I want to try making my own round ball. are there any good resource materials/books for this?

I have no idea about the best type of lead or most common or whatever.

any suggestions?

first get a mould and ladle..then a pot for melting lead...pure lead is the "best according to most", but I've used wheel-weight lead with great success also..lead can be found/bought at tire shops, from some old school plumbers, it's used in x-ray rooms(no, it won't be toxic-lead deflects radiation,doesn't absorb it), old roof/chimney flashings...I'm sure others will chime in with "the best way to cast ball"....

One of the best and cheapest text books on muzzleloading lore is the Dixie Gun Works catalag. Any muzzleloading enthusiast who hasn't got one is flailing in the dark. There's enough data in that book to get you up to speed on technique and equipment in a hurry. They also sell every thing you'll need to do it, as well. Getcherself one, and you'll soon see what I mean.

Even quicker,go to www.leeprecision.com and look at their black powder gear. Cheapest molds in the industry as well as melting pot and ladle. Better prices by far at http://www.midwayarms.com/ though.

Three Hawks

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Three Hawks,

A good place to start is with the Lyman company they have publications to get you started in casting your own round balls and they sell everything you you will need . I would stay away from wheel waights for making roundball because wheel waights are not pure lead, and you want as pure a lead as you can get. Wheel waights are good for pistol bullets in them there modern supository guns the lead is too hard for roundballs.

quote:

Originally posted by hawg:
I want to try making my own round ball. are there any good resource materials/books for this?

I have no idea about the best type of lead or most common or whatever.

any suggestions?

Hawg, it doesn't take much equipment to get started - an electric melting pot, bullet mold, safety glasses, lead ladle or dipper, & wooden stick for a striker is what comes to mind.

Finding a source of pure lead may be challenging. You can buy the stuff via the internet, but at a price that wipes out the cost advantage of molding your own ball. The classic test for whether a scrounged lead-tin alloy can be used in a muzzleloader is the 'thumbnail test' - if the alloy is soft enough to leave a scratch in it just using your thumbnail, it's soft enough to cast roundballs with.

I strongly urge you to seek out a copy of the Lyman Black Powder Handbook or Sam Fadala's Complete Black Powder Handbook and read the chapter on making projectiles. There are safety issues and quality control issues you need to read up on before standing in front of 20 lbs of molten lead. The 'issues' are easily managed, but you need to find out about them by reading, not by doing.

Good luck and enjoy, SCL

I'll have to second the Lyman and Fadala books as well as Lee molds and lead furnaces. Ihave the same Lee furnace I started with 33 years ago and all but two of my many RB molds are Lee. I don't care for the bullet molds but their round ball molds are fine.

Most wheelweights today have quite a bit of zinc in them and I don't even used them for centerfire rifle or handgun bullets anymore. My oldest son came across about 90 lbs of Linotype and I swapped him some lead for it so now I have the best there is for those projectiles.

You might try salvage yards for some lead. I understand it's gone up considerably in price since I bought my lifetime supply 10-15 years ago but still has to be cheaper than buying newly processed lead. You'll have to clean it up most likely but that isn't hard to do. Good luck!

Vic

Anyone have a good source of 'pure' lead?
Sparks

quote:

Originally posted by sparks:
Anyone have a good source of 'pure' lead?
Sparks

Talk to a roofing company. Many older houses used lead flashing on the plumbiing vents and roofers toss 'em in the trash. All ya needs ta do to put an end to that foolishness is ask. I get quite a bit that way as they have to pay to get rid of it.

Three hawks

The problem with lead alloys is not the hardness, although that is how one most easily identifies an alloy from lead that is close to being "pure", but the shrinkage. Ya see, an alloy round ball when cooled is larger in diameter, by just a tiny bit, but often enough to give ya fits with the fit, if you already use a tight patch and ball combination.

Harder projectiles do give some hunters an advantage as the ball will not deform as quickly, especially at longer ranges, say close to 100-120 yards. The lack of deformation will avoid the massive increase in resistance one gets when the soft roundball deforms, so with less energy the ball may still smash through the game animal. (If that is what you are going for). A harder projectile will cut through small branches without deformation as well, which would give it a good chance to continue in a relatively straight course, while a deformed projectile would tumble quickly off the intended trajectory.

The other side of that coin is the problem of original cross section and mass, as a very hard alloy used in a .54 is still making a .530 hole in the target, and even if it was all zinc (see Draconian California Lead Ban for possible future projectile problems) it still has pretty respectable weight. A .40 launching a hard .390 ball, is already light, and in a mostly non-lead alloy..., might not do the job.

I use all lead whenever I can, and shoot at about the 50 yard mark or less.

LD

I can state with certainty that, at least in my 50 cal Getz barrel, a ball made of an alloy of lead and antimony (Eley 22 ammo scrap salvaged from a college target range), was enough larger and harder that it gave me a fit in loading. I thought that the lead was pure until I miked the ball size and then checked hardness. The balls were only 2 to 3/1000 larger, but the added hardness made them very difficult to load.

quote:

Originally posted by sparks:
Anyone have a good source of 'pure' lead?
Sparks

I go to a metals recycling yard and buy X-ray sheeting or old electric cable that is insulated with lead. Both has passed the 'pure' test well for me. Very soft.

plumbers lead from a plumber supply store

P.

All,
Outstanding suggestions, thanks for the leads (pronounced leeds this time).
Sparks

I’d like to add one important caution for the first-time lead bullet caster. That is to start with cold lead in a cold pot. Adding scrap lead to a pot of molten lead can be very dangerous. Moisture in, around and on cold lead added to a hot pot of lead could explode due to moisture turning into steam.

Adding dry ingots and such is not so much of a problem but scrap wheel weight, or old plumbing pipe or range scrap can be.

quote:

Originally posted by hawg:
I want to try making my own round ball. are there any good resource materials/books for this?

I have no idea about the best type of lead or most common or whatever.

any suggestions?

Lymans Cast Bullet Handbook is worth a look.

Dan

Check out the current edition of Muzzleloader Magazine. Big Mike has a good article in there about casting your own round balls.

I use wheel weights for my round balls. I don't use a fancy elecrtic melter either. I use a propane torch, an old stainless steel soup laddle, and wheel weights. I do all my casting outside on the porch. I put the torch in a holder so it don't fall over or roll around. I personally like the extra hardness the wheel weights. I have never had an issue with difficulty in loading. I use a .490 mould and .015 lubed patch. Whether I use pure lead or alloy, I have never see a difference.(WARNING) Lead fumes can be dangerous. Always cast any lead products in a well ventilated area. Also, wash your hand very well before handling food or the kids.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Colonial Riflesmith,

In the latest Muzzleloader Magazine, Mike Nesbitt gives all the info you really need. Nice article Mike, as usual, great info. I started around the fire with a ladle and some old round balls (wrong size for my daughter's smoothbore) worked just fine. I also use spent airgun pellets as a source of lead, they are usually good soft lead. I does add to the experience when you take game with self-cast balls.
Chasing Crow

Good Point CC, I built my own rifle, cast my own balls, cut my own patches, make my own grease, and knap my own flints from local flint I find on the ground. It really does add to the satisfaction of the experience.