I shoot a 72cal Pedestroli Kodiak Double Barrel and also have a mold for it. I was casting up some bullets last night and decided to try the .715" RB mould (the rifle came with a bunch of RB's). It works great, but when I knock the spruce plate and drop the bullet from the mould, it's got a 'disc' on it. I knew this was how they dropped from the mould, but I have a couple of questions since this is my first time with a RB mould:

1) Do I need to remove the disc left on the ball?
2) If I leave it, will it affect my accuracy out to 100yds if I always load it disc down?
3) How would I go about removing the disc?

Thanks.

BMG....In my experience with smaller stuff up thru .457s, load it sprue cut down and you'll be all right.

I was once doing a bunch of #0 buckshot. I made a "roller". I found a rim with a heigth less than the diameter of the balls. I attached it to a peice of 1/4" thick aluminum. I then cut a larger peice to fit on the top. Dump the buckshot in between and roll them with the upper plate with my feet. I'd sit and watch TV and roll them and after a while, the sprue cuts dimished to the point that they were almost undetectable.

Another solution might be to tumble them in some of the jeweller's scrap steel such as casters use for impact plating bullets with moly. This is pretty rough but should smooth them. Even tumbling with a bunch of 9mm brass which is plentiful may take it off without affecting the diameter.

Personally, I'd dip coat with Lee's liquid alox lube cut with lighter fluid and when dry, I'd load sprue down and see how they shot. May be a non problem./beagle

I've cast a zillion or so round balls over the years, and it sounds like you have the ubiquitous sprue. Don't worry about it, they are on virtually all cast RB's. The accepted method is to load with it up. It will not affect your accuracy. I would guess that shooting a .72 from a bench isn't something you will make a steady diet out of.

Go with Waksupi's advice. Sprue up as you load so one can place it "consistently".

Be an interesting test to see if it makes a difference!

Just that all the front sruffers always say, "powder then the ball, sprue up."

LouisB

This was tested years ago, and I believe reported on by Jim O'Meara and Sam Fadala in the old Buckskin Report magazine. (Excellent M-L reference if you can find copies)

They found no difference in accuracy, but consistancy was easier with the sprue up so they could line it "up" easier.

Almost every source I have on hand says to load with the sprue up.
Paul B.