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loads for shotguns (a single large ball, plus some buckshot), but most of what I could find via Google was historical references to smoothbore muskets.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.
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.
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.
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.
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;
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).