Question on Lead Ball

John L Venable · Oct 22, 2017

Hi it's me again, hope I'm not becoming a PITA.... pulled the trigger on an Uberti 1849 Pocket, .31 Cal, Uberti recommends a .330 ball. Hornadys 00 Buck is .330 but hardened with Antimony... don't know the Brinnel number. Acceptable? Any advise appreciated. I'm more conversant in loads when it comes to IPSC .45/9mm or .38 Super.... still only up to my ankles in BP.

Thanks in Advance.

JV

dickydalton · Oct 22, 2017

.330 balls are cheap at Track of the Wolf. I wouldn't use the hardened stuff.

rodwha · Oct 22, 2017

It really recommends a .330" ball? It seems usually .320" is plenty.

You'll need to measure your chambers. I'm not familiar with the BHN of shot either by know most of it is harder than pure lead. All depending but a bit harder than pure is ok when the ball is just a bit oversized. But I'd not feel comfy trying a .330" hardened ball.

I found I had forgotten balls for my Ruger and tried .490" balls. It took a lot of force. That was pure lead. I wouldn't do that with any gun other than a Ruger and it was too much to be fun.

J-Bar · Oct 22, 2017

You can bend your loading lever if you use a ball that is too big and/or too hard. If you use balls that are not pure lead, charge the chambers off the gun in a separate loading press.

MEHavey · Oct 22, 2017

Make it pure lead or (a) you'll never be able to shave a clean sealing
ring from the ball while seating; or (b) you'll break an axle pin trying.....

dickydalton · Oct 22, 2017

rodwha said:
It really recommends a .330" ball? It seems usually .320" is plenty.

You'll need to measure your chambers. I'm not familiar with the BHN of shot either by know most of it is harder than pure lead. All depending but a bit harder than pure is ok when the ball is just a bit oversized. But I'd not feel comfy trying a .330" hardened ball.

I found I had forgotten balls for my Ruger and tried .490" balls. It took a lot of force. That was pure lead. I wouldn't do that with any gun other than a Ruger and it was too much to be fun.

I have an Uberti 1849 Pocket Colt and the .320s fall in it on 3 chambers so I bought the .330s. 200 of them will last a long time.

Starter52 · Oct 22, 2017

Soft lead and a ring left after loading. SOP for cap and ball revolvers for 170 years.

rodwha · Oct 23, 2017

dickydalton said:
I have an Uberti 1849 Pocket Colt and the .320s fall in it on 3 chambers so I bought the .330s. 200 of them will last a long time.

I'm curious if you've measured the bore as well. Not that I've spent much time looking into .31 cal pistols (and when I did it was the Remington) but .320" balls typically left plenty of a ring and the bore was around .320" groove to groove.

Saddlebag Preacher · Oct 23, 2017

I found the .320 balls are not shaving a ring off and are undersized for the Uberti. .330 is correct. .320 will work in the Pietta.

rodwha · Oct 23, 2017

Saddlebag Preacher said:
I found the .320 balls are not shaving a ring off and are undersized for the Uberti. .330 is correct. .320 will work in the Pietta.

Ahh, Pietta is another story. However their .31 is an odd ordeal where their chambers runs far too small for the oversized bore size. Not at all similar to what the Uberti Colt .31's give.

Uberti has typically gone to great lengths to reproduce very close copies. I couldn't find any numbers for their .31 cal models. Some of their other models are so close parts are interchangeable with originals. However they can't seem to make a proper Colt arbor...

Smokin'Joe · Oct 23, 2017

I have an old ASM Wells Fargo model. I use 00 buckshot for my projectiles. They measure .330" and are harder than pure lead but work just fine. Being a Wells Fargo model I load the cylinder off the gun.

John L Venable · Oct 23, 2017

Thanks all.... appreciate the responses.

sharps59 · Oct 23, 2017

rodwha said:
I'm curious if you've measured the bore as well. Not that I've spent much time looking into .31 cal pistols (and when I did it was the Remington) but .320" balls typically left plenty of a ring and the bore was around .320" groove to groove.

measure the bore first. then the chambers chambers may need reaming out.

rodwha · Oct 23, 2017

sharps59 said:
measure the bore first. then the chambers chambers may need reaming out.

I know that the Pietta Remington .31's have grossly undersized chambers. As for a Colt Pocket I prefer the .36 cal Police, which has closer measurements (.376" grooves to .372" chambers), though I'd still look at having that fixed if there's enough chamber wall. I've not read of the Uberti Colt .31's needing reaming or needing a ball larger than .320".

Question on Lead Ball

John L Venable

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rodwha

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J-Bar

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MEHavey

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dickydalton

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Starter52

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rodwha

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Saddlebag Preacher

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