Thanx Daryl, I just spent some more time serching posts and found lots of information you have given with ball loads in the past. I have got the newest Lyman manual. It has no ball data but does have 525g and 437g slug data as well as buckshot. Between what I have read in your old posts and my manual I think I will be OK to cautiously proceed on my own. I will try the upside down gas check idea to center the ball or a cut down shot cup with the peatals just long enough to support the ball. I have pulled apart a 1 1/8 OZ load and find the ball to be about the same depth as the shot and may just try some 1/ 1/8 OZ shot cups to get me to the right height. I see that you have used the MEC steel shot cups that are round on the bottom. I would like to try somenting like that too but MEC cups are no longer made. I took apart a Federal foster slug and found the wad had the perfect cup for my ball and BBL but it is not offered as a component. Also where do you get your wads from?

My round balls drop from the Lyman mould a little oversized at .718-.719 and weigh 538g with straight W.W. I intend to heat treat them at 375-400f for 1 hour and water quench. My main goal is maximum pentration loads for bear defence and want something that will penetrate end to end with managable recoil out of my Mossberg shotgun.