Kirst 1860 sheriff and round balls

[badlands]

Just got my army conversion done and took it to the creek and it shot all over the target, i was getting a little disapointed and my neighbor drives up and takes a look, he says how did it shoot before you worked on it?  Well it shot good, as i had shot three cylinders before the conversion, him not knowing anything about it says why not load up some round balls and see how it does.  Viola, i did and it shoots POA again and is way more tame when you pull the trigger.   The bullets had scattered pretty much all over the left quadrant of the target and the round balls were in a neat little six inch group right in the middle a tad high of the aim point.  I've since shot fifty more rounds and it's very accurate and a pleasure to shoot.  Anybody else ever load round balls in Long colt cases?
BL

[Forty Rod]

Turner Kirkland (RIP) of Dixie Gun Works used to propose doing that.  I did a few times in a SAA, but it was just for plinking.  Never shot it for accuracy.

Guess I'll have to try it again some time.

[Dusty Morningwood]

What diameter ball are you using?

[badlands]

I loaded this batch with .451 round balls but am going to try some .454 and see if there is any difference in performance. BL

[boilerplatejackson]

I have shot round balls from a 45 LC off and on at SASS matches. Last April I bought a R & D conversion for my 1860
Army and round balls is all I want to shoot in that barrel due to its thin barrel wall and the area below cut for the cylinder
arbor. I shoot American Pioneer Powder in my Schofield cases and have less problems. As to size 451 works for me.

[River Jordan]

BoilerplateJackson,

How did you seat the ball? flush as if it were a wadcutter?

[Coffinmaker]

Your best bet with round ball, is to seat the ball so you actually crimp into the fattest part of the ball.  A good crimp will grip the ball very well and result in better ignition.  For CAS, the lead MUST show above the case mouth.

Coffinmaker

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I use a .440 roundball sized to .430 in .44 Russian cases for my M83 Reichsrevolver, and .31 ball for some pocket pistols.  I believe that SASS & NCOWS, or one of them at least, requires the projectile to be visible outside the case.  It is easy to leave the ball a bit proud, and instead of crimping, use the groove between the mouth of the case and the ball to hold some bullet lube.

[Coffinmaker]

I forgot.  I'm over 50 and that's my best excuse. 

In the way back, ball loads with reduced powder charges were call "gallery loads" for use in shooting galleries. 

Just a bit of ........ trivia.

Coffinmaker

[Hangtown Frye]

Hey Compadre!  Good to see you here!

Anyway, I did that a fair amount back when, using a moderate load in my SAA, a greased felt wad and then a .454" round ball. That was pre-Wonder Wads of course, but I have no doubt that those would work quite well. In fact I'd been pondering doing just that of late, so this may get me off the stick to do some further experimentation.

Round ball also worked very well in an old Spanish break-top I had that was made originally in .455, but someone had cut the back of the cylinder down for .45 Auto Rim.  With a case full of powder and a .454" round ball, it was sweet to shoot, and pretty accurate as well.

I'm also hankering to try out my new-to-me Colt Sheriff's Model in .44, using .44 Special or .44 Russian brass.  With 26-30 grains of 3F and a .429" RB, it ought to shoot like a house afire.  With the .44-40 cases, and something like 40+ grains of 3F, I ought to be able to set the house afire with the muzzle-blast!  Gotta love that sort of fun.

Again, good seeing you here amigo, and talk to you soon!

Cheers!

Gordonl

[badlands]

Howdy Gordo,
  Good to see you here as well mi amigo.  That sheriff model kirst is a heck of a shooter now, shoots as good as my Grens with the round balls and you don't have the recoil of the heavy .45 cal bullets.  Was just messing around with it down by the creek the other day and stepped off 75 yards and it shot an approx two foot group off hand, with three rounds making a nice 6 to 8 inch group near the ten ring.  Sure miss riding with the best cavalry to take the field, those were shining times my friend.  Hope to talk to you soon. 

[Hangtown Frye]

Hey Badlands,

Sounds like you've got a serious little shooter in your hands there!  I hate to admit it, but I do covet it somewhat, alas!  Well, not like I don't have plenty of cool toys of my own to take out and get dirty as it is though.   

So I hope things are going well for you in the Land of the Cheyenne and the Kioway, and by God you're right on the count of our Cavalry days.  Best darned Horse Cavalry since WWII at least, that's for sure! Raise a cup to the old days tonight, and I'll do the same, amigo!

Cheers!

Gordo

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Hangtown;  I needed an RB projectile for my M83 Reichsrevolver.  I had a stockpile of .440 ball for my .45 muzzleloaders.  They sized down quite well to .429

[Hangtown Frye]

Sir Charles;

Excellent!  Thanks for the suggestion.  I have a bunch of those myself, and a mold to boot for my old .45 flint rifle.  I'll give that a try.

Cheers!

Gordon