Favorite RB size for a .45

Let’s say that someone decided to order a Kibler SMR in .45 cal, but had never owned a .45 before.

What size do you prefer? .440 or?

I recently got a CVA Mountain Rifle restored to good working order and shot a pretty decent 50 yard group with .440, but they loaded super easy with .018 ticking patch so I'm going to cast up some .445 and give those a try. I think it may tighten up my groups a little more. Can't speak for a Kibler .45 (unfortunately!) but those 2 sizes are pretty much the go to for .45 round ball.

>440 pure lead it also depends on what rifling (bore measured) needs to be checked

My Kentucky pistol likes the 440's and my rifle shoots best with the 445's.
You'd have to try each to see.

I've used both and settled on 445 just because it works well with the patch material that my other guns favor.

For your gun, try both and decide what it likes.

I've always got decent shots with the .440 in my 45 (CVA). But who knows a Kibler 45 may be a different animal?

TDM said:

Let’s say that someone decided to order a Kibler SMR in .45 cal, but had never owned a .45 before.

What size do you prefer? .440 or?

Click to expand...

Preference is what works best. And, that cannot be determined until you have the rifle in hand and shoot it with various ball sizes, various patch materials and various lubes. I have had "45's" that liked balls anywhere from .433" to .457". Most of my 45 shooting has been with .440s or .445s. There ain't nuttin' fer certain fer sure in this game. It's like wimmens. Ye gotta try a bunch before finding the one you like the best.

Rifleman1776 said:

Preference is what works best. And, that cannot be determined until you have the rifle in hand and shoot it with various ball sizes, various patch materials and various lubes. I have had "45's" that liked balls anywhere from .433" to .457". Most of my 45 shooting has been with .440s or .445s. There ain't nuttin' fer certain fer sure in this game. It's like wimmens. Ye gotta try a bunch before finding the one you like the best.

Click to expand...

I was about to post a near identical response, so did a bit of editing… I have over the years collected roundball molds in .433”, .440”, .445” and.451” and have used them all for various rifles and have no favorite size, though the different guns do. Find the most common size to be .440”.

.440 is all that I have shot since it's all I have access to. They seem fine to me.

You need buy some mixed ball from track of tge wolf and shoot and see
It’s not always tge smallest group that counts.
A .445 May shoot the best be be harder to load in the deer woods, and a .440 loads much nicer.
A 45 grain 3 f the best charge but a little anemic for deer,
And so on
My Green Mountian .45 barrel out shoots what I can hold with a .440

Been killin deer since 2005 with a .440 round ball
Dry weather .015 patch, wet, .017

I have shot .440, .433, and .430 in my .45 CVA Kentucky pistol and my .45 Pedersoli Pennsylvania Dixie long rifle. Depends on your patch thickness. I have the smaller sizes because my first 40-something caliber was a .44 caliber Kentuckian rifle. I also have some .429 for it, and some .445 for the .45, but have not tried them yet.

I am using .440 balls cast from a Lee six-cavity mold with .015 pre-cut and lubed patches in my Kibler .45 SMR. Does the job if I do mine. I have not recovered any shot patches yet but the barrel is cutting the cleaning patches up pretty good. I have considered a little rifling smoothing but will probably just shoot it smooth. ; ). I have a .445 mold but have not tried any of them yet. The same ball/patch combo works VERY well in my .45 CVA Mountain Rifle and Pistol. I like to keep things simple.

TDM said:

Let’s say that someone decided to order a Kibler SMR in .45 cal, but had never owned a .45 before.

What size do you prefer? .440 or?

Click to expand...

I prefer .433”.
Allows the use of a thicker patch that will carry more lube.
Loads a little easier and I get a lot of shots between cleanings.

Rifleman1776 said:

Preference is what works best. And, that cannot be determined until you have the rifle in hand and shoot it with various ball sizes, various patch materials and various lubes. I have had "45's" that liked balls anywhere from .433" to .457". Most of my 45 shooting has been with .440s or .445s. There ain't nuttin' fer certain fer sure in this game. It's like wimmens. Ye gotta try a bunch before finding the one you like the best.

Click to expand...

Thank you for being the voice of Reason and Logic.

Timber Wolf, Most cut patches I've encountered were getting cut at the muzzle because the muzzle crown was too sharp. Thumb and sandpaper will take care of that.

Ball size. Most .45s I've tried do well with .440" ball and it's always a good place to start. I cast and shoot both .440" and .445" in my .45s. One of my .45s suggested .433" to .435". But I used the .440" size without much trouble and it's phenomenally accurate with that size. My two main .45s shoot both sizes about the same with virtually identical ballistics. My usual patch material is heavy canvas that compressed measures about .024". With that patch loading is a little more work with the .445" but the wood underbarrel rod seats it just fine.

Measure the bore first. Most likely a .440 or .445

In my Kibler SMR I use a .440 ball with a .015 pillow ticking patch when clover-leaf grouping accuracy is called for, i.e. hunting.
When merely burning powder for the fun of it I use a .433 ball with the same .015 patch because it is just a bit easier to load. The smaller ball is still plenty accurate, only opens up the grouping a wee bit.

Thanks much for all the advice. I ordered a .440 and a .445 mold (or mould as some prefer ).
This should get me started.

TDM said:

Thanks much for all the advice. I ordered a .440 and a .445 mold (or mould as some prefer ).
This should get me started.

Click to expand...

Smart move.