rounnd ball

[charlie cleveland]

any body got any suggestions on a round ball for the 8 ga...i need any info i can get on the size or measurments of a lead ball.. would like to make up a round ball or slug load if possible...any body got any ideas... thanks charlie

[Mark Landskov]

It would certainly be a bruiser, Charlie! WRA Co. loaded 10 gauge ball loads at 1-1/8 ounce. That was their largest in my catalogs (1881-1928). I do have some gaps in my catalogs, so I may be missing a short lived load, if it was available. Austin has some catalogs, too. Maybe he can find something. Good luck!

[charlie cleveland]

thanks mark im hoping i can use a bruser load on a fine fat doe if i can get me a load ready in time..do you think a round ball of 1 1/2 ounse would be all right..im thinking that this would be ok...i know that a 1 1/2 ounce of shot is a light load so there should be no problem with round ball at that weight... charlie

[Fred Preston]

Nominally, eight guage means eight round balls to the pound (2oz each), the diameter of the ball equaling the bore diameter. A short Minie of an ounce and a half or so with a cast diameter no greater than the choke diameter would work best. Thats the way factory "rifled" slugs are designed. I think Lee used to offer molds to order like this.

[charlie cleveland]

will be good if lee still makes the custom made moulds...you are right a short conical bullet would beat the round ball in accurcy....this old reloading stuff is really getting in my blood now....charlie

[charlie cleveland]

have been hunting hard for a round ball orconical bullet for the 8 guage but have not found one yet...will keep looking..have found that the round ball would measure at .835 down to .820....charlie

[Harry Collins]

Charlie,

Just read this and thought it might be a start on where to find bullets. http://www.calpappas.com/id77.html

Harry

[Forrest Grilley]

have been hunting hard for a round ball orconical bullet for the 8 guage but have not found one yet...will keep looking..have found that the round ball would measure at .835 down to .820....charlie

Charlie,

Try Jeffery Tanner in the UK for a round ball mold: http://www.jt-bullet-moulds.co.uk/

I believe a round ball mould up to .850 were $45 the last time I checked, and he will make them larger than that if needed. The moulds fit the inexpensive, standard Lee handles.

I ordered a specially sized ball mould from him for a flintlock breechloading rifle I built, and his service to the U.S. is very quick and efficient.

[charlie cleveland]

the gent in the uk does indeed have the round ball mold for the 8 gauge...all ive got todo tommorrow is measure the bore and get intouch with the maker...this was a answer to my prays thanks for the info fellas...this gent makes about any sizeround ball or cannon ball a person needs..if i get every thing in high gear i should be able to have a round ball load to be able to hunt with soon....thanks charlie

[Frank Cronin]

Great news Charlie and I look forward to read the recap of your results with this 8 ga round ball load!

[Harry Collins]

Charlie,

Did you try NEI of Scappose, Oregon 503-543-6776? You'll need bore diameter with them as well and they make conicals too.

Harry

[charlie cleveland]

harry i will trythose folks in the morning...looks like we may have a 8 ga round ball load to hunt with soon....thanks fot the no.... charlie

[Frank Cronin]

Harry, Charlie:

I have been following this thread with much interest. I have been trying to find more information about NEI and also to see if they have a home web page with no luck. Did some searching on Google and found an article from Wolf Magazine.com This solved the mystery why I could not find it.

So Charlie, if you have been trying to find NEI on the web, below is an excerpt of the article and be sure to update everyone on how you make out with the round-ball endeavor.

Regards,

Frank

NEI Handtools Is Back!

Last fall, the news came that our friend Walt Melander, the originator of NEI Handtools, had unexpectedly passed away. Not only will his friendship be missed, but it’s also a major loss to the firearms industry. NEI offered hundreds of moulds ranging from .224 inch to over one inch that fit practically every type of firearm conceivable. NEI also offered moulds for making heavyweight big-bore sixgun bullets long before it became an industry trend.

I am happy to announce that Walt’s daughter Patty has now resumed operations and will be offering the same products and services as formerly. It should be noted, however, that the business has moved from Scappoose, Oregon, to PO Box 370356, El Paso TX 79937-0356. They can be reached by e-mail: nei@neihandtools.com. For the latest ordering information or for a copy of the latest catalog, you can visit them online at: www.neihandtools.com

Charlie,

Did you try NEI of Scappose, Oregon 503-543-6776? You'll need bore diameter with them as well and they make conicals too.

