Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting Round Ball in 20 Ga.?

Has anyone shot any round ball/shot shell wad loads? If so (or
possible) I would like the particulars; mold, wad, powder, etc.

I haven't shot any 20 ga round ball, so can't offer any specifics, but have used a lot of them in 12 gauge.

You can use shot data for the appropriate weight, just substitute the round ball. I use cork wads in the shot cup to adjust height if necessary. I've even dumped the shot from Federal 1-1/8 oz (12 ga) field loads and replaced with a round ball, these work really well, and I wouldn't hesitate to use one on deer (where legal and appropriate, etc.)

I generally use wheel weight balls, not pure lead, and use a ball size that fits inside the shot cup. Fed or Win shot cups work great, Remington not so much because of the rib on each petal.

What type of shotgun?

is it rifled barrel?

Full choke? Smooth bore?

this will help in giving suggested loading data.

I have multiple guns with different chokes; however, it would probably be used in an 1100(choice of chokes). I guess I would have to measure choke diameter and subtract 'petal' thickness
to get ball diameter(?). It is a smooth bore. Also, WW or pure lead; I'm thinking pure(?).

Just use your cyl or imp cyl choke. You're on the right track to figure out ball diameter, but don't feel like you have to be too picky about the size. +/- .005" seem to work about the same for me. If the ball is a little oversize, it will just squeeze the plastic wad petals a bit. If it cuts the petals, the ball is too big, or too soft. Same applies to slugs.

I prefer WW, not pure; WW gives less (none) deformation in the forcing cone and better accuracy, although "better accuracy" is a very relative term in this case. You're basically shooting a smoothbore musket, with these round balls.

I honestly have not found better accuracy with normal rifled barrels, using round balls; the twist is much faster than a round ball wants.

You could also used a rifled choke tube which may aid accuracy vs. a smooth bore.

Thanks for all the info guys, I guess I am ready to pick out a mold. Good to know that the wad being somewhat soft will probably make up for marginal differences.

Don't quote me on it, but I think the Lee .600" round ball mold is appropriate for 20 gauge. I use it for a tri-ball load in 12 ga, never tried it in 20, but I vaguely remember the 20 ga guys talking about using that one. Just remember to get that mold extra hot, cut the sprue while it's hot and soft, to avoid damage to the mold blocks. Lee's round ball molds have to be treated a little differently than normal bullet molds.

I'd get a rifled choke tube, and use a .625 dia ball with NO wad petals, just hard cards underneath and a "gas" donut.

The little bit of spin the rifled choke offers will stabilize the RB just nicely.

I'd use WW alloy.

I shoot .625 dia RB in my rifled NEF slug gun and they shoot very nicely. I do prefer a full bore slug like this one.

Blammer, that sorta looks like it would hurt. A lot.

both ends!

It's not as bad on the recoil as you'd think.

I guess it depends on what the mission for the round ball load is. I was given a whole container of .530 round balls cast out of WW's,guess they figured out in a hurry they don't go down a ml barrel worth a damn. The do fit nicely in the shotcup of Fed 20 ga S1 wads in a Fed hull. They were bedded on the bottom with Grex and another layer between the 1 st and 2nd one smaller amount on top with a thin tissue over shot wad crimped well. The total payload weight was right at 1 oz. As said above I started the powder charge off of a given one for 1 oz loads. I used the Imp cyl choke tube in my 26" barreled M870 Express with 1 chambered and 4 in the mag you can hold all 10 balls on a paper plate at 30 yds and do it in 3.5 seconds or less if your manual dexterity is up to it. They don't bounce off of rr ties like buckshot. Velocity around 1175fps ,I thought if'n a guy had to clean out his hallway this load would gett'er done. Magnum Man