Source for .36 and .44 Balls

[RobW]

Does anyone know a source in the area of Las Vegas to get balls in .375 and .454 diameter for BP revolvers?

I pay $ 24.50 + 7.5% tax for 500 of 230 gr Lead RN, sized and lubed. The plain round ball in .375 cost me $ 35.00 and in .454 $ 40.00 for 500 + tax. That is insane.

Casting myself fails because of my rare leisure time. If I don't get a better source, I'll just give it up. It's fun, but more and more I feel like a sucker (caps are more expensive than primers, despite the very much more sophisticated technology of primers, Goex goes for $ 20.00 a pound -sure, + tax-, W 321 goes for $ 15.00)

I think the BP shooters, at least here in the area, are taken by P.T. Barnum.

 

[jojosdad]

This place: http://www.marksmansmart.com/ has balls much cheaper than what you're paying, and this place: http://www.grafs.com/ has powder for 9.99/lb. Shipping is free, but they charge a 4.75 handling fee per order and you have to pay hazmat charges. Haven't used the powder so I can't vouch for it, but maybe someone else here knows it.

 

["yote"]

Buy a couple of molds. Then go to a near-by scrap dealer and buy some
pure lead for about 50 cents a lb and start "runnin ball". All you need is
a lead pot, a lead dipper and a Coleman stove. Pretty simple.Pretty cheap.


P.S. Lead is pure enough if you can easily scratch it with your fingernail.

 

[Gatofeo]

Rather than buying .375 balls, buy .380-inch diameter if you find them.
In my experience, they're more accurate.
I buy mine from Warren Muzzleloading in Arkansas at www.warrenmuzzleloading.com
I've been using the Warren Muzzleloading sprueless balls for over a year and can vouch for their high quality.
Warren notes on its home page: "Warren machine manufactures non-alloyed lead balls without sprue. We make them in all calibers from .310 to .735."
I like the sprueless feature because there's no troublesome sprue left to place up and centered in the chamber. Just drop a ball on the chamber and ram. Sure speeds loading.
Warren sells a huge variety of balls and conical projectiles for just about anything that shoots. For your purposes, prices per 100 are:
.380 for $7.10
.454 for $7.55
.457 for $7.70
They also sell conical bullets in .31, .36 and .44 caliber but I'd steer clear of them. I've yet to find a conical bullet as accurate as a lead ball and I've tried many: Lyman, Lee, Buffalo, etc.
I bought 1,000 .380 balls more than a year ago for less than $70. I've shot about 300 of them and not found ONE cull in the lot. That's more than I can say for Hornady or Speer balls (which, alas, do not make balls of .380 inch).

Just recently, I discovered that Marksman's Mart (www.marksmansmart.com) sells .380 balls made by Vance Manufacturing for $4.90 for 100. At that price, you could buy 500 or 1,000 and be set for quite a while.
I suspect these balls have a sprue, since no mention is made. I've never heard of Vance Manufacturing so I can't vouch for their quality.

Incidentally, I'll be in Las Vegas March 23 to 26 (Tuesday through Friday). This ugly ol' desert cat's taking a lady friend there.
What gun stores do you recommend I visit? I'd like to visit a store with a good supply of black powder items and possibly buy some black powder if it's available and reasonably priced.
In Salt Lake City there is only ONE store that sells black powder. It charges $15 a pound for Goex! I boycott it. At gun shows and Rendezvous', I can usually buy a pound of Goex for $10, sometimes a little less.

I suggest you check out both sites and buy in bulk. There's a lot of satisfaction in looking at a shelf and seeing all those boxes of lead balls.

 

[Brian Williams]

Get a bag of '000' buck shot they are around 36 caliber and great for old 36 cal navy's

 

[RobW]

Thanks for your responses, guys.

Gatofeo: there is only 1 shop with black powder stuff, called Ray's Beaver Bag. But, they now charge you for FFFg Goex $ 30.00 !!!

For BP stuff at reasonable prices call WILL LONE EAGLE, he has a lot of nice BP stuff and works out of his garage by appointment. Phone is

702-524-3894, the company is called "Rocky Mountain Trading Post Co."

Other Shops to check out:

Discount Firearms, 1212 N Boulder Hwy, 702-567-1158, www.discountfirearms.net

The Gun Store, 2900 E Tropicana, 702-454-1110, www.thegunstorelasvegas.com

American Shooters Supplies, 3440 Arville St., 702-362-1223, www.americanshooters.com


Machine Gun Kelly's, 1631 E Sunset Road, 702-837-8383, no www

You can shoot submachine guns at The Gun Store and Machine Gun Kelly's.

These are some of the larger shops. I use to get my stuff from Discount Firearms, their prices are quiet good.

Have fun in LV (it's VERY much better to be here during the week instead of a weekend!)


Perfessr:

AFAIK the 000 buckshot is .350 in diameter, a little too small for a .375 - 380 digesting 1851 Navy. Someone suggested #0000 buckshot, but I could never find a source for it.

 

[decoratorstudio]

Round ball

2 places I have dealt with:

Trackofthewolf dot com - Hornady .375 $4.95/100
Midsouthshooterssupply dot com - Hornady .375 $4.34/100
Speer .375 $4.59/100

Both have treated me well.

Rick

 

[Poodleshooter]

Quad Ought buck is available at www.ballisticproducts.com
Still, the hornady round balls should be cheap enough.
Those BP prices are insane. Go to the Goex or Swiss website, and find out who their regional distributors are. One might be close to you. If that fails, find the distributor closest to you on the list, and ask who THEY sell to in your area.

 

[RobW]

I could only find triple ought buckshot at ballisticproducts. If I consider shipping and handling for Hornady or Speer balls, I'm again in the neighbourhood of $ 7.00/100.

I use Pyrodex that I can get at Galyan's for $ 12.99/lb. Midsouthshooterssupply is a very good source for "Wonder Wads".

May be I have to extend my search to Arizona and Utah.

Thanks for all the advice!

Rob