.50 Lee Molds for Deer/Elk

[nate c]

I've picked up 3 molds in .50 from Lee - the Improved Minie (500-360-M, flat point, large grooves - not the target one), a REAL and a RB.

There are plenty of PRB hunting reports on the forum, but I was wondering if anyone has experience good or bad they could share with the other two?

Thanks -

Nate

 

[gmww]

I've had mixed results with the Minies from very good to fair. The REALS have not worked for me but I've read it has for others. It's just a matter of load development and how much time your willing to spend on it.

I've found that the cast bullets will be of different weights so I weigh them out and seperate them accordingly. Eventually I will find a conical weight/powder weight combo. the works.

Right now I'm phasing out Lee loads and I'm going to develop Maxi loads.

Good luck

 

[Vostok]

Nate C - I have not had good luck with the Lee's in either a T/C New Englander or a Lyman GP Hunter in .50.

I could never get better than hubcap sized groups from the Lee at 100 yards with anywhere from 75 - 100 grains of powder.

When I hunted with it this fall for cow Elk in CO. I had what should have been a lethal shot on a 450# cow from 58 yards. The 320 grain weight just didn't seem to have the shock I was looking for. Even though I busted a rib and hit some shoulder, the bullet retained most of its' shape with little deformation.

I eventually invested in a Lyman Plains Bullet mould in .50 cal. First time out with a 90 grain load I put 6 shots into a group 1.5 inches across at 100 yards. Drop from 50 to 100 yards was about 2 inches.

I duplicated that performance two more times that day. I don't know yet how it will behave going into meat, but it is much heavier at 395 grains and has a better bearing surface so it seems to take the rifling better than the Lee's.

I used the same pure lead mix for both bullets so the accuracy performance seems more related to the bullet design.

Best of luck and let me know if you find something better!

 

[gmww]

Do you have a part number for that Lyman plains bullet mold? I'd like to see the shape, weight.

 

[Runner]

My barrel for the Trapper shoots the target mini very well. At 120 plus yards I smacked a small deer last weekend exactly where I was aiming. He went maybe 45 yards with no big bones hit. That barrel is a little tighter than my other fifty barrels tho.

 

[Vostok]

GMMW - It is on Mid-South Shooter's supply or on the Lyman site.

Here is the link to Mid-South:
[url] http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000152654656[/url]

It weighs in at 395 grains for .50 cal. I shoot it with 90 grains 2f pyrodex.

Mid-South seemed to have the best price I could find.

Hope this helps.

 

[cayugad]

The R.E.A.L. conicals shoot fine out of my 1-48 twists but not well out of the 1-66 twist. As for the minnies, I have the mold too. I wish I had never bought the thing. They make a nice looking conical but I was never able to get hunting accuracy out of the minnie with my 1-48 or any other twist for that matter...

 

[Runner]

I think that if the target mini fit my other barrels trhe way it fits the Trapper barrel, that they would shoot it well also. I may try paper patching them for the other barrels.

 

[nate c]

Thanks everyone -

I'd looked at the plains bullet mold and liked the meplat and the weight - I'll give that one a try.

Nate

 

[gmww]

Nice looking bullet. I've got to think about it though. I sure hate buying molds only to have them sit because the bullet and rifle combo