what size ball to use (exactly)

[Griff093]

Way beck in the 1980s when I had a .44 1858, I was told the rule of thumb was Italian clone - .454", ROA - .457". I've never heard where that's bad advice. .454 should give you a good seal on the chamber.

 

[ernbar]

I use .454 in all my .44s and .375 in my .36s.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I found that I had to use 0.380" balls in my Uberti 36 caliber rifles.

 

[Eras Gone]

Most of the time I shoot my own brand of conicals, but for Roundball, I shoot .454 in everything except my Charlie Hahn accurized Remington. It likes 460. Pieta chambers are generally a few thousand smaller than Ubertis, that is why they recommend 451. Uberti recommends 454.

 

[Timber Wolf]

.454

 

[maillemaker]

Most reproduction revolvers will shave a ring or swage well with .454. My Uberti Walker likes a .457, so I tend to use .457 in everything to keep things easy.

However, I shoot the Moose "Collar Button" bullet in competition and I size them to .454 for use in my Pietta Remington.

 

[gunpa]

Lee makes a 454 mold. Got one on the shelf. .454 works great in my Pietta 58. Loading the cylinder on an arbor with handle (Amazon) saves the guns loading lever and a lot of time!

 

[Notchy Bob]

I would agree with the majority regarding .454 balls. However, .451", .454", and .457" balls, both swaged and precast, are widely available, as are moulds in all three of these sizes. I would order cast balls in all three of those sizes and try them out, then get a Lee mould for the one that fits best. The un-used balls could be melted down and recast to the optimal size.

Notchy Bob

 

[Crow Choker]

andy2175m4--------I'd do as Notchy Bob suggested. Why buy a .451 mold when later on you find a .454 is the ticket. .457's seated hard in all of my Uberti and Pietta revolvers.

 

[bigted]

For my 44 cal revolvers I use the .454 balls and they do me right.

 

[Flathead85]

My walker shaves different sizes on .454 rb. Could be inconsistent pours, but the 457 conicals are much tighter and make a much stronger recoil.

 

[SDSmlf]

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 ?

If all you are worried about is shearing a lead ring, .454” diameter balls will work. If you are going for accuracy, suggest you consider the rifling diameter and reaming the cylinders to be .001”-.002” larger, then getting the exact correct ball diameter. You state you are an old time centerfire reloaded, so guessing you will understand. The groove diameters on Uberti’ I have owned and checked seem to measure about .458”. Check and figure from there. Personally have found matching up cylinder, groove and ball diameter will tighten groups up.

 

[Sir Boniface Harrison]

Always .454. You get that little ring shaved off the ball, you know its a snug fit. Moreover, you are not going to get chain fires. I still lube though, just to make sure!

 

[ord sgt]

A friend has a .44 Remington revolver that he shot in N-SSA competition. All of the chambers were mic'ed, finding which was the largest. Once found, all the chambers were bored to the same size. He uses a .454 round ball and has won several matches with that revolver.

 

[smokepolehall]

I use .454 balls in my 1860. The .451 were not sealing well. I have not tried .457 yet.

 

[andy2175m4]

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.

If I could find a 0.452 ball or mold I would go with that, but dont see any now, I may just go for the 0.452 bullet mold and shoot some of those too, for starters will use the balls .

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I bought a .457 mold, Got a .454 in the box.
Too lazy to return it, so now I shoot .454s, flawlessly.
Pietta 44 eats them well.

 

[Bad Karma]

I don't read manuals.

Why?

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

I’ve handled a fair number of technical inquiries from customers regarding $100k pump stations or controls. “Why won’t it do X, Y, and Z?” I typically begin, “Well, if you‘ll turn to page 42 in the manual you discarded all will be made clear.”

And yes, stock Uberti’s should use a .454” ball in Army revolvers, .380” in the Navy caliber guns. Pietta use .451 and .375”…

 

[64Springer]

I’ve handled a fair number of technical inquiries from customers regarding $100k pump stations or controls. “Why won’t it do X, Y, and Z?” I typically begin, “Well, if you‘ll turn to page 42 in the manual you discarded all will be made clear.”

And yes, stock Uberti’s should use a .454” ball in Army revolvers, .380” in the Navy caliber guns. Pietta use .451 and .375”…

I can appreciate that.

My point was the person who brought up manuals did so in a way that made what I was doing sound dangerous.

The unbridled timidity that pops up on this forum over and over bugs the hell out of me. Grown azz men with guns that are afraid of guns. Or are afraid of pushing their guns to see what their guns are truly capable of. Not what the lawyers writing the manuals say their capable of. It's bewildering as all get out.

If someone is going to intimate that something is dangerous, then spell it out. Scientifically.

Don't just make a Did You Read The Manual comment. And not follow up.

 

[Bad Karma]

I can appreciate that.

My point was the person who brought up manuals did so in a way that made what I was doing sound dangerous.

The unbridled timidity that pops up on this forum over and over bugs the hell out of me. Grown azz men with guns that are afraid of guns. Or are afraid of pushing their guns to see what their guns are truly capable of. Not what the lawyers writing the manuals say their capable of. It's bewildering as all get out.

If someone is going to intimate that something is dangerous, then spell it out. Scientifically.

Don't just make a Did You Read The Manual comment. And not follow up.

You any relation to Britsmoothy?