Weighing roundballs.

[Mike in Oz]

Since i started tossing, light, heavy, frosted or wrinkled balls back in the pot I've noticed a considerable improvement in accuracy and a real lack of flyers.

So i'm going to go with if it works, it ain't stupid! 

[RobD]

as long as yer casting from the same pot of "pure" lead, the big problem will be air inclusions.  after filling the mould cavity, if you dump the entire ladle of remaining lead ONTO the mould, aimed at the sprue hole, you will probably find that all the balls you've cast will be very very close in physical weight.  also, lots will hafta do with how close you cut off the sprue if the mould doesn't have a sprue cutter plate.

[AxelP]

I have no doubt that weighing, sorting and throwing the bad-uns back in the pot will improve your groups. Eliminating or controlling the variables is exactly what muzzleloading accuracy is all about. Same goes for Archery, Golf, Ping Pong, Nascar, Knitting, Basket weaving and every other endeavor on God's earth. Historically speaking, the average 18th C shooter most certainly practiced good casting technique and threw the poorly cast ones back in the pot, and learned to keep the heat consistent etc.

If I was a competitive target shooter, you can bet I'd be weighing them, and doing whatever it took to wring the last bit of accuracy out of my riflegun. I tend to do much better at shotgun wing shooting than precision rifle shooting. Always been that way. Funny thing, my Dad was a good rifle shooter but could not hit a flying bird to save his life.

K

[Stormrider51]

While not a roundball, this Minie shows how a normal looking bullet can have a flaw.  It weighed out a little over 2 gr lighter than the normal minie and an air void is visible inside the cavity.  The target photo shows where I fired 3 shots of good bullets and 3 that had the air void at 75 yards from the bench.  You can guess which are which.


John

[Stormrider51]

Can anyone help me out on why Photobucket will only print one photo?

[Stormrider51]

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[RobD]

Can anyone help me out on why Photobucket will only print one photo?

it's not you, the problem is with photobucket - you haven't heard about their $400 pay-to-play they're requiring of all members?  as a result, as of weeks ago they shut down all images for all members who haven't paid them.  what a scam. 

[Stormrider51]

Thanks, RobD.  No, I wasn't aware of the changes at Photobucket.  I've been off dealing with some health problems for a while.
John

[RobD]

Thanks, RobD.  No, I wasn't aware of the changes at Photobucket.  I've been off dealing with some health problems for a while.
John

hope yer well on the mend, john   

you can attach images right from your computer to any of your posts - in fact, we recommend that.

if you attach one image, you can add the following code anywhere in your post and that's where the full size image will appear ....

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[Hanshi]

Starting in the mid 1960s I have cast thousands upon thousands of rb and minie.  I've always cast everything I shoot from a ML.  To weigh all those, even on my digital scale, would have been an enormous waste of my time.  As I cast, I do a visual check and drop culls back in the pot.  I can't shoot well enough with primitive iron sights to tell any difference.  Mounting a scope might work but will never happen.

[Eric Krewson]

I use a bottom pour Lyman ladle so I don't get much stuff to make voids. I made me a new .40 squirrel rifle, bought me a lee mold and cast a bunch of .395 balls the other day. I never weigh balls as a rule but wanted to see what my new mold was throwing so I started weighing a bunch of them. When I got to 15 or 20 with them all weighing exactly the same I quit. Lee molds have come a long way in the last few years.

[Mike in Oz]

Hey Rob,

I think i've been doing this by accident, I overfill the cast so the two molds connect, so when i bang the cutter plate over the two lumps of fiddly lead become one large easy to manage one. 

as long as yer casting from the same pot of "pure" lead, the big problem will be air inclusions.  after filling the mould cavity, if you dump the entire ladle of remaining lead ONTO the mould, aimed at the sprue hole, you will probably find that all the balls you've cast will be very very close in physical weight.  also, lots will hafta do with how close you cut off the sprue if the mould doesn't have a sprue cutter plate.

[prairie dog]

I weigh them all.  Those that are very light go back in the pot.  For paper match shooting I group them by exact weight.  Those that are close, are used for gong shoots.  It's necessary for tight groups. 

[Mike in Oz]

Funnily enough i just cast a heap more .50 cal RB yesterday but wound up throwing over half back because the weights were seriously all over the place.

Makes me happy when i dodge problems like that. 

[Hawken]

As long as Hornady sells swaged round balls.....I'll let them worry with that!

I started 'casting' in 1948; think I've done it enough!