Here's some related information that I use from time to time.
Round Ball, Bullet Making:
Lead Round Ball Bullets:
Lead, round ball, bullets are a short range projectile first used in smoothbore musket muzzle-loaded guns, once rifling was added to the bore, muzzle-loaded rifles, accuracy was realized at much greater distances. The lead round ball bullet or round-ball is one of the original muzzleloader projectiles and still the mainstay of traditional black powder shooting. In a well made muzzle-loaded rifle they can be very accurate.
Rifled Muzzleloader Barrel Compatibility:
1 in 48" twist rifled muzzleloader barrels shoot patched roundball accurately up to about 1,800 feet per second.
1 in 58", 60", 66" & 70" twist rifled muzzleloader barrels shoot patched roundball at higher velocities quite accurately.
Cast Lead Round Ball Bullet:
Cast, lead, round ball, bullets will have a flat spot on one end known as the sprue, this is where the lead is trimmed from the casting mold. For good accuracy the sprue end must be loaded facing forward toward the muzzle when it is loaded. The reason for loading the cast lead round-ball sprue forward is so that you have a visual on it keeping it centered in the rifles bore. If you load it with the sprue down then you can not see if it is centered in the rifles bore, which is critical for accuracy.
Swaged Lead Round Ball Bullet:
Swaged, lead, round ball, bullets are formed in a press under pressure this assures that there are no air pockets or other deformities in the ball. Swaged lead round-balls when patched properly will have quite exceptional accuracy. Lead deforms quite easily, however, Hornady makes swaged lead roundballs for muzzleloaders that do not deform quite so easily and have a very high penetration value when used on game animals such as deer.
Lead Shot:
Muskets could also fire smaller lead balls called lead shot or bird-shot or slightly larger lead balls called buck-shot, which would have wider dispersion for harvesting wild game. Round balls could be combined with buckshot to produce buck and ball ammunition, which combined the wider dispersion area of lead shot with the higher energy mass of the round ball.
Producing lead shot from a shot tower was patented in 1782 by William Watts of Bristol. Molten lead would be dropped from the top of the tower into water at the bottom of the tower. Like most liquids, molten lead form near-spherical shape as they fall. When the tower is high enough, the lead droplets will solidify while still dropping before entering the water below. The hardness of lead shot is controlled through adding variable amounts of tin, antimony and arsenic, forming alloys.
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Lead Shot, Sizes, Diameter And Weight:
<a href='/tags/12' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #12'>#12</a> Lead Shot = .05" Diameter, Pellet Weight = .19 Grains.
<a href='/tags/9' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #9'>#9</a> Lead Shot = .08" Diameter, Pellet Weight = .75 Grains.
<a href='/tags/8' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #8'>#8</a> 1/2 Lead Shot = .085" Diameter, Pellet Weight = .88 Grains.
<a href='/tags/8' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #8'>#8</a> Lead Shot = .09" Diameter, Pellet Weight = 1.06 Grains.
<a href='/tags/7' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #7'>#7</a> 1/2 Lead Shot = .095" Diameter, Pellet Weight = 1.25 Grains.
<a href='/tags/6' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #6'>#6</a> Lead Shot = .11" Diameter, Pellet Weight = 1.94 Grains.
<a href='/tags/5' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #5'>#5</a> Lead Shot = .12" Diameter, Pellet Weight = 2.57 Grains.
<a href='/tags/4' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #4'>#4</a> Lead Shot = .13" Diameter, Pellet Weight = 3.24 Grains.
<a href='/tags/2' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #2'>#2</a> Lead Shot = .15" Diameter, Pellet Weight = 5.02 Grains.
BB Lead Shot = .18" Diameter, Pellet Weight = 8.75 Grains.
<a href='/tags/4' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #4'>#4</a> Lead Buckshot = .24" Diameter, Pellet Weight = 20 Grains.
<a href='/tags/3' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #3'>#3</a> Lead Buckshot = .25" Diameter, Pellet Weight = 25 Grains.