Harry

[charlie cleveland]

thanks fellas for the info on the round ball..will be measuring my bores tommorrow and orgering the round ball mould for the 8 ga...should have load going before deer season ends...our season goes till jan 15...should be a interesting round...accuarcy is my main concern....8 ga rifles usally shoot with in6 inches at 50 yards but i know the smoth bore will not be as good as the rifle....charlie

[charlie cleveland]

just measured my muzzle end on the 8 ga both barrels measure at .843rs barrel and .845 ls barrel..... the 8 ga loomis measures at .830 rs barrel and .820 ls barrel.....i would like to shoot round balls out of each gun using the same mould for the ball shot.....but i believe there will be to muchdiferance in the chokes what do yall think.....if i order this mould to make a round ball of .815 do yall think this would work for both guns....i will be loading these round balls inplastic wadding...thickness of wadding at about 3thousands...also the mould sometime will make a ball smaller or larger in size when making the ball....or do yall think i should go with only one mould for 1 gun if ido this i will go with the parker 8 ga.....what do you think of a mould in .830 thousands...it will give a little room for era....waiting on yalls opinion.... charlie

[David Holes]

I shot a .530 ball in a 20 ga. plastic wad that shot very well in a parker vhe, but would not group shots in my other 20 ga.s. I think you should start with 1 mold and experment a little. I would also make sure that ball inside wad will slip in the muzzle. After all we don't want to make a shooter into a wall hanger. Procede carefully in any case. Dave

[Jay Gardner]

Charlie,

Check with the fellows at Track of the Wolf http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Index.aspx

They are great people to deal with and purveyors of lots of cool stuff.

Cheers,

JDG

[Harry Collins]

Charlie,

One thing to keep in mind when you start to load round ball is that if the bullet is to light or to fast they will cross (right barrel will shoot to the left and the left barrel will shoot to the right) and if the bullet is too heavy or too slow the barrels will shoot apart ( right barrel will shoot to the right and left barrel will shoot to the left).

Harry

[Richard Flanders]

Charlie: Let us know when you've got a mastadon down and we'll all come help you skin it!

[charlie cleveland]

did not see that mastadon this evening but have not given up....but be sharping your knives for i know i will get one soon....charlie

[calvin humburg]

maybe if the fit isn't just right you could use lubed pach instead of plastic wad theres different sizes of material. And maybe not just a thought. ch

[charlie cleveland]

will be hunting with slug loads in the 8 ga parker this evening.... using a 1 7/8 ounce sabout lead slug....settled on 40 grains alliant blue dot powder....very pleasant load to shoot not much recoil...hope to take a deer this evening every thing looks good....weather at about 50 degrees right now will be about 40degees my nightfall should be ideal....will have to keep my range short at about 30 yards have not got to practice much.... only got to shoot it 3 times at all close shots....but will have a load of 00 buckshot as backup in the other barrel....charlie

[Dean Romig]

I hope you get one!

Shoot straight and often! (that's what my Dad used to say to me when I went out to sit 'til dark)

[charlie cleveland]

did not even see a deer dont know what happened...i even carried my lucky knife...which let me down oh well will have to wait a couple weels now to hunt with the 8 ga. our primite weapons season starts in the morning.... charlie ps round ball mould be ordered soon will be getting it from a guy in england 45.00 for the mould and 6.00 to ship...santa should arrive soon with it.....charlie

[Dean Romig]

did not even see a deer dont know what happened...

Charlie, my whole season went like that and I don't know what happened either... except for the buck I couldn't shoot because of snow in my scope.

