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Author Topic: Ball size  (Read 3584 times)

Offline Noz

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Ball size
« on: August 10, 2006, 12:50:25 PM »
The balls that came with the guns are .451. I ordered a .454 Lee mold from Midway. The balls it drops are a lot closer to .457.
Question: Is it worthwhile to hassel over another mold to get the smaller ball?

Even with Thunder Ridge nipples and CCI#10 caps I'm still getting a lot of cap retention under the hammer. Normal?
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Offline broncwalker

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Re: Ball size
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2006, 03:49:47 PM »
You might try to lighten up your powder charge. or rock your pistol to the left as you cock it, just ever so slightly. works for me  :'( take care an watch ye rhair
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Offline hellgate

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Re: Ball size
« Reply #2 on: August 11, 2006, 01:33:52 AM »
I use .454 in all my 44cal C&Bs. I suspect the Pietta 1860 Army would take the .451s but with soft lead it is no big deal to ram the larger ball into the chamber. Try to measure the chamber diameters. If they are.448 then the 451 or 454s should be fine. Often the bore diameter is larger than the chamber diameter.

Are you casting with dead pure soft lead? Harder alloys will cast larger than pure lead. The mold is designed for pure lead.

I HAD A BALL MOLD FROM lee that did not throw the diameter stated and they replaced it without hesitation but did say that their tolerances were something like +or- .002"

Another option is to ream your chambers to .450-.452 and use the .457 balls. You'll likely get better accuracy.
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Re: Ball size
« Reply #3 on: Today at 08:16:42 AM »
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Offline Noz

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Re: Ball size
« Reply #3 on: August 11, 2006, 11:25:29 AM »
hellgate, The larger balls are not so hard to load that I would change for that reason. I cut a nice ring when I seat the bullets.
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Offline Grapeshot

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Re: Ball size
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2006, 11:46:26 AM »
You might try champhering the chamber moouths just a bit.  Not to much, just enough to notice.  The balls will start just fine of a bit oversized, but still be nice and tight and give decent to excellent accuracy.
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Offline Sir Charles deMouton-Black

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Re: Ball size
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2006, 10:03:29 AM »
Broncwalker;  Don't you mean to rock the pistol to the RIGHT when cocking?  The caps rotate off the right side of the frame.  Right works for me.
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Offline sundance44`s

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Re: Ball size
« Reply #6 on: August 17, 2006, 12:06:35 PM »
Remmie shooters rock right ..Colt shooters rock left ... i think but i really wouldn`t know ..just guessing .
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