Cheap Plinker Ammo

by George Fisher

Close up of the loaded LRB Cartridge

The Cheap Plinker Ammo (CPA) started out as a lucky purchase of several hundred .375 diameter lead Round balls, purchased from a local store, that was selling off its Black Powder supplies. I had intended to use them for slingshot ammo, but the idea hit one day to run one through the .365 sizer Die and load it in the 9mm Makarov. Several were sized this way, and loaded over a very light charge of 2.4 grains of Bullseye Powder. The 77 grain round balls while not the most accurate round, works well for informal plinking at steel plates, cans, etc. After the supply of Lead round balls ran out, I chanced upon a old Tong type mold (looks like a pair of scissors with a mold block welded on the end) in .376 caliber. I have used the resized balls from this mold for some time now. Easy and cheap. The balls don't need to be seated, I just push them into a charged and flared case, and than run them into a taper crimp die. Velocity runs from a very mild 520 fps, in which the slide must cycled by hand for each shot (very easy to collect the brass for reloading) to a zippy 1200 fps depending on powder charge.

The Lower end loads also make great small game loads, given a safe hunting location, and being sure all laws are followed. The 2.4 grain load is very quite, and will drop a Tree Rat out to 20 feet or so.

Several rounds of CPA, with one loaded in a Magazine. These seem to feed in just about any Pistol.