I am new to the world of muzzleloaders. I did a lot of research to prepare me for using my ball and cap revolver. As I was looking through tutorials and videos, I came across a video that explained the possibility of a manufacturing defect in the cylinder that would cause too much shaving of the lead round ball. The guy explained a test that involved loading six rounds without a charge to test if the diameters of the six chambers match the openings of each chamber. Did so and now have six rounds that had been loaded and then unloaded. Do I need to recast the rounds or can they still make a seal in the chamber and fire normally?
-
This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.
Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades -
Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.
We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.
Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103
Can you use lead rounds that were chambered and then ejected without firing?
- Thread starter bdude2924
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
I'm assuming the balls were of a correct size and a ring of lead was shaved off each one when loading? If so, the balls are no longer round. I don't know what method you intend to use to extract the balls but won't they be deformed in so doing? I seems like the best plan is to melt and recast.
John
John
I don’t know if anybody has ever tried re-using balls as you describe. I would throw them in the pot and re-cast, just for the sake of consistency.
If you don’t have a mould and casting equipment yet, don’t worry, as most people who shoot muzzleloaders end up as bullet casters eventually. There are lots of threads about getting started casting right here on this forum. You can probably get a mould, ladle, and pot for under $100.
If you have friends who shoot muzzleloaders, chances are some of them cast their own bullets. They would probably appreciate the gift of your six damaged balls if you don’t want to save them.
Best regards,
Notchy Bob
If you don’t have a mould and casting equipment yet, don’t worry, as most people who shoot muzzleloaders end up as bullet casters eventually. There are lots of threads about getting started casting right here on this forum. You can probably get a mould, ladle, and pot for under $100.
If you have friends who shoot muzzleloaders, chances are some of them cast their own bullets. They would probably appreciate the gift of your six damaged balls if you don’t want to save them.
Best regards,
Notchy Bob
Trapper Scott
45 Cal.
Are they pure lead? Lead is very soft which allows it to conform very easily to the limits of a barrel when it has a charge pressing it out. The best-case scenario is to recast and reuse, but I have taken balls smaller than needed and flattened them slightly so they would seal and they fired just fine. Be aware that any aerodynamics it may have had before is now lost. No damage to myself or the gun and the target was engaged. I don't recommend this practice, but it worked fine for me. Used a 1858 for the test.
The balls could be deformed and fired. The safest way to use them is to fire the revolver as a single shot. The used ball will be held in the chamber by a slight amount of friction and the forcing cone will make the firing of the ball fit to the barrel.
I have doneit.
Load ball at 190 degrees from first loading. If you have shaved abit of lead for a seal, you will be okay. Was at range no more projectiles, reuse.
I don`t recall why I needed to unload cylinders but8 or 10 penny nail fit through cylinder nipple hole. aftyer dumping powder cut. grind file nail end flat, stick in hole knockout ball, reload fire.
I'm missing something here.
What was the point of this exercise again?
Just shoot the freaking things out!
Why do people put videos up that are looking to fix an issue that a; may not even exist and b; fix it via creating an issue!
Just take measurements of the cylinder mouths, the throat and muzzle. Or, lube the barrel and push a ball through it.
It's not going to be miles away and don't forget soft lead likes to expand some on firing.
How does the revolver shoot? Good or bad?
What was the point of this exercise again?
Just shoot the freaking things out!
Why do people put videos up that are looking to fix an issue that a; may not even exist and b; fix it via creating an issue!
Just take measurements of the cylinder mouths, the throat and muzzle. Or, lube the barrel and push a ball through it.
It's not going to be miles away and don't forget soft lead likes to expand some on firing.
How does the revolver shoot? Good or bad?
Spillikins
.451
For the sake of six round balls, who gives a toss?
Johnny Tremain
Silversmith in training
Id take the cones out, use compressed air to blow them out, droppem in the furnace and meltem down and makem again.
Spillikins
.451
What you are missing is that the balls aren't stuck, as stated in post #1. Unless you simply mean shoot them.
See above.
The only mystery here is why the OP is asking what he should do with these six possibly semi-mangled balls. Just recast them or throw them away!
Don't be so presumptuous hot shot.
None of my comments were anything to do with removing stuck balls as stated in post #10 !
You really want to risk a chain fire in all six chambers for the sake of six balls (OK, 5 if you are being safe)?! Either recast them or throw them over your shoulder for luck. They are not gold, platinum or silver.
Spillikins
.451
I assumed by the use of the phrase:
>Just shoot the freaking things out!
that you thought they were stuck. 'Shoot it out' is the usual exhortation in these environs to deal with a stuck ball.
If you were simply telling the OP to reuse the balls and shoot them as normal, then you should not have used the word 'out'.
In other words:
Just shoot the things!
would have been clearer.
So I wasn't being presumptuous at all. I was merely assigning a meaning to the words you wrote. If you don't wish to be misinterpreted, write more clearly.
Last edited:
Temper temper! Remember that not everyone can turn a phrase like Craig Johnson. I can write and write well, but honestly, I wish I had the ability to build a gun like some of the ones I have seen here... or maybe to speak the Language of Women.
Spillikins
.451
No temper. I was just explaining to britsmoothy why I wrote what I did.
Then you assumed wrongly.
Your excuse mitigates nothing.
Your services adjudicating how I express myself here are not needed thank you.
If I had a revolver that shot well I would ignore dumb videos.
If I had a revolver that shot poor I would start taking measurements and slug the bore.
This exercise that the op watched a video about is akin to watching a video of someone jumping off a taller building just to see if the pain increases, I mean, why would you! It's pointless
Spillikins
.451
That's what I said.
I wasn't an excuse. It was an explanation.
Clearly they are, as I explained. Anyway I won't in the future. I have plenty of clients who pay me for my linguistic services.
