Crical bullet Dia.?

[Castr8r]

Greetings and Salutations! I'm running low on bullets for my ROA- too lazy to get all the necessaries together to cast up some fresh cylinder plugs. I am working on a deal to get about 35 Lbs. of lead (an old shower base!). But I digress. Question: how critical is ball diameter for the ROA? Can I load .460 dia. ball and still maintain a semblance of accuracy? In any event, the ROA will shoot much better that the grip gripper in this case, so it may be a moot point...

I've been a member of this forum for a while, and mostly just lurk. It seems that most of my questions are answered somewhere if I do a search; this time I didn't find anything. Thanks for all of your help and encouragement- past, present, and future!

[robert garner]

I did it to increase velocity; does the greater driving band increase
cylinder hang time and allow more of the powder to be used?
I don't know and have no chrono to prove it, but no bad side effects ... so far
Let us know if you can tell of any difference?
robert

[madcratebuilder]

The normal size rb for the ROA is .457 so a .003 increase well add .0015 to the shaved ring. It well increase to force needed to seat the ball but the ball well shave to the same size as the .457's. When you seat the ball it shaves to the chamber size. Using a larger diameter ball well give you a larger shaved flat area that may actually increase accuracy.

My only concern would be increased wear and tear on the loading lever mechanism. The loading lever pivots off the base pin and the base pin is a pretty small, only .250. Plus the notch cut for the base pin retaining screw is very close to the end and it reduces the base pin down to .125.

If your casting with dead soft lead you may be OK. I would cast a few and see how it goes before you cast up several pounds of .460's and find they are to large.

[Castr8r]

I went back to the Farm and Home to get the .460 balls, and they were out. What to do? After much contemplation, I purchased some .490 ball- genuine, 100% pure swaged lead. Several days later, it warmed up enough for this candyas (- well, you get the picture) old fart to do some shootin'. I unloaded several cylinders of SSS behind a .457 ball to get started, then loaded a single .490 over 30 grains of FFFG. It was a booger to get started, but Bill Ruger makes good stuff! A steady pressure seated the ball on the powder, leaving a "washer" of lead behind. Capped it with a CCI No#11, and stepped out with face shield as well as safety glasses, heavy leather gloves, etc. Touched'er off, and was happily disappointed. Happy because everything was intact and no disastrous happenings; disappointed because there wasn't a bunch more recoil and a slightly more spectacular result. I loaded up a cylinder full and did a "field test" for accuracy- shootin' at a slab leaning against a stump. That cylinder full shot high and wide- vertical dispersion was a couple of inches (well within my accuracy range...) and horizontal was wa-a-ay horizontal! Like about 12-14 inches horizontal. I don't think I'll use anymore of these .490 ball. I'm thinking that there's enough lead being shaved off to affect accuracy. I really must plead ignorance in this case, so if you have some insight, I'd like to hear it. You sure ain't gonna hurt my feelings!

[72coupe]

Try some conical bullets. They work well in both of my BP revolvers, neither of them is a ROA though.

I would think that the conicals have more bearing surface than any ball you could get into your revolver.

My Remington replica once shot a 2" group at 50 yards with the Lee cast BP conical and 30 grains of Pyrodex RS and Remington #11 caps.

[madcratebuilder]

Did the nose of the .490 round ball deform a lot when rammed into that .451 chamber? That may effect accuracy??

[Castr8r]

The ROA's loading ram is concave in the shape of a ball, so any deformed ball loads would not be readily apparent. The conical slug sounds like a good idea. I'll have to check availability.
I'm going to have some sight work done- my eyes don't look good. I have a problem focusing on the sight, so I'm going to have an insert installed to see if that will help. I feel that I can still shoot hunting accuracy at 20 yards, which covers hunting in this area for the most part. I'd like to work up a load capable of dropping a wild pig, and go hunting in Ark. or Mo.

[madcratebuilder]

I buy these bullets from a local store. I have used them in my ROA, Walker and Dragoons. These should take a hog with no problem.

Would a white outline rear blade help you focus on the sights? My eyes are not focusing as well as they did at one time and I have gone to white outline on all the revolvers I can install them on.

[Castr8r]

The rear sight is a white outline and I think it's a big help. The front sight just doesn't want to come into focus anymore. Shortly after I bought this Ruger, I had a fluorescent orange insert installed on the ramp. Some years ago, it fell out and I've been too frugal to have it replaced. However; the time has come, and it will be replaced soon. I am also overdue for a visit with my "eye doc", so I may be able to find some relief there. By the time I get this all accomplished, I should have a supply of correctly sized ball on hand, and maybe some freshly cast slugs to try.

[mikitsubizunizu]

+1 on the gun works, only shop in the area that seems to have a website.

They're good folks to deal with, usually friendly, and always helpful.