Electroplating Lead balls?

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Notorious SOB

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Hi guys, I am new to the forums!

I was hoping to pick up a cap and ball reproduction soon, and have been doing some reading on models and caliber. I am interested in a .36 (I understand .44 is recommended to beginners) but have heard that the balls are barely enough to really grip the rifling with their diameter, so I had a thought.

Is it possible to electroplate a lead ball and use it in a cap and ball pistol? I was thinking of setting up a basic rig and using a calipers to keep an eye on my diameters.

I have heard of it being done on shot, but never a ball.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? I didn't get any results for 'electroplating' in the search and as many on google.

Thanks guys.
 
Welcome to THR, Notorious.

Remington once sold gold-plated round lead balls for BP guns. I don't know if they still carry them.
 
Well thanks for stopping by.

You didn't mention if you were interested in a revolver or a single shot. It makes all the difference. A revolver uses a ball that is larger than it's chamber in the cylinder. For a .44 they will be .451, .454. 457. A single shot uses a ball that is smaller than the bore of the barrel and a patch of lubricated cloth wraps around the ball to seal the bore and grip the rifling. I suggest you hang around here and read all you can before you make any decision. And stop listening to whomever gave you that bum dope. Forget that electroplating idea.
 
Your 36 cal revolver will do quite nicely with the standard .375 round balls. .380 are also available for those that feel the need.3
 
And the size of the ball has nothing to do with the ball that's going down the
barrel in a revolver. Thats is controlled by the dia. of the chamber. Whatever
that dia. is, is what the ball will be after it is loaded.
 
Sorry, to clarify it is an 1851 revolver.

I read that the standard balls are .357 as is the barrel diameter, and that accuracy was better with .38 balls as the extra material is sheared off as it is forced into the chamber, giving more surface area to get grabbed by the rifling.

If .380 balls are commercially available, I will do that or look into getting some casts.

I hope that clarifies.
 
I've been at this for 50 years and never heard of .357 balls?? Anyway here
is your Rem. golden ball. I saved some when they were made.

GoldBalls.gif
 
I think the confusion is that ''modern'' .38's are actually .357, and cap and ball revolvers mostly use a .375 ball, with some folks prefering a .380. None of which really matters until you decide to convert, with a R&D Conversion Cylinder, or Kirst. Then all this .357/.375 stuff becomes very important, as you'll need either a heeled bullet, or a dead soft hollow based bullet to engage the rifleing. This is why .44's [useing .45 Colt or Schofield] are more popular for conversions.
 
Electroplating swaged round lead balls huh? Shooting gold plated swaged round lead balls huh?..........Well....I reckon that's okay. I used to shoot solid silver balls out of my Walker (carried it loaded with the silver just in case I ran across an unfriendly werewolf) I would get from a silver mine here in Wyoming but then The Lone Ranger offered me a good price for the mine and that was the end of that....
 
I won't be covered for vampires though would I?

Hey if there are no issues with the .36 balls as stock I am happy with that, don't mind the way my mind works, it gets away with itself sometimes with strange ideas.

Golden balls, wasn't that what they called David Beckham?
 
The recommended ball for .36 Piettas are .375, and for Uberti are the .380's.
Plating commercial .375's could bring them up to .380.
Otherwise the only .380's that are available are cast.
 
You can shoot Frozen, pure Metallic Mercury Balls, long as you do not dawdle too much.


Just chill down the Mold, and, pour at room temperature.
 
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