What do you all shoot and why? Cast balls or swag balls? Why do you shoot that ball? Are the cast balls any less accurate than swag balls or are the cast plenty accurate?
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The only thing you need to watch with cast bullets is the weight of the projectiles. I use cast bullets when I target shoot most of the time. When I hunt, I use swag ball. I guess I just trust them a little more for consistant accuracy then the cast, although I have nothing to back that theory with.
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Swagged bullets are made with pressure. The lead is pressed between the two halves of the mold at high pressures forming an exact copy of the mold itself. The cast bullets are made by pouring molten lead into the form or die where it hardens and is then extracted from the mold.
Swagged bullets are "more perfect or closerin appearance and weight."Cast bullets can vary due to mold temperatures, lead temperatures, and a number of other things. You can spot a cast roundball because there is normally a spur or flat spot on the ball. This flat spot is formed when the hole in the mold,through which the molten lead is poured through, is cut off flat to the mold before you allow the cast bullet to set and then open.
Then you get into the discussion of the cast ball as to whether you load spur up, spur down, or it does not matter...
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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
I use both some times I just dont take time to cast them. I do not have any problem getting them to shoot the same. A few pointers, a temperature controled lead furnace so that the lead is poured at the same temerature will keep them the same size; flux the lead and skim it to avoid impurities; pre heat the mold so the first and last will be the same size. When shooting cast ball always center the sprue upwards.
Hope this helps Lee
Another difference in swaging vs casting isthe cost of equipment required. Swaging can be very expensive while casting can be done cheaply. Swaging not only requires much more costly equipment, it also requires pre-cut lead wireor formed lead cores rather than a simple melting pot. Some swagers make their coresby casting, then swage the cores into the final product. Such things as lube grooves andknurled rings are generally a separate additional step when swaging.It ismoreviable to make jacketed bullets via the swaging process.
I quit using store bought balls probably 20 years ago, bought a .395 and a .530 bag mold from Rapine...Use a tin can to melt the lead with, bought a dipper and use SnoSeal to flux, I use an old Coleman stove for heat, get the lead from free from my dentist...Easiest money you will ever save...Never have to worry if you have a supply of balls to shoot.
When you flux a pot of melted lead you put something like beeswax in to it to help take out any impurites they float to the surface and you skim them off. Lee
Cast vs Swag
