I just got 2 ROAs from a member here. I was wondering if I can use a .454 lead ball until I can pick up some .457 ball or will the smaller one slide forward under recoil?
ROA question
- Thread starter gasmandave
- Start date
Hondo44
Hawkeye
They may. You won't know till you try them, chambers vary. May not be happy with accuracy as you would expect since you know the 457 is the hot set up.
Balls are supposed to shave a slight amount off while they're pressed in to achieve friction, a gas seal and some bearing surface for the rifling. More important than the chance balls might creep forward, if the balls don't seal you risk chain fires from B/C gap flash. The answer depends on where your chambers and a specific lot of balls fall within their manufacturing tolerance ranges. Shorter answer: maybe, but safety first. Besides, what would you do with the open box of balls if it turns out that the manufactures weren't sloppy enough for them to fit tight?
OP
I might mic the chambers 1st and see what they size out at. As far as the 90 or so .454 ball I have they won't go unused...I have a 58 Remy, 51 Colt clone and a 51 Avenging Angel...they all work fine with .454s.
wizofwas
Buckeye
I'd sell, trade or melt them into something else.k22fan said:
As said above as long as it shaves off a ring of lead as it is seated, you'll be fine. I tried it a while back just as a test in one of mine. No problem in 'that' ROA. I don't recall the grains of powder I tested with though (must have been 35 or 40 as those are the only two dippers I use) . Normally though I just use .457 ball and have never greased the front. Use cream of wheat as the patch/filler.
OP
I have a bullet mold for a Colt Walker I think is a .457 conical. If it is maybe that will be the way to go. Now all I have to do is find it. I also have B/P in FF & FFF as well as "Pyro". I read here on the board that someone uses it to the full of the cylinder and then the ball. May try it too. Also my cylinder mouths are champhered is that OEM for ROAs?
Also one of them is a 1972 and the other is a 1973...by ser # I think.
Also one of them is a 1972 and the other is a 1973...by ser # I think.
I've never seen a ROA with chamfered chambers so I'll opine that's not factory. You might have read one of my posts writing that my favorite ROA plinking load is the chambers level full of Pyrodex RS compressed with a round ball then topped with Crisco but recently another member posted similar. I don't recall Walkers being larger diameter than the later .44s but I haven't looked at the literature in a long time so it won’t surprise me if I’m wrong. I think the .457" balls are unique to ROAs because Ruger was too cheap to make rifling broachs just for ROAs. I need to dig out my old Lyman Black Powder Loading Manual.
I didn't realize you already had .454" round balls. Since you're not buying them certainly go ahead and load a chamber for trial fitting. You can't have a chain fire with only one loaded.
I didn't realize you already had .454" round balls. Since you're not buying them certainly go ahead and load a chamber for trial fitting. You can't have a chain fire with only one loaded.
OP
Found my Walker mold, all it says is .44
Hondo44
Hawkeye
gasmandave said:
Might as well try it but I have not found conicals to be as accurate as round balls.
Mohillbilly
Bearcat
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2006
- Messages
- 48
gasmandave Yes , I do fill a cylinder full with Pyro on my ROA . shoots good ! I use a wonder wad under the ball , and still get all of it in . I believe I have been using Hornady .456 pure lead balls . I also cast in a Lee 2 cavity rb and rn obsolete . Serial number 1 , must be a 200 year gun , I have one too . I've never seen a ROA with chamfered chambers either .
wildhobbybobby
Bearcat
Hondo44 said:
You will never be able to seat a .457 conical in a ROA chamber, because it will not be possible to shave lead off the bullet in the same way you do with a round ball. I use conicals in my ROA, but they are .452 diameter and work perfectly. I use a lubricated wad under the bullet. They shoot quite a bit higher than round balls and you may not be able to lower the rear sight (if you have adjustable sights) enough to sight in with conicals.
Conicals are interesting to play with but I have gone back to round balls. They are easier to work with, accurate, and pwerful enough for anything I am likely to use the ROA for.
OP
I guess I'll just stick to round ball. I'm not that concerned with accuracy just the fun of it. How accurate can you really get pouring BP in the chamber from a powder measure. I would think that at 25 yards if you can keep all your shots at about 3"s would be fine eh!?!
