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Hi Guys, decided to go down the black powder route for a change to my usual shooting.
I've applied for a number .44 calibre pistols/revolvers and wanted to ask about ball size.
I currently shoot a club BP pistol in .44 but they have me load a .437 lead ball. Is there any advantage to this over a proper .440 lead ball?

All depends on the cylinder chamber diameters, ideally the ball should be just oversize so as to shave a ring of lead off when seating so as to give a good tight fit/seal to the chamber, it also gives a slightly longer bearing surface to engage with the rifling.

It would be better to go bigger rather than smaller! The size depends on the pistol you're using, I used to shoot an 1858 in .44 calibre and it liked to be shot with .454 Hornady lead balls whereas a friend of mine had a .44 pistol which shot better with a .440 ball. I never knew of anyone who shot using a .437 lead ball.

i use 457's in my cattlemen and 1860's (all uberti) shellhouse have stopped carbon tumbling their balls and I now struggle to get them in one of my nitro cylinders. they promise me they will go back to doing this, hope they do, their balls are great for my needs.
they do shave a very nice ring

Hi I found its a bit trial and error, some moulds produce various sizes even if they say a particular size ,I assume you are pouring your own lead.

A final check is clamp barrel in vice after protection with wood or similar and ram a ball down the forcing cone and eventually out the end of barrel wooden dowel works good once you have a ball that's passed you can see and measure the rifling , should be a bit like a rugby ball. With nice rifling marks .

The difference in size between mould manufacturers is because many of them use different measures, cavity size versus drop size for example which again is dependant on the alloy, casting temp and technique used, then again your get Lee who seem to be unable to get two moulds of theirs to drop the same size with the same alloy.

It is usually easier to slug a revolvers barrel from the muzzle, unless it is an open top Colt or its clones.

Wooden dowels are definitely not recommended for this practice.

It will look nothing like a rugby ball as the end that the driving rod is pushing against will be flat, once the slug is set up into the rifling then it is quiet easy to gently push it through the barrel feeling for any tight or rough spots.

I currently shoot a club BP pistol in .44 but they have me load a .437 lead ball. Is there any advantage to this over a proper .440 lead ball?

I think you mean a .457 ball not .437. The ball size will depend on the make and model of pistol eg the Ruger Old Army takes a .457 but a Pietta Remington 1858 takes a .454 ball.

Re slugging a barrel, maybe a rugby ball was a poor choice of words but definitely the shape will be an oval . The side of the ball that was forced is going to get damaged , if it is not hard to push through the ball was to small . I would be interested in how you think you would push a lead ball through a barrel . ?

Once you have started the slug into the barrel it has taken its shape, the lead is no longer under compression so it is easy enough to push the slug through the barrel by hand. I use brass or steel rods with a kitchen paper plug 'tween the rod and the slug.

I don't think this I know this from over 45 years experience in doing it.

Ok thanks