Which round ball for T/C Seneca .36

[PARidgeRunner]

I just picked up a T/C Seneca in .36 caliber today. What a beautiful, balanced rifle! Can't wait to the to the range. I bought a box of Hornady .350 round balls. I also noticed a box of Hornady .375 roundballs on the shelf. Can they be used in the Seneca as well?

 

[64Springer]

The .375 balls will work fine.

Just bore your rifle to .385.

Point being, you can't fit a .375 ball into a .360 hole.

 

[PARidgeRunner]

The .375 balls will work fine.

Just bore your rifle to .385.

Point being, you can't fit a .375 ball into a .360 hole.

Yes, that is what I thought. I was surprised to find the box of .375 on the same shelf as the .350. Thanks for your response.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The 0.375 balls are for a 36 caliber cap and ball revolver, not for a 36 caliber rifle. The 0.350 balls are best.

 

[Flint Striker]

Usually, you’d use .375 in a revolver. They’ll fit the chambers very tight and deform a little being rammed in.

With a rifle, you generally use a slightly undersized ball with a patch. The .350 is what you need for a .36 rifle, probably a .440 for a “45” caliber rifle, and so on.

 

[bronko220002]

No use .350s with a patch. The .375s are for revolvers (no patch)

 

[Grenadier1758]

Tripple Aught (000) buckshot will also work in the 36 caliber rifles. The ball may be a little bit harder than pure lead and there may be some irregularities, but it works fine in my rifles.

 

[hanshi]

Absolutely; .350" ball for .36 rifles and .375" is for revolvers. However some shooters use a slightly larger ball of .355" or even .360". I use the .350" and see no reason to try a larger ball.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I use the 0.350" balls or 000 buckshot. But then, I found a used mold marked 0.358". So, guess what I have to try.

 

[gvandersluis]

.375 ball will work fine in your TC Seneca. You just need to prepare them by melting them down and running the lead through a .350 ball mold.