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.60 caliber round ball

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T

tstad21

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Hey everybody. I had an old barrel from a home project from many years ago that I had a builder use to make me a Hawken percussion rifle. I thought it was .62 caliber, but it turns out it's somewhere between .62 and .58 caliber. Anybody have any idea where I could get some round balls? I couldn't find any on Track of The Wolf. I want to try a few different sizes before I buy a mould to pour my own, but I can't find anything that will work.

Any suggestions?
 
I suggest that you first try to determine the actual bore size then shop for balls.
Use a dial caliper to measure. If you don't have one (they are not very expensive and very handy BTW) cut some heavy paper to a taper and insert into the barrel. Mark across the paper at the muzzle and measure the width. This is not the most accurate way but will get you close. Buy some balls about .01" under your measurement and try.
Or, you could cast a slug and measure. Using some wire, fasten a plug of heavy paper to the end. Insert the plug and wire about 1" into the muzzle. Pour in some molten lead (no, it won't burn out the paper), let cool then pull out and measure both lands and grooves. Another way is to drop a brass rod in the barrel, just use the plug, no wire, then after casting, turn upside down and kinda pump the slug out by bouncing the rod up and down. Not everyone has brass rod laying around so the wire method is really handier.
 
Is it a smooth bore, or rifled barrel? There is one way to tell, if you have calipers. Take a 8~12" brass rod, insert it into the barrel. Use a leather or rubber mallet, and force an over-sized ball into the barrel. Turn it upside down, and knock the lead back out. You can then measure the diameter of the slug to determine what the true diameter is. There is a guy that makes custom moulds. I think his name is Jeff Tanner.
 
Eddie Mays makes and sells a wide range of round balls at reasonable prices. Before buying a mold, order a range of sizes from him & see what your gun likes best. Most guns will function with a range of ball size & patch thickness combos so get a few dozen of several sizes & see what works best for you. Then you can buy a mold with confidence & use it to recast the leftover 'off size' balls into one that works well for you.
 
It is rifled, not smooth bore. It should arrive within the week and I will measure the bore and go from there. I'm new to the world of black powder. Are there any other items that I will need specific to the unusual caliber? For example cleaning jag etc.?
 
Coot said:
Eddie Mays makes and sells a wide range of round balls at reasonable prices. Before buying a mold, order a range of sizes from him & see what your gun likes best. Most guns will function with a range of ball size & patch thickness combos so get a few dozen of several sizes & see what works best for you. Then you can buy a mold with confidence & use it to recast the leftover 'off size' balls into one that works well for you.
Click to expand...


Excellent! Do you have any contact info for Mr. Mays? I can't seem to find a website with a Google search.
 
Eddie Mays
159 Ridley Rd.
Chatsworth, GA 30705
706-581-8225

Nice guy to deal with & knows a few things about casting & shooting. Always good to try a few before buying a mold that you will just wind up reselling. PS - sometimes you can get a deal on molds on ebay.
 
Rifleman1776 said:
I suggest that you first try to determine the actual bore size then shop for balls.
Use a dial caliper to measure. If you don't have one (they are not very expensive and very handy BTW) cut some heavy paper to a taper and insert into the barrel. Mark across the paper at the muzzle and measure the width. This is not the most accurate way but will get you close. Buy some balls about .01" under your measurement and try.
Or, you could cast a slug and measure. Using some wire, fasten a plug of heavy paper to the end. Insert the plug and wire about 1" into the muzzle. Pour in some molten lead (no, it won't burn out the paper), let cool then pull out and measure both lands and grooves. Another way is to drop a brass rod in the barrel, just use the plug, no wire, then after casting, turn upside down and kinda pump the slug out by bouncing the rod up and down. Not everyone has brass rod laying around so the wire method is really handier.
Click to expand...

Ditto
 
tstad21 said:
It is rifled, not smooth bore. It should arrive within the week and I will measure the bore and go from there. I'm new to the world of black powder. Are there any other items that I will need specific to the unusual caliber? For example cleaning jag etc.?
Click to expand...


Yes, you will have to find a jag that will fit. You can take a jag, put it in a high speed drill, and turn one down, carefully of course.
 
Hey everybody, I got my muzzleloader and am really excited to shoot it but have been unable to find anyplace to get round balls. Track of the Wolf doesn't have any for sale and also doesn't have any moulds of the correct size either. I spoke to the aforementioned supplier Eddie Mays, but he doesn't have any moulds between .575 and .600 neither of which would really work for a .60 caliber. Anybody know of anyplace a person could buy round balls near .590 in diameter?
 
Having a GM .62 rifled I wanted something a little smaller than the .603 diameter balls that the Lee .600 round ball mold produced, seeing as it's actually a little tighter than .62. So, I got a .595" diameter push through sizer ($27 delivered to my mail box). Initial results were promising and I'm looking forward to seeing just how good it'll cook.
 
.603 diameter balls that the Lee .600 round ball mold produced
Click to expand...
Lee did have some odd results for a while. They even stated so on their website. My .600 mould produces a tight fit in my 20 ga. fowler. Methinks a .595 would be better but no one makes them that I can find. Exception, Jeff Tanner. I'll probably be ordering one soon.
 

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