000 buckshot in 36 Rice barrel

[Scota4570]

I will soon assemble a 36 cal  with a Rice barrel that has regualr rifling.  Not the round bottom.  Horniday 000 buckshot is supposed to be 0.350".  Before I buy a bunch of it, have others used this combo with success? 

Thanks
Scot

[little joe]

That is the combo I use in my Rice round grove 36.

[Smokey Plainsman]

I seem to recall where someone measured the Hornady 000 buckshot and it was essentially identical in diameter to their .350" round balls. I THINK but don't quote me on this that the .350" "round balls for muzzleloaders" or whatever they call them might have been a bit more consistent but not by much. Regardless I have heard many people use the bulk 000 Hornady with good success in their .36 caliber guns.

[Fyrstyk]

I have used them in my 3 .36 rifles with good results.  I think you will find that the 000 buck shot is a little harder than the balls sold as .350 for muzzle  loading rifles.

[Hungry Horse]

 Buckshot is more than just a little harder than pure lead. Buckshot will shoot O.K. but the gun won't shoot to it full potential with chilled shot. I know how tedious it is to cast small balls for a small caliber muzzleloader, but if you want optimum performance, you're going to have to cast them, or buy them precast.

  Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

A DC Lee mould in .350" or .355" will do just fine.

I am using an old DC RCBS mould I had stored away.  I would much rather use a .355" RB mould, so will have to buy/order one.

I tried to use Hornady 0 buckshot (I think it was) in my .32 - it was too hard an alloy. At .320" it was too hard to load in the .320" land to land barrel.  Pure lead .320" round balls from a DC Lee mould, marked .319" was easy - with the .020" patch or the .0235" patch - no different. Small diameter pure lead balls form into the rifling easily.

In my Rice .36, I can load a .350 pure lead ball with .020" patch, without a short starter (choked up rod only, then patch & ball pressed into the bore, then down) - that is how easily small balls form into the rifling, IF they are soft lead.