"buck and ball" shotgun ammo

[Lumpy]

I understand they make buck-and-ball loads for shotguns (a single large ball, plus some buckshot), but most of what I could find via Google was historical references to smoothbore muskets. What I want to know is what the standard size/weight for the ball is, and if it varies with gauge.

[yoyodyne]

I've only seen it retail in 12 gauge with a .65" ball and six #1 buck. There's also a slug with six 00 buck combo. I've also seen double slug rounds and triple ball rounds for sale, all 12 ga.

[Nametag]

Not many manufacturers out there, and no real standard. Centurion apparently makes a shell with a .65 caliber round ball and 6 #1 buckshot; someone, not named where I read it, makes a shell with a 1.3 oz. slug and and 6 #00 buckshot.

[Lumpy]

My interest was that buckshot comes in standardized sizes/weights, and slugs presumably match the gauge (bore) of the shotgun they're for. So I was wondering what the rule for ball size was.

[yoyodyne]

You might want to ask here, here, or here.

[Gbro]

There is only one true magazine for anyone interested in the history of Muzzleloading

This issue is available and this story is a very good one;

9 Shooting the Bull Ol' Tacky —Mike Nesbitt

Buck and ball would be a load that could be used for small game and big game universally. Sometimes when a hunter is after small game and comes across a deer or larger food item, he would load a ball on top of his shot load.
Yes this was largely done with the smoothbore musket and the ball would be .005" undersized of the barrel when a patch is not used. If it is tighter it would be very hard to seat the ball tight to the load. If a patch is used the ball may be .010"-.015" undersized depending on the thickness of the patch(lubed).