Ball preparation for muzzle loaders

[Tryit 1]

To all on the forum. I have had a number of folks complain to me that to get the sprue from the mold up in the cylinder or in the muzzle of the rifle is somewhat of a pain and delays the loading procedure. I guess that I forgot to tell them that if you tumble the balls for a day or so, the sprue will vanish and the ball can be loaded, in any direction, right from the bag, can, or whatever the balls are carried in. I have been using a tumbler that I got from Harborfrieght and was to be used for tumbling rocks. It is cheap and efficient. I load about 1/2 the barrel full and set it to tumbling with just the balls to knock around on them selves. Works well and I find the balls are a bit more accurate. I built a larger tumbler for this but it is being used for shell casings at a friends house. Tryit.

[AtlLaw]

Good point!  Been doing that with my rifle balls for years!    Not in a tumbler, but that's a heck of a good idea!  And a lot easier then the way I was doing it!   

Another way I've heard of but not tried is to roll them between 2 metal plates.   

[bedbugbilly]

An interesting concept and obviously works as you have done it.  Am curious  after you tumble them does the process cause any of them to "be out of round" or do you get a uniform "shear" (for lack of a better term?) when you push them into the cylinder with the ram?  I've always heard "sprue up" or "sprue down" but this opens up all sorts of possibilities of casting balls, tumbling them and having them "sprueless" like a "swaged" ball.  And you mention that you have found accuracy to improve as well which is a plus.  Thanks for sharing!

[Tryit 1]

Billy, I find that all balls are uniform in demension and have small dents all over the surface. I find the so callled swaged balls are of a different weight each and have been tumbled also. The tumbled balls are closer in weight and are definately superior to the so called swaged balls I have purchased. Tryit.

[SlimPigguns]

I wonder if the small dents over the surface of the tumbled balls would have an effect like the dimples on a golf ball and make them more efficient ? - Pete

[AtlLaw]

I dunno about making the balls "more efficient" as the dents are not uniform in size, position or depth.     Heck, I wouldn't even call them dents!  In my experience, "tumbled" balls are/look no different then balls that have been rolling around in a bullet bag or box for a while.  Actually, that is what got me tumbling my balls, although I don't use a tumbler; I do it because I dislike worrying about where the sprue cut is when I load.  BTW, I always positioned mine UP.   

I can say that I have never been able to tell any difference in accuracy between tumbled and untumbled bullets.