ASSRA Forum › General › Single Shot Rifles › My First Ballard!!!! ( a No. 2 )
(Moderator Group: Moderator)
‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1 [2]  Send TopicPrint
Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) My First Ballard!!!! ( a No. 2 ) (Read 1700 times)
Bent_Ramrod
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 1478
Location: Southern Arizona
Joined: Feb 8th, 2006
Re: My First Ballard!!!! ( a No. 2 )
Reply #15 - Dec 10th, 2024 at 7:37am
Print Post  
If you know someone with a rifle chambered in .25-20 Single Shot, the “useless” neck-cracked cases that would otherwise be scrapped can be trimmed back either to .32 Long length (for the heeled bullet) or .32 Long Rifle length (for the hollow-base bullet).

With smokeless loads, the heeled bullets shoot best for me.  The hollow-base bullets require black powder or a substitute so the particulates generated by the combustion will expand the hollow base.  Something like Triple 7 or Pyrodex, that doesn’t build up fouling, works better than black powder for strings of shots without cleaning in the small bore.

My first Ballard was also a #2 in .32 RF/CF.  .32 Long Colt cases can be scrounged at Gun Shows, if you are patient. Before I lucked into the molds, Ideal and Winchester tools and loading dies, I used a 0.311” round ball pressed by hand into the end of the fired but unsized case and smeared with a little lube.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Longdistance1
Senior Forum Member
****
Online



Posts: 441
Location: Amidon, ND
Joined: Feb 11th, 2013
Re: My First Ballard!!!! ( a No. 2 )
Reply #16 - Dec 10th, 2024 at 10:30am
Print Post  
Send a PM to ten-mile on this forum he makes brass and bullets for your Ballard.
Later  LD1
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
marlinguy
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Online


Ballards may be weaker,
but they sure are neater!

Posts: 16450
Location: Oregon
Joined: Feb 2nd, 2009
Re: My First Ballard!!!! ( a No. 2 )
Reply #17 - Dec 10th, 2024 at 11:04am
Print Post  
I'd save the .32 S&W and get the brass from Ten-Mile. He's the same person who was selling it on Gunbroker.
  
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
.22-5-40
Oldtimer
*****
Offline



Posts: 803
Joined: Feb 13th, 2010
Re: My First Ballard!!!! ( a No. 2 )
Reply #18 - Dec 10th, 2024 at 1:34pm
Print Post  
I have a .32 Tranter Martini rook rifle.it is chambered in .32 Tranter (.32 long colt)  Made up forming dies for .32 S&W & still had to turn cases on lathe at solid web area.  You can size to rim..but primer pocket is deformed ..and must be re-cut.  rim thickness OK. Lots of work..my advice is to buy ready formed brass from Buffalo Arms Co.  Bullets cast 20-1 from Old West & BACO fit snug on heel.  It's nice that you have a Lyman tang sight on your rifle.  I only have the wide open V rear and "catipillar" front bead..rifle shoots high even with lightest smokeless loads.  Am having Bernie at Old West make up an extra light hollow base-heeled bullet to see if that raises poi. Best of luck!
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
desertmoon
Junior Member
**
Offline



Posts: 67
Location: Arizona
Joined: Jul 8th, 2019
Re: My First Ballard!!!! ( a No. 2 )
Reply #19 - Dec 10th, 2024 at 7:47pm
Print Post  
Man!  Thanks for all of the replies, gang!  I do want to source some ready made brass as I would like to shoot this thing sooner rather than later.

Believe it or not I have a guy at work with a .32 SW Long revolver he will let me borrow so I can shoot some of my rounds up.

I will still likely make brass, even if it is laborious so that I can create a decent stock of it.

Man, I really appreciate all of the thoughtful and various replies!  Much appreciated, Gang!

I can't wait to share some of my other single shot projects.

For a long time I did not participate in this forum because I didn't have a lot to contribute.  I spent several years gathering up all kinds of fun stuff so that I could participate AND CONTRIBUTE here!!!!
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
marlinguy
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Online


Ballards may be weaker,
but they sure are neater!

Posts: 16450
Location: Oregon
Joined: Feb 2nd, 2009
Re: My First Ballard!!!! ( a No. 2 )
Reply #20 - Dec 11th, 2024 at 10:52am
Print Post  
I enjoy making up brass also, and go through lots of steps, including turning down the web on some to make brass. But some of it is so time consuming that given the option of buying brass I'd do so in a second without any thought.
I have probably 600 pcs. of .32 Long brass I bought decades ago as loaded .32 Long CF brass. Some of it was .32 Long Colt, and some .32 Long. Some wouldn't fire and I had to pull bullets in order to get the brass. I had a bunch of .32 Short and Long RF ammo also, but it got so expensive I sold it all to one person who didn't have a Ballard and needed RF ammo.
  