<a href='/tags/2' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #2'>#2</a> Lead Buckshot = .27" Diameter, Pellet Weight = 30 Grains.
<a href='/tags/1' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #1'>#1</a> Lead Buckshot = .30" Diameter, Pellet Weight = 40 Grains.
<a href='/tags/0' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #0'>#0</a> Lead Buckshot = .32" Diameter, Pellet Weight = 50 Grains.
<a href='/tags/00' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #00'>#00</a> Lead Buckshot = .33" Diameter, Pellet Weight = 61 Grains.
<a href='/tags/000' rel='nofollow' title='See all tagged subjects with: #000'>#000</a> Lead Buckshot = .36" Diameter, Pellet Weight = 71 Grains.
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Lead Round Ball Bullet, Weights:
0.350" Diameter Lead Round Ball Weight = 64 Grains.
0.375" Diameter Lead Round Ball Weight = 79 Grains.
0.433" Diameter Lead Round Ball Weight = 122 Grains.
0.440" Diameter Lead Round Ball Weight = 128 Grains.
0.445" Diameter Lead Round Ball Weight = 132 Grains.
0.451" Diameter Lead Round Ball Weight = 138 Grains.
0.454" Diameter Lead Round Ball Weight = 141 Grains.
0.457" Diameter Lead Round Ball Weight = 143 Grains.
0.490" Diameter Lead Round Ball Weight = 177 Grains.
0.495" Diameter Lead Round Ball Weight = 182 Grains.
0.530" Diameter Lead Round Ball Weight = 224 Grains.
0.535" Diameter Lead Round Ball Weight = 230 Grains.
0.570" Diameter Lead Round Ball Weight = 278 Grains.
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Lead Round Ball Bullet, Ballistic Coefficients:
0.350" Diameter Lead Round Ball Ballistic Coefficient = .049.
0.375" Diameter Lead Round Ball Ballistic Coefficient = .053.
0.433" Diameter Lead Round Ball Ballistic Coefficient = .061.
0.440" Diameter Lead Round Ball Ballistic Coefficient = .062.
0.445" Diameter Lead Round Ball Ballistic Coefficient = .063.
0.451" Diameter Lead Round Ball Ballistic Coefficient = .064.
0.454" Diameter Lead Round Ball Ballistic Coefficient = .064.
0.457" Diameter Lead Round Ball Ballistic Coefficient = .064.
0.490" Diameter Lead Round Ball Ballistic Coefficient = .069.
0.495" Diameter Lead Round Ball Ballistic Coefficient = .070.
0.530" Diameter Lead Round Ball Ballistic Coefficient = .075.
0.535" Diameter Lead Round Ball Ballistic Coefficient = .076.
0.570" Diameter Lead Round Ball Ballistic Coefficient = .080.</td><td style="width: 13.5pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="23"> </td><td style="width: 364.25pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="607">0.350" Diameter Lead Round Ball Bullets = 109,
0.375" Diameter Lead Round Ball Bullets = 88,
0.433" Diameter Lead Round Ball Bullets = 57,
0.440" Diameter Lead Round Ball Bullets = 54,
0.445" Diameter Lead Round Ball Bullets = 53,
0.451" Diameter Lead Round Ball Bullets = 50,
0.454" Diameter Lead Round Ball Bullets = 49,
0.457" Diameter Lead Round Ball Bullets = 48,
0.490" Diameter Lead Round Ball Bullets = 39,
0.495" Diameter Lead Round Ball Bullets = 38,
0.530" Diameter Lead Round Ball Bullets = 37,
0.535" Diameter Lead Round Ball Bullets = 30,
0.570" Diameter Lead Round Ball Bullets = 25.
