alternate projectiles in a muzzleloader

Purely for the sake of discussion and debate, could one fire anything other than lead round balls in a muzzleloading pistol (e.g. single-shot Trapper pistol, rather than a revolver)?
Theoretically, instead of a patched lead round ball, could one fire glass marbles?
stainless ball bearings?
hard rubber balls, such as those used by Airsofters or Paintballers?
gumballs or jawbreaker candy (with a lighter powder charge)?
round balls made from hot glue poured into a mold (like these someone fires in their Ruger Old Army)?

I have used #6 shot in single shot black powder pistols both smooth bore and rifled. Pattern was not the greatest but it would put holes in a coke can at 10 feet. Have also used BB’s in a Jukar flintlock smooth bore. Some folks say it will harm the barrel but I didn’t see any damage. Didn’t matter to me anyhow, the gun wasn’t high dollar.

If you look at the early history of firearms, round stones and such were used for projectiles.
I guess you could probably pack pretty much anything down the barrel. Can't say what will happen when it comes back out though.

In the colonial/revolutionary war days they'd melt down the pewter tableware if ammo got scarce.

And the 'quick draw' clubs use wax bullets to bust balloons.

where there is a will, there is a way.
and most BP shooters i know are full of will, and always find a way. just look at beer can primer caps! i fired 20 shots from my flintlock yesterday with a stone i picked up off the driveway. and expect to get another 20 shots.
Back when cave men were experimenting with hollowed out sticks, i even tried ice bullets. talk about speed loading in the California heat!

I’ve shot split shot sinkers on a cotton string from my smoothbore. Makes a interesting hole in paper.

hrt4me said:

Purely for the sake of discussion and debate, could one fire anything other than lead round balls in a muzzleloading pistol (e.g. single-shot Trapper pistol, rather than a revolver)?
Theoretically, instead of a patched lead round ball, could one fire glass marbles?
stainless ball bearings?
hard rubber balls, such as those used by Airsofters or Paintballers?
gumballs or jawbreaker candy (with a lighter powder charge)?
round balls made from hot glue poured into a mold (like these someone fires in their Ruger Old Army)?
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You would have to get a thin lead patch. You don't want to hotwax your bore. But would be perfect for a T4E.

We used to shoot wax bullets in percussion revolvers, no powder, just percussion caps.
Nit Wit

deerstalkert said:

Back when cave men were experimenting with hollowed out sticks, i even tried ice bullets. talk about speed loading in the California heat!

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I had also pondered round balls of ice...

speaking of hollowed-out sticks, do you think one could somehow fashion an arrow...?

hrt4me said:

I had also pondered round balls of ice...

speaking of hollowed-out sticks, do you think one could somehow fashion an arrow...?

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been there done that! for the sake of the future generation of muzzlestuffers, no particulars will be discussed. ps. my handle for years in our group was Sliverpicker!

hrt4me said:

speaking of hollowed-out sticks, do you think one could somehow fashion an arrow...?

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Ramrods make a pretty sight flying down range on a woods walk, you don’t need to ask how I know.

is there not a song about cats and loading a gun with nails and dynamite?

BPMS has a video (Wacky shooting #2) where he loads a handful of electrical wirenuts and proceeds to obliterate a backboard full of balloons. Hysterical.
There are two other videos of Mark shooting toothpicks, chicken skewers and an arrow out of a smoothy.
Seems if you can get it down there, it'll come right back out.

wm

I'm partial to tightly packed paper wads (spitballs?) because I live in the 'burbs where lead balls just aren't the best for good relations with the neighbors. The tight packing results in a *really* good BANG! I used to live in AZ and I'm thinking of moving back. Ironically I live in CT, which has some of the strictest gun laws in the US, but BP is *totally* unregulated.

Alan O said:

I'm partial to tightly packed paper wads (spitballs?) because I live in the 'burbs where lead balls just aren't the best for good relations with the neighbors. The tight packing results in a *really* good BANG! I used to live in AZ and I'm thinking of moving back. Ironically I live in CT, which has some of the strictest gun laws in the US, but BP is *totally* unregulated.

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I went on a hunt several years ago and one of the guys forgot to bring his lead balls with him.
He stopped at a hobby shop along the way and bought some marbles. He found some that would fit just right when properly patched.
If you ever get in a pinch - yes - a marble is pretty accurate and will kill a deer at 50-70 yards.

Griz44Mag said:

I went on a hunt several years ago and one of the guys forgot to bring his lead balls with him.
He stopped at a hobby shop along the way and bought some marbles. He found some that would fit just right when properly patched.
If you ever get in a pinch - yes - a marble is pretty accurate and will kill a deer at 50-70 yards.

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Been thinking about trying that for fun if I don't run down a proper mold by the time I get my relined .69 smooth bore barrel back from Mr. Hoyt. I have plenty of Civil War .69 balls from buck n ball loads I've metal detected here on the mountain battleground. Might send one or two out of it when I get the barrel back, it's an 1847 dated 1842 Harper's Ferry Musket. The coolest ones show the 3 little dimples caused by the little buck shot when fired. When casting I always alloy in a little civil war lead scrap from bullet splats and campfires to keep in the spirit of things

Returning to the first article, would not the glue gun bullets melt from the burning powder?.
I believe the US Air Force used plastic bullets with only primer for training.
I had some of the cases and shot one of my kids Weeble, wobble but don't fall down, that plastic bullet destroyed the Weeble

Packrat said:

Returning to the first article, would not the glue gun bullets melt from the burning powder?.

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They don't have time to heat up. I shoot them from my 45 colt (unmentionable) with just the primer.
They zinge out of there fast enough to punch through a cardboard box. And I re-use them. Reloadable bullets!
Even out of a muzzleloader with just a tad of powder - would probably be just fine, if you put a wad under it - absolutely would be fine.

I have made mini cannister 3-.36 in sealing wax tubes made out of lunch bags . Slightly undersized so you can compress upon loading. A mini shot shell of sorts.....

nit wit said:

We used to shoot wax bullets in percussion revolvers, no powder, just percussion caps.
Nit Wit

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I used to push an unmentionable primed case thru a cake of paraffin wax. Fine indoor wadcutter target load….