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
desertmoon
Junior Member
**
Offline



Posts: 67
Location: Arizona
Joined: Jul 8th, 2019
Re: My First Ballard!!!! ( a No. 2 )
Reply #21 - Dec 15th, 2024 at 9:10pm
Print Post  
Instead of lathe turning I may get a roll sizer then fill the case with a properly sized pin gage and roll it to diameter on the bottom half,

I have barely started researching this, however.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
marlinguy
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Online


Ballards may be weaker,
but they sure are neater!

Posts: 16450
Location: Oregon
Joined: Feb 2nd, 2009
Re: My First Ballard!!!! ( a No. 2 )
Reply #22 - Dec 16th, 2024 at 10:30am
Print Post  
desertmoon wrote on Dec 15th, 2024 at 9:10pm:
Instead of lathe turning I may get a roll sizer then fill the case with a properly sized pin gage and roll it to diameter on the bottom half,

I have barely started researching this, however.


A pin gauge will help, but I think you'll find the internal size is smaller down near the web inside since the brass is thicker there. So you'd need to make a custom pin gauge that fit the whole internal length down to the base. And I think you'd need at least a double roller to squeeze down at the web. A single pushed against the case and pin would likely deflect and take a long time turning before the brass was moved enough. A lathe does it in seconds.
But if you don't own a lathe a drill press and file will also do it quickly. I've done lots of them in my Delta drill press after building a pin with tip to fit in the flash hole and hold the cases centered. I just put the pin into the case, clamp the case neck and pin in the chuck, and hold a mill file to the web to turn them down. I find it fast enough that I often use my drill press instead of my lathe.
  
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
desertmoon
Junior Member
**
Offline



Posts: 67
Location: Arizona
Joined: Jul 8th, 2019
Re: My First Ballard!!!! ( a No. 2 )
Reply #23 - Dec 16th, 2024 at 8:57pm
Print Post  
marlinguy wrote on Dec 16th, 2024 at 10:30am:
desertmoon wrote on Dec 15th, 2024 at 9:10pm:
Instead of lathe turning I may get a roll sizer then fill the case with a properly sized pin gage and roll it to diameter on the bottom half,

I have barely started researching this, however.


A pin gauge will help, but I think you'll find the internal size is smaller down near the web inside since the brass is thicker there. So you'd need to make a custom pin gauge that fit the whole internal length down to the base. And I think you'd need at least a double roller to squeeze down at the web. A single pushed against the case and pin would likely deflect and take a long time turning before the brass was moved enough. A lathe does it in seconds.
But if you don't own a lathe a drill press and file will also do it quickly. I've done lots of them in my Delta drill press after building a pin with tip to fit in the flash hole and hold the cases centered. I just put the pin into the case, clamp the case neck and pin in the chuck, and hold a mill file to the web to turn them down. I find it fast enough that I often use my drill press instead of my lathe.


Custom pin gages won't be a problem for me.  I am a metrologist AND I run my lab so I have no problem ordering what I need.

Thank you for all of the tips and tricks!  I needed a "pick me up" as I am having a REALLY bad couple of weeks so far.  At least I got my 1885 running!
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
calledflyer
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 3607
Joined: Mar 9th, 2015
Re: My First Ballard!!!! ( a No. 2 )
Reply #24 - Dec 17th, 2024 at 2:51pm
Print Post  
I may be wrong, but the rolling with a pin, custom or not, may result in the pin being swaged into the case and my oh my, you'd end up knocking it back out through the flash hole. let me know if you try this, ok?
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
desertmoon
Junior Member
**
Offline



Posts: 67
Location: Arizona
Joined: Jul 8th, 2019
Re: My First Ballard!!!! ( a No. 2 )
Reply #25 - Dec 17th, 2024 at 7:16pm
Print Post  
calledflyer wrote on Dec 17th, 2024 at 2:51pm:
I may be wrong, but the rolling with a pin, custom or not, may result in the pin being swaged into the case and my oh my, you'd end up knocking it back out through the flash hole. let me know if you try this, ok?


Already mulling over how to mitigate that exact issue without using grease or whatnot.  Maybe Easy Cheese and a VERY small dog as a helper.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1 [2] 
Send TopicPrint
‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›
 
  « Board Index ‹ Board Top  

ASSRA Forum » Powered by YaBB 2.6.12!
YaBB Forum Software © 2000-2025. All Rights Reserved.

Valid RSS Valid XHTML Valid CSS Powered by Perl Source Forge

Page completed in 1.1174 seconds.