Unscientific .36 cal experiment

[The Miner '49er]

I recently bought my first smoothbore, a .36 cal Ethan Allen SxS caplock pistol (obviously not an original) which takes .350 balls. I bought a box of Hornady swaged balls but being the frugal guy that I am I saw that 000 buckshot is the same diameter. Hornady 000 is also swaged and while it is a bit harder and lighter due to the antimony content, I think it will work just fine [ Invalid Attachment ] . The lead balls measured .351" and weighed 65.1gr and the buck .3505" and 63.6gr. The attached photo shows the unscientific experiment where I wacked each ball with a brass hammer with about the same amount of force. Buck comes in a 5# box, so I saved $5/100 by buying that instead of the pure lead, plus, if my numbers are right, got about 35 extra balls to shoot.

[KDubs]

Love that.  I'll keep this in mind when I buy my.36
 Kevin

[Bigsmoke]

I remember shooting something like that in my first .36 cal revolver, much less expensive than buying lead ball.
It kinda makes one wish they made buckshot in .535 diameter, not to mention .600 and .715.  Would save me lots of time casting ball, for sure.
John (Bigsmoke)

[The Miner '49er]

Yep, I would like to find a source for less costly .715's too. Casting is something I did years ago and don't want to mess with it again.

[PetahW]

It kinda makes one wish they made buckshot in .535 diameter, not to mention .600 and .715.

John (Bigsmoke)

It would have to be labelled "Bullshot"...... 

[The Miner '49er]

Today I tried the 000 buckshot. It worked just as well as pure lead in the smoothbore pistol. Since the buck shot is harder, the balls deformed less when seated on the powder but I wouldn't say it was beneficial. The 5# box of Hornady buck was considerably cheaper than an equivalent amount of their lead, however. Don't know how well the harder material would do in a rifled bore.

[doggoner]

I have been shooting the 000 buckshot in my TVM 36 cal. rifle for about eight years and love it. I doubt if you'll notice the difference and I know the game you shoot won't care that the ball isn't pure lead.

doggoner

[Ironhand]

I used to have a 36 rifle. Buckshot was all I used in it and it worked just fine for head shots on tree rats.

Ironhand

[Winter Hawk]

Don't know how well the harder material would do in a rifled bore.

It should make no difference.  The patch grips the rifling and the ball, causing the ball to spin. Let's NOT get into obduration... 

~Kees~[/size]