Given the above action taken today, I was asked to repost this on another forum, thought it might be of interest here again as well, for anyone needing to consider non-lead projectiles.
I did some research, range testing, and took a deer last year using a solid brass ball in my .58cal Early Virginia....here are the details...somewhat lengthy:
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SIZE TESTING APPROACH
Sized 20 with steel Dial Calipers, 3-4 different axis measurements per ball.
Sizes seemed identical no matter which way I tried to measure them.
I even then locked the dial caliper jaws open at .5625" and repeatedly picked up & dropped the balls through the jaws knowing they'd be going through on a different axis each time.
None ever hung up, further substantiating the consistent measurements, nothing out of round, etc.
WEIGHT TESTING APPROACH
Weighing 20 of them they all came in just about perfectly at 201 grains.
A couple were 200.8 grains, a couple were 201.3 grains, the rest dead on 201 grains.
Only a fraction of a grain variance which is virtually no weight variance at all, and far more consistent than typical lead balls.
MY INITIAL TEST SUMMARY
Extremely high quality / consistent brass balls in both size & weight.
Basically .562" round balls at 201 grains.
No question that these solid brass balls will pose no risk in loading & fitting my .58cal/.580" bore.
Essentially a 200grn projectile, it falls between a .50cal/175 and .54cal/225 in ball weight.
Plus, with the added benefit of a larger frontal area at .562" diameter I’m confident that it'll get the job done on an eastern whitetail at typical woods distances.
All that remains is to test powder charge & patch thickness for an accurate deer hunting load.
This should turn out to be a readily available, high quality, non-toxic PRB out of a .58cal.
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RANGE REPORT - JULY 12, 2012
.58cal Non-Toxic Brass Balls as PRB's in place of lead PRBs
EQUIPMENT
TVM Early Virginia
Rice 38" D-weight .58cal x 1:72" x .016" round bottom grooves;
Chambers Deluxe Siler / Davis DST;
Sights previously zeroed at 50yds for 100grn Goex 2F PRB deer load;
NON-TOXIC BRASS BALL TEST USING SAME SIGHTS / SAME SIGHT PICTURE
Goex 4F prime
Goex 2F main
.62cal Duro-Felt OP wad, lubed with NL1000
.028" Cotton Duck patch, lubed with NL1000
.5625" Solid Brass Ball from 'Online Metals'
Weight = 201 grains
TESTS CONDUCTED FROM BENCH REST
100grns Goex 2F = 1+1/4" ragged hole at 50yds...POI=dead center
MV=1367 fps
120grns Goex 2F = 2" group at 50yds...POI=1.5" above dead center
MV=1611 fps
FINDINGS / CONCLUSIONS
An outstanding non-toxic PRB substitute;
Zero loading and shooting problems;
Extremely accurate & consistent...easily as much, if not more so than lead balls;
Significant penetration, traveling through 21" of tightly packed / shredded rubber mulch;
Recovered balls showed zero damage what-so-ever;
Recovered balls had zero change in ball dimensions, verified with calipers;
Balls can be reused if captured in a medium like this to cut down costs;
I hope to get a deer with it this fall for some first hand field results.
But based on my experiences, I have no doubts this non-toxic PRB sub will get it done.
So if states continue to ban the use of lead projectiles in various hunting areas, know that at least one very viable alternative is readily available in the form of solid brass balls for the .58cal.
Considering that...AND the proven outstanding ragged hole accuracy for weekend practice shooting using penny apiece 9/16" marbles out of a .58cal...the changing hunters environment might now be more to think about when making a caliber selection for the future than we've had to do in the past.
In my own case, for continued weekend shooting practice/enjoyment and deer hunting, lead could be banned from the face of the earth tomorrow and I wouldn’t miss a beat with a .58cal on hand.
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Once fired (1X) balls in the photo were recovered after passing through 21 inches of rubber mulch in a cardboard trap box I made and don’t have a mark on them, no changes in dimensions, patches are perfect. Will be field testing them on deer in the next few weeks.
(UPDATE: I ACTUALLY USED ONE OF THESE ONCE FIRED BALLS TO TAKE A DEER IN LATE OCTOBER, 2012)
ff Sorry, I know this is off-topic but was part of the article in the original post. Drives me nuts when others try to determine a legitimate reason" for all the rest of us. Heck, if I reviewed Mr Steinberg's daily life, I bet I could come up with numerous items for which I would think there is no "legitimate reason" why he should have or do something.
