what size ball to use (exactly)

[andy2175m4]

Black powder (and casting) newbie here (old time centerfire reloader though) I just removed the cylinder from my New 1860 Uberti Army pistol and checked all 6 chambers with a caliper,

0.450" x 6

what size ball should I use to get a good swage on the cylinders ? I see many ball molds at .450 and I see Hornady selling ready made balls at .457

what is the best diameter to use ? I'd like to get a ball mold slightly over .45 and make my own, but dont see any

what do you recommend ?

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Lee sells a .451 ball mold.

 

[Crow Choker]

I use nothing but .454 balls in all of my 44 caliber Uberti's and Pietta's. Tried .457's once but they seat too hard. Get a good shave of lead off of .454's. Back in the day (early 70's-mid 80's) .451's were the norm but get a better seal and lead shave with .454's. Some say they get some ball creep with .451's in modern made today cappers.

 

[Eutycus]

It should be the .451 or the .454. Either will work but I agree the .454 will give you a better seal. Just make sure you are using pure lead in the round balls. With the larger the balls, you will be putting more strain on the frame with the loading lever.

 

[andy2175m4]

I tend to think that a Lee .451 with a bit of hot hand-held mold tolerance, (a mil or two) that might be just the right size....

And a store bought .454 will give a good swage too, so if there is a .451 mold available that will work. thanks for the input.

 

[andy2175m4]

Since I like casting my own bullets , I will try the 0.451 Lee first and see how it goes (look out Pale Rider)

 

[akroguy]

.454 always. Never let me down in any .44 I've ever owned.

 

[ROA457]

I’d be putting 454 balls down the holes.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I'm going to side with the 0.454 recommendations.

 

[64Springer]

I'd buy a Lee .452 45acp mold. Lose the balls and ram home some bullets.

A gentle chicken plucker honing of the cylinders will be required to get the correct fit.

But it's worth it. You can size them to .451 too. More than one way to skin a cat.


PS: The 160 grain will allow for more powder.

 

[ord sgt]

I use a .451 roundball cast from a Lee mould. I get a nice ring of lead when ramming the ball into the chamber of my Pietta Colt revolver.

 

[wiscoaster]

...

what do you recommend ?

I've been using 0.454 balls in my Uberti since I can buy those locally, buy they don't shave quite a full circumference lead ring when rammed. I'd like to try 0.457 balls, but probably will have to order them online, and I don't plan to do that until my current supply runs out. Which, incidentally, have been shooting just fine, never mind the shaved ring situation. The Uberti pistols manual recommends 0.454 or 0.457 balls:

 

[Gtrubicon]

I'd buy a Lee .452 45acp mold. Lose the balls and ram home some bullets.

A gentle chicken plucker honing of the cylinders will be required to get the correct fit.

But it's worth it. You can size them to .451 too. More than one way to skin a cat.


PS: The 160 grain will allow for more powder.

How do they shoot for you? I have hundreds of the 452 200rf cast and powder coated and ready to go. I’d have to resize at .451, easy enough. What is chicken plucker honing?

 

[64Springer]

How do they shoot for you? I have hundreds of the 452 200rf cast and powder coated and ready to go. I’d have to resize at .451, easy enough. What is chicken plucker honing?

Crude but effective.

Wrap enough sandpaper around the dowel until it's snug in the cylinder then turn on the drill.

It'll pull off a few thou quickly. This is 220 paper. The gray color is metal.

I did it to my Colt Dragoon, but it's the same method for any cylinder.

.452 dia. - 252 grains - 40 grains of 3F T7 - 4 pounds 5 ounces loaded.

 

[#blackpowderbill]

Did your new Uberti come with a manual?

 

[64Springer]

Did your new Uberti come with a manual?

I don't read manuals.

Why?

Did I create a Dragoon Grenade that has yet to blow up?

 

[wiscoaster]

I don't read manuals.

Why?

Did I create a hand grenade that has yet to blow up?

Sorry, but that comparison is a total non-sequitor.

I, too, give manuals short shrift, and more than once they've led me astray, but at least they're a starting point.

My Uberti came with a manual, but the manual covers all their guns in about five different languages, so its information is pretty non-specific.
I don't think it's a good idea for everybody to totally write off all manuals as worthless; they just have to be taken into context what they already know, and then to seek out other sources of information for what the manual lacks.

Of course, if you already know everything, then maybe the manual is worthless.

 

[ROA457]

I've been using 0.454 balls in my Uberti since I can buy those locally, buy they don't shave quite a full circumference lead ring when rammed. I'd like to try 0.457 balls, but probably will have to order them online, and I don't plan to do that until my current supply runs out. Which, incidentally, have been shooting just fine, never mind the shaved ring situation. The Uberti pistols manual recommends 0.454 or 0.457 balls:

View attachment 246529

Looks to me like you have 452 barrels on the Uberti which is why they recommend 454 conical, that way they slip into the chambers with no sizing. Pot luck with the balls but I would use 457 to get a decent ring cutoff which will better help the accuracy. Lee moulds use a 1:20 tin:lead mix, pure lead will drop a smaller diameter.

 

[NorthFork]

My Colt made but Uberti parts guns spec .457" balls.

 

[AlexB]

.454 cuts good ring for my piettas.