What to size a .50 minie ball down to for my Hawkin?

USMCGrunt · January 25, 2017, 07:49 PM

So I have a Thompson Center .50 caliber Hawkin. Recently, I got a Lee Minie ball mould for it to see how well that will shoot in it. If left as they come out of the mould, it won't slide easily down the barrel like minie balls do in my '53 Enfield. I will be running them through my Lubrisizer but I need to know what size die I should go with. I'm thinking something that will size them down far enough that they will go down the bore fairly easy but not so small that when fired the shirt won't expand far enough to grip the rifling. Any suggestions?

FrontierGander · January 25, 2017, 09:24 PM

they should be snug, otherwise they could come off the charge while hunting. Use a short starter and smack them in. Once the bullet engages the rifling, they'll load smooth.

Hawg · January 25, 2017, 09:53 PM

About .497 or .498. Minies should slide down the bore easily.

ShootistPRS · January 25, 2017, 10:06 PM

To get a precise answer you have to know what your bore is. There is a good chance that your bore is .50 caliber but there is also a chance that it is smaller or larger than .50". You need to slug the bore to find out for sure. For a proper fit you will want the bullet to be at least the same diameter as your bore from groove to groove. It can be larger but then you will have more difficulty inserting it in the bore.
Round balls for ,50 caliber are in a range from .45" to .55" because not all .50 caliber bores are the same and the patches are used to help make up the differences. With mini-balls the bullets don't use patches unless you paper patch your bullets so the bullet has to be the same diameter as the groove.

Hawg · January 25, 2017, 10:19 PM

Quote:

For a proper fit you will want the bullet to be at least the same diameter as your bore from groove to groove. It can be larger but then you will have more difficulty inserting it in the bore.

Nope, nope, nope and nope. We're talking minies. They need to be two to three thousandths smaller than bore size.

ShootistPRS · January 25, 2017, 10:33 PM

Hawg,
The mini ball is a hollow based bullet. Isn't the hollow base there to make it easier to start down the bore? It will expand to fit the bore snugly when fired but are you saying that you want the front of the bullet riding on the lands?

I think I am confused here.

Hawg · January 25, 2017, 10:43 PM

It is hollow based. No it's not hollow to make it start easier. It's only purpose in being hollow is to expand to fit the rifling. My .58 Enfield minies drop from the mold at .577 and the weight of the steel ramrod will push them down the bore to the last three inches or so and then they need a little push to seat. No they do not move off the charge when carried muzzle down.

January 25, 2017, 07:49 PM	#1
USMCGrunt Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2000 Location: Somewhere in 14T NT Posts: 730	What to size a .50 minie ball down to for my Hawkin? So I have a Thompson Center .50 caliber Hawkin. Recently, I got a Lee Minie ball mould for it to see how well that will shoot in it. If left as they come out of the mould, it won't slide easily down the barrel like minie balls do in my '53 Enfield. I will be running them through my Lubrisizer but I need to know what size die I should go with. I'm thinking something that will size them down far enough that they will go down the bore fairly easy but not so small that when fired the shirt won't expand far enough to grip the rifling. Any suggestions?

January 25, 2017, 09:24 PM	#2
FrontierGander Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2009 Location: Boncarbo,Colorado Posts: 651	they should be snug, otherwise they could come off the charge while hunting. Use a short starter and smack them in. Once the bullet engages the rifling, they'll load smooth. __________________ https://buckskinsbp.blogspot.com/

January 25, 2017, 09:53 PM	#3
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	About .497 or .498. Minies should slide down the bore easily.

January 25, 2017, 10:06 PM	#4
ShootistPRS Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2017 Posts: 1,583	To get a precise answer you have to know what your bore is. There is a good chance that your bore is .50 caliber but there is also a chance that it is smaller or larger than .50". You need to slug the bore to find out for sure. For a proper fit you will want the bullet to be at least the same diameter as your bore from groove to groove. It can be larger but then you will have more difficulty inserting it in the bore. Round balls for ,50 caliber are in a range from .45" to .55" because not all .50 caliber bores are the same and the patches are used to help make up the differences. With mini-balls the bullets don't use patches unless you paper patch your bullets so the bullet has to be the same diameter as the groove.

January 25, 2017, 10:33 PM	#6
ShootistPRS Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2017 Posts: 1,583	Hawg, The mini ball is a hollow based bullet. Isn't the hollow base there to make it easier to start down the bore? It will expand to fit the bore snugly when fired but are you saying that you want the front of the bullet riding on the lands? I think I am confused here.

January 25, 2017, 10:43 PM	#7
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	It is hollow based. No it's not hollow to make it start easier. It's only purpose in being hollow is to expand to fit the rifling. My .58 Enfield minies drop from the mold at .577 and the weight of the steel ramrod will push them down the bore to the last three inches or so and then they need a little push to seat. No they do not move off the charge when carried muzzle down.