You can purchase roundballs online, or from any local muzzleloading shop or sporting goods chain, but it can be a lot of fun to learn how to make them yourself.
In this video we'll walk you through the basics of casting some of your own muzzleloading round balls that will be perfect for a day at the range, a day in the field during muzzleloader season, or at your local rendezvous!
Safety
Lead is known to be toxic, so you want to make sure you are working with it as safely as possible.
Ventilation - It’s best to do your casting outdoors with a box fan set up to pull the lead fumes away from you. Wearing a protective ventilation mask will help keep fumes out of your lungs as well.
Heat Protection - Lead melts at 600-700 degrees, so we want to protect our skin while we are casting. Depending on the technique you use, a pair of heat resistant gloves and a leather apron will be great.
Electricity - If you are using an electric lead pot, be sure your power cable is not touching your heating elements.
Keep your area clean, and remove any flammable materials.
Preparation
Start by plugging in your lead pot and letting it get warm. Start with a small amount of lead in the pot to give you an idea of where the heat is at. This starter lead will also help us make sure we don’t have any leaks before filling the pot.
As your pot warms up, add a soft surface, like a towel or rag to your work area. We will use this surface to drop the round balls on and allow them to cool before we store them.
If you are casting for a competition, you will want enough space so your roundballs are not stacking or bumping into each other. These bumps can cause surface imperfections that may affect the travel of your ball.
Next, set your mold blocks on top of the lead pot and let them heat up with your lead. You won’t be able to cast a good ball with cold blocks! Larger calibers are a beat easier to cast from than smaller calibers, where there is less space for the lead mass in the mold. Our goal here is to cast as clean of a roundball as possible, meaning little to no surface imperfections, giving us the best chance at a straight trajectory downrange.
With your lead melting now, it’s time to fill the pot. Continue filling your lead pot as the lead melts until there is about ½” to 1” of space at the top of the pot. When all the lead in your pot is melted, you are ready to pour.
Casting
It’s my personal preference to cast the first dozen or so balls and toss them back into the pot. These 12 balls will change in shape and surface as you get used to casting, and will tell you when the lead is really pouring well. If your lead isn’t flowing well, turn up the temperature until it flows effortlessly into your mold, filling the cavities.
I like to start by filling each cavity on it’s own to make sure I get a good even pour on each ball. To make sure your cavity is filled, let the lead flow up and out of the cavity before stopping your pour. You’ll know the lead in your mold is cool when the extra lead on top “frosts over”, it will go from being reflective to being matte in appearance. This extra lead can be cut off and dropped back into your pot. Empty your mold onto your towel or rag and repeat! You are now well on your way to casting your own roundballs.
Have fun out there and send us some photos of your casting set up, we’d love to share them on our social media and in Muzzle Blasts Magazine!
