Time to Cast Some REAL Bullets: Quick Question

[deerslayer303]

I think when I get these crumb snatchers in the sack, I'm gonna slip off to the basement and cast up some REAL bullets tonight for the .58. I'm gonna try em out in the little Cabelas Carbine when I go to the range here in the next couple days. Quick Question. For a REAL bullet do they perform better with PURE lead verses the wheel weight lead?

[FrontierGander]

Must be pure lead for muzzle loaders.

[Shane Tuttle]

What firearm(s) are you going to be using?

[Hawg]

Pure lead unless you want to use a five pound hammer to load it. Pure lead with a REAL is hard enough. A short starter is mandatory.

[jmortimer]

Go to Cast Boolits, lot of threads on REAL Bullets. Here are some:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...e+real+bullets
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...e+real+bullets
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...e+real+bullets
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...e+real+bullets
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...e+real+bullets

[deerslayer303]

Ok thanks for the tips and links guys. I have both pure lead and w.w. I just have w.w. in the pot now so I was wanting to be lazy and use it LOL. I'll change it out.

[deerslayer303]

What firearm(s) are you going to be using?

I have a short barreled Cabela's (Investarms) Hawkin Carbine .58 cal. When I say short barrel I mean REAL SHORT haha. Love little thing though. HUGE FIREBALLS and SUPER LOUD. Its a crowd pleaser

[Pahoo]

Absolutely and for the same reasons. Also, you may want to limit the amount you cast as in the long run, you may fall out of love, with them. ....
Don't forget to lube them. ...

Be Safe !!!

[deerslayer303]

Absolutely and for the same reasons. Also, you may want to limit the amount you cast as in the long run, you may fall out of love, with them. ....
Don't forget to lube them. ...

I take it you do not like the real bullet?? Is it just because they are a p.i.t.a to load? What are some other bullets I could try. I don't really see a whole lot offered in .58 cal

[Hawg]

I like minie balls in my .58 Enfield.

[jmortimer]

Here are some I would use:
http://accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=10

[deerslayer303]

Thanks Hawg!
I'll order some of them. And good gucka mucka I just looked at your post count 9,560 And when do you have time to shoot??? Seriously though, we appreciate all those posts for sure!!!

[Hawg]

I'm a blabber fingers. I do shoot but not as much as I used to.

[B.L.E.]

Absolutely and for the same reasons. Also, you may want to limit the amount you cast as in the long run, you may fall out of love, with them. ....
Don't forget to lube them.

If you do end up hating them, can't you just throw em back into the melting pot?

[Rifleman1776]

And be sure to use the heaviest load you can dare to put in that rifle. That way, after the first shot your shoulder will be so numb you won't fee the pain from the following shots.
Seriously, my point is: Why? With a (pure lead) round ball and moderate load that rifle will kill anything that walks on this continent, up to possibly a big grizzly bear.

[deerslayer303]

Seriously, my point is: Why? With a (pure lead) round ball and moderate load that rifle will kill anything that walks on this continent, up to possibly a big grizzly bear.

No doubt I'm sure it will. But with only a 21" barrel I want to try some boolits to see if it will do any better at distance. This rifle is a treat to carry up a tree with me. Not to mention its light as heck. And it WILL beat up on ya pretty good with stout loads. Its 1:48 twist. Cabelas's stopped selling this rifle some time back now all their carbines come in .50 or .54 and have 1:24 twist barrels. I'll try out the bullets if it doesn't do any better she will be a ball slinger.

[B.L.E.]

I don't know about REAL bullets but my experience with TC Maxi balls is that they didn't group well until I bumped up into near maximum loads. They are not hollow base like Minié bullets but they still rely on pressure to expand the bullet the rest of the way into the rifling. With medium to light loads, this doen't happen and the accuracy is so-so.
I have a .45 caliber Maxi ball mold and I ended up using them mostly in my Ruger Old Army revolver. I bought a bag of .45 REAL bullets from a vendor at a gun show once and ended up using most of them in the ROA also.

[Pahoo]

I take it you do not like the real bullet?? Is it just because they are a p.i.t.a to load?

Pretty much and I only shot the .50 in both weights for a short time. They did shoot just fine. My next step up, was the MaxiBall and it was just about the same. Then I got better performance with the MaxiHunters which are much like the Hornady Great Plaines. ...


Be Safe !!!

[DD4lifeusmc]

True black powder weapons always use pure lead.
The steel while good is not fabricated for hardened lead.
Plus as said earlier you would need a hammer to seat it.
I have been shooting the real bullet in 360 and now 320
grain for 30 years. Prefer it over RB
Accuracy will depend on you and your rifle. Some tifles and twists just don't like them.
Whether round ball or conical I alway load the same.
push flush with thumb.
Then a short ball starter.
Mine is the round knob. Has a short 1/4 " starter and a longer 6".
Then a use the ramrod.
I also built out of a 2 " diameter piece of hickory a guide, helps eliminate rod breakage, especially at an in opportune time--- followup hunting shot.
I drilled it down center just larger than rod. Then one end recessed for my barrel.
About 3 " deep, and a groove cut for the site blade.
Mine is about 10 inches long. When the ramrod is flush with it, I lift it off over the rod, finish seating. Saves on broken rods when you got a ball a little tight to seat.
Yes you can remelt the bullets if you don't like them, or for any reeason.
As to making your shoulder sore. Have never had a sore shoulder from shooting black powder even after 4 or 5 hours at the range.
But 5 shots from my 7mm I 'm done.
As too butt in the arm not shoulder.
Tried that wasn't comfortable. Put it back in the shoulder. The points don't bother me.
Hey all Have a Happy New Year!!

Dang I need to turn the lights on when I type. Too many errors

[Hawg]

That curved butt plate goes against your upper arm not your shoulder. Put it on your shoulder and those points are going to hurt.

[deerslayer303]

Well pan lubing the REAL bullet is not working. When I pushed the bullets out they came out clean But oh well I'll just rub some lube in the grooves before loading. I guess thats just more time I get to spend at the range, which isn't a bad thing. I think the grooves are just too wide, that or I didn't let it cool enough.

LUBE: Beeswax, Parrafin, Mutton Tallow.

[Beagle333]

Were your bullets warm (nearly the same temp as your melted lube) before pouring in your liquid lube? You don't want to pour hot lube around room temp bullets. . . . at least it doesn't stick well for me that way. I sit my bullets in the oven while the lube is melting in the double boiler. Beeswax is pretty sticky.... it should have stuck to them.

And did you push the bullets out while the lube was still warm? Solid.... but still warm. It should have started to just slightly begin to pull away from the sides of the pan that everything is sitting in. (it shouldn't be completely cool)

If it won't stick to that big wide groove, you may have to make a cutter to push down over the bullet and then push the bullet out of the cutter.
I made one like this for my .357 bullets, but a bigger one of the same design would work for your REAL bullets too. You'd just push a piece of tubing or similar down over the bullet and cut it and the lube out, then push the bullet out of the tube.

[deerslayer303]

yeah the bullets were at room temp. and I think I did try to push them out too soon, the lube was still very pliable. I'll try again, if that doesn't work I'll figure out something to make a cutter out of. Thanks for the tips beagle.

[Beagle333]

I'll try again, if that doesn't work I'll figure out something to make a cutter out of.

Somewhere along the length of an old golf club handle.... it will be .58 Inside Diameter.

(or at least some of them..... I saw a fellow make a beautiful "cake cutter" from an old flea market putter handle for his .62 cal)

[deerslayer303]

I like it! See what in the heck did we do before FORUMS??