round ball size ??

[Bruce Cobb 1723V]

Will a pure lead round ball .433 be ok in a 44-40 or 44 special load??? thx

[Muley Gil]

What type of firearm will you be shooting with these loads? If a single shot, .433" in a .44 Special would be OK. Most .44-40 bores run about .425"-.427".

As a teenager (many eons ago :D ), I shot a .43 Spanish Remington rolling block with a case full of FFFg and a .451" round ball. I still have both hands and all ten of my thumbs. :)

[bobanderson]

For our Black Powder Through the Ages Pistol Fest, I load about 20 grains of 3f Goex into a 45 Colt case with a .454 round ball crimped into the case mouth. I shoot those loads in a Ruger Blackhawk 45 and in my Tom Ball 1858 Remington revolver with a conversion cylinder.
In my Blackhawk, the only problem is that the round ball load will shoot to a different elevation because of the difference in weight between 45 Colt bullets, about 250 grains, and round balls, which are about 150 grains. In the 1858, the load almost exactly duplicates the skirmish load, so the sights are dead on.

[Bruce Cobb 1723V]

Yes, .433 round balls are commonly used in 44 special loads. I just had to ask google......