[charlie cleveland]

was feeding my grand daughters horses for her and as i was coming up to my house 2 half grown deer run out in front of me...at least i know i have some young ones coming on........cant go hunting this evening got to watch the grandkids...oh well theres all ways tommorrow....i was like you had a problewm with my scope...i did not have snow in it but the sun was coming up and there stood a mule deer at 40 steps....all i could see was the sun looking through that scope...big mulie said hello and goodbye....thought about that shot many times.....charlie

[Dean Romig]

...or the time in '91 I had a big buck broadside at 35 yards. I put the crosshairs right on his heart and touched off. That buck didn't even flinch! The noise of my rifle shot made him trot off and me, shooting a Ruger No. 1, never had time for a second shot. I noticed a white spot on a 1" thick silver birch sapling over where the buck had been standing.... yup, a nice little hole from my .270 slug went in the front and came out at an angle. I never saw that sapling right behind the vertical line of my crosshairs. To help remind myself of these kinds of errors I cut that section of the sapling and have it to this day. :banghead:

[charlie cleveland]

thats a good story...some times a person just cant see things...seems like some bucks live a charmed life....had a huncle was sighting a new rifle and scope in....he was using his new pickup bed as arest....after sighting rifle ingood he went on home...next day he walked by his truck and seen several bullet holes in the other side of bed...with a few choice words and several words that only GOD his self knows he said some s. o. b. has shot my truck...all day he wondered who was made at him enough to shoot his truck...one of his buddys looked over in the bed of the truck and seen empty shell caseings in the truck bed...he asked wayne whos these were wayne said there mine i zeroed in my rifle yesterday there mine....his freiend told him he was the fella that had shot his truck...the bullet holes were from the inside out...wayne let out some more choice words and swore he would never sight in another rifle over his truck bed... charlie

[charlie cleveland]

seen 6 deer this evening not a horn one...deer was feeding on my food plot...all at 35 yards...why could they not have been out there when i had the 8 ga.....still have a few days till i get to hunt with it again.....charlie

[Harry Collins]

My brother was shooting at a groundhog with a Sako .223 Remington about 45 years ago. He was leaning over the front of Papa's new F-150 (our first with air conditioning) and put two little holes through the hood. I have forgotten what happened next....

Harry

[Bill Murphy]

Charlie, how did you make your sabot? What is the diameter of the bullet?

[charlie cleveland]

i bet you have not forgotten that moment when your brother shot the hood of your pappys hood......charlie

[Dean Romig]

My brother was shooting at a groundhog with a Sako .223 Remington about 45 years ago. He was leaning over the front of Papa's new F-150 (our first with air conditioning) and put two little holes through the hood. I have forgotten what happened next....

Harry


Harry, the brain is a wondrous thing. It saves us by blocking from our memories some of the most traumatic events that would affect us for the rest of our lives :eek:

[charlie cleveland]

bill its not a sabot really...i borrowed some 1 7/8 ounce slugs out of 10 ga federal shells....the bores of the 8 ga parker were .845...i wrapped the 10 ga slugs with teflon tape till they were a measured fit for the remington s p 8 wad...used 40 grains blue dot powder....only had 5 slugs to reload the 8 ga shells with... shot 3 times at targets of 20 30 40 yards...resonable accuracy at 20 30 yards but missed the40 yard target...but i was shotting off hand at these ranges could have been me instead of load for the miss...only have 2 slug loads left hope to take a deer soon....should have the round ball ready soon when i get the mould....ball will be. .835 in diamter will have to weigh it to know how many grains it will weigh... charlie

[Bill Murphy]

Thanks. When you get a good slug, close to choke diameter, you may get better accuracy than you think.

[charlie cleveland]

well ive got to fess up...i havent gotten around to ordering the round ball mould for the 8 ga yet but will try this week....dont give up on me yet theres still hope....i hope according to my wife theres no hope for me.....charlie

[charlie cleveland]

well the 8 ga ball mould is on its way from england at this moment....the maker said it could be here next week or could be in january before the mail comes through....its in there hands now but hpoe it gets here next week....why does a person indure all these hardships for.... charlie

[Dean Romig]

why does a person indure all these hardships for.... charlie

For the sheer love of these old guns and how they affect us. But you knew that....
:bigbye:

[Frank Cronin]

Charlie,

What size ball did you get in relation to the size of your chokes?

Frank

[charlie cleveland]

frank i got the size ..0.835 thats the size ofround ball both barrel measurements were close to 0.845....i will be using a plastic wadding and it is about.006.....the mould maker said a round ball could be smaller or larger than the mould sizeso i should have a little lee way....i can use other wadding if i have too....cant wait to get the mould....this is my first attempt at making a round ball load.....any info appreciated.....charlie