM »
I do sprue down 'cause:
#1 I can get more powder under the ball without having to shave off the sprue
#2 I use fairly thick lube wads so I don't worry about the sprue on the side wall.
#3 I'm shootin' in SASS matches where I don't need guild edge accuracy
#4 With sprue up it takes too much time to get them lined up and mine would be all whopperjawed and look like I didn't care (which  I don't)
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Offline Coffinmaker

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #12 on: September 25, 2017, 07:53:51 PM »


I'm wid Hellgate!!  Lotta wurk to align them li'l sprue thingies.  Before I switched to "bullets" I went to swaged balls.  No sprue.  Let's face it, you gotta have real BALLS to shoot Cap Guns anyway.  Unless, of course you shoot bullets.  I really like EPP UG (SHAMELESS plug) bullets.  Special in a .36 so'z you gets a good Klangon.

Offline greyhawk

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #13 on: September 25, 2017, 08:34:07 PM »

I'm wid Hellgate!!  Lotta wurk to align them li'l sprue thingies.  Before I switched to "bullets" I went to swaged balls.  No sprue.  Let's face it, you gotta have real BALLS to shoot Cap Guns anyway.  Unless, of course you shoot bullets.  I really like EPP UG (SHAMELESS plug) bullets.  Special in a .36 so'z you gets a good Klangon.

yeah ! I load on the gun - no pullin cylinders - tryin to get a ball sprue down / or sprue up or sprue anyplace ya want it to be, is a right PITA - swaged ball is easy - just stuff em in anyway at all - LEE ball molds are almost as good (my opinion) - I allways tumble em - just by hand in a canvas bag - dont take long - Pedersoli mold not quite as tidy as the LEE but still make a ball ya can tumble and load like swaged - personally have zero interest in shootin long boolits outa cap guns - got a safe full of cartridge rifles for that - ditto for makin combustible cartridges - no interest to me at this point - dont mean someone else cant have fun doin it tho ...............

Offline Lefty Dude

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #14 on: September 26, 2017, 12:17:07 AM »

I'm wid Hellgate!!  Lotta wurk to align them li'l sprue thingies.  Before I switched to "bullets" I went to swaged balls.  No sprue.  Let's face it, you gotta have real BALLS to shoot Cap Guns anyway.  Unless, of course you shoot bullets.  I really like EPP UG (SHAMELESS plug) bullets.  Special in a .36 so'z you gets a good Klangon.

There ya go PIMPING for DD, again. ;)

Offline Dick Dastardly

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #15 on: September 26, 2017, 04:22:58 PM »
Thanks Gentlemen!

I can use all the kindly plugs I can get.  The little EPP-UG started out as a joke.  Designed by the late Larry Johnson as a tweek to another Cowboy on "The Open Range", the bullet turned out to be a real great design.  Closely emulating round ball weight it out performed the RB in many ways.  Since the bullets were lube/sized to a nice interference fit and carried all the lube needed and made loading a dream.  Down range performance was much improved over RBs.  I proved this to myself when I shot 50 yd. groups with five bullets touching or sharing the same hole.  Something I've never been able to do with round balls.  I was shooting my little Thompson Center Seneca front stuffer rifle.  Since then, I've been happy to learn that the Air Rifle group has embraced the EPP-UG bullets as a new standard of accuracy.

So, thanks again for your endorsements.  This bullet mold continues to be a best seller to the Cowboy Action BP C&B shooters.

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Offline Jeremiah Jones

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Re: that dirty old sprue
« Reply #16 on: September 27, 2017, 01:51:38 PM »
My Navy Cap & Ball revolver "shaves" a ring off the ball when seating it.  I assume that shaves the sprue off so I don't worry about the orientation.
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