# Ideal size for lead ammo



## Dakdoeve (Apr 1, 2011)

I once read that 3/8 inch is the best size for steel ammo, giving the best blend of speed / accuracy / shock power.
Since I am planning on making my own lead balls I would like to know if there is such an ideal size for lead ammo. The molds I am interested in are .330 and .380 but any size can be made on request.
My slingshots are fitted with theratube green, or with a single layer of theraband gold. If it is 'necessary' pulling 1.5 or 2 layers of gold would be possible I think.
Since there is, sadly, not much to hunt in the Netherlands, the effects on living matters are not important. I would of course like to buy more then one mold for different sizes but first I want to buy just one, and I was wondering if any of you guys has an opinion on which size of lead ammo would be the most efficient, or most fun to shoot objects with.

Regards,

Danny


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## radray (Apr 30, 2011)

.44 cal lead seems to be very popular for most of the shooters here. Great for hunting and supposedly has the same approximate weight of 1/2 inch steel ball.


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## bullseyeben! (Apr 24, 2011)

Dakdoeve said:


> I once read that 3/8 inch is the best size for steel ammo, giving the best blend of speed / accuracy / shock power.
> Since I am planning on making my own lead balls I would like to know if there is such an ideal size for lead ammo. The molds I am interested in are .330 and .380 but any size can be made on request.
> My slingshots are fitted with theratube green, or with a single layer of theraband gold. If it is 'necessary' pulling 1.5 or 2 layers of gold would be possible I think.
> Since there is, sadly, not much to hunt in the Netherlands, the effects on living matters are not important. I would of course like to buy more then one mold for different sizes but first I want to buy just one, and I was wondering if any of you guys has an opinion on which size of lead ammo would be the most efficient, or most fun to shoot objects with.
> ...


It will depend on on what cut your bands are, 2 layers of tbg at 25mm yields good speed at a reasonable draw strength, hence the reason many shooters on this forum use it.. tubes in my experience have a heavy draw with slower shot but can suite heavy ammo as I think thick tubes have good torque or pulling power at a small loss of speed... flats are fast especially matched with good amo, but may have a larger threshold in slowing large shots, that's why layers ate added..
In other words flats may shoot great with 9mm lead but move to 15mm and you will notice slowing, thick tubes won't shoot the 9mm as fast but will shoot the 15mm faster than a single layer flat...


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## gamekeeper john (Apr 11, 2011)

12mm lead (10 gram) with a double bandset tapered from 25mm to 20mm = 250+ fps with a reasonable draw, Just over 21 ftlbs,
its all i will use and i'v took many game with this set up, john


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Dakdoeve said:


> I once read that 3/8 inch is the best size for steel ammo, giving the best blend of speed / accuracy / shock power.
> Since I am planning on making my own lead balls I would like to know if there is such an ideal size for lead ammo. The molds I am interested in are .330 and .380 but any size can be made on request.
> My slingshots are fitted with theratube green, or with a single layer of theraband gold. If it is 'necessary' pulling 1.5 or 2 layers of gold would be possible I think.
> Since there is, sadly, not much to hunt in the Netherlands, the effects on living matters are not important. I would of course like to buy more then one mold for different sizes but first I want to buy just one, and I was wondering if any of you guys has an opinion on which size of lead ammo would be the most efficient, or most fun to shoot objects with.
> ...


I use Theratube on my bent-rods. I find .375 lead too lght for Green, but OK for Yellow, marginal for Red. Either .330 or .380 should be fine with 1 layer TB Gold. My BB shooters use 9/16x5/16x7 1/2 TB Gold (Thanks ZDP-189) and handle 3/8 steel just fine, but only last 100~200 shots. Theratube seems to last forever. I have a couple of bent-rods with Theratubes that more than a year old and still going strong.

Henry


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