</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 341.75pt; border-right-width: 1pt; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-left-color: windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="570"> </td><td style="width: 13.5pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="23"> </td><td style="width: 364.25pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="607">To conserve lead on the American frontier, smaller caliber muzzle-loaded weapons were often preferred, .36", .40" and .45" caliber were commonly used for self-defense, hunting small game and deer. Muzzleloader caliber selections were based on economics as the United States of America was settled and occupied, such as how many lead round ball bullets do you get from 1 pound of lead:</td></tr></table>
Commonly Used Bullet Alloys
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Alloy "Average" Composition
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Alloy "Average" Composition
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Wheel Weights, stick-on </td><td style="width: 2.75in; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="330">1/2-1% tin, 2-3% antimony</td><td style="width: 364.5pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="608">Foundry Type - 15% tin, 23% antimony, 62% lead</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 157.25pt; border-right-width: 1pt; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-left-color: windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="262"> </td><td style="width: 2.75in; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="330">96-7.25% lead, 1/4% arsenic</td><td style="width: 364.5pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="608"> </td></tr><tr><td style="width: 157.25pt; border-right-width: 1pt; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-left-color: windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="262">
Wheel Weights, clip-on </td><td style="width: 2.75in; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="330">Pure lead or nearly so </td><td style="width: 364.5pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="608">Scrap range lead - Could be (and is) anything</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 157.25pt; border-right-width: 1pt; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-left-color: windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="262">
Linotype</td><td style="width: 2.75in; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="330">4% tin, 12% antimony, 84% lead </td><td style="width: 364.5pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="608">Plumbers Lead - 99%+ pure lead. </td></tr><tr><td style="width: 157.25pt; border-right-width: 1pt; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-left-color: windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="262">
Monotype </td><td style="width: 2.75in; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="330">9% tin, 19% antimony, 72% lead </td><td style="width: 364.5pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="608">Lyman's No. 2 - 5% tin, 5% antimony, 90% lead</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 157.25pt; border-right-width: 1pt; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-left-color: windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="262"> </td><td style="width: 2.75in; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="330"> </td><td style="width: 364.5pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="608"> </td></tr></table>
Commonly Bullet Metal Melting Temperatures
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Metal
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Melting Temp.
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Notes:
</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 157.25pt; border-right-width: 1pt; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-left-color: windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="262">Lead (Pb)</td><td style="width: 2.75in; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="330">621 degrees</td><td style="width: 364.5pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="608">Weight, ductility, obturation.</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 157.25pt; border-right-width: 1pt; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-left-color: windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="262">Tin (Sn) </td><td style="width: 2.75in; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="330">429 degrees</td><td style="width: 364.5pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="608">Reduces surface tension of lead alloy melt up to 750o, better mold fill-out. Reduces the melting temperature of lead. "Slight" hardening & strengthening effect.</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 157.25pt; border-right-width: 1pt; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-left-color: windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="262">Antimony (Sb)</td><td style="width: 2.75in; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="330">1,166 degrees</td><td style="width: 364.5pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="608">Hardens lead alloys, extremely brittle.</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 157.25pt; border-right-width: 1pt; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-left-color: windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="262">Linotype</td><td style="width: 2.75in; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="330">464 degrees - solid 465 degrees - liquid</td><td style="width: 364.5pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="608">Casts very well with it's 4% Sn and 12% Sb, No expansion on game, poor choice for steel targets. Poor choice for light and mid-range loads.</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 157.25pt; border-right-width: 1pt; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-left-color: windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="262">Foundry Type</td><td style="width: 2.75in; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="330">619 degrees</td><td style="width: 364.5pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="608">Extremely brittle. NO expansion on game, shatters on steel targets.</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 157.25pt; border-right-width: 1pt; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-left-color: windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="262">WW (clip-on)</td><td style="width: 2.75in; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="330">463 degrees slushy To 505 degrees molten</td><td style="width: 364.5pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="608">Contains enough arsenic/antimony to enable hardening by heat treating. Heat treating WW alloy with 2% tin added increases hardness / strength without adding brittleness as in high Sb linotype metal.</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 157.25pt; border-right-width: 1pt; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-left-color: windowtext; border-top: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="262"> </td><td style="width: 2.75in; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="330"> </td><td style="width: 364.5pt; border-top: none; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="608"> </td></tr></table>
To see the complete article go to:
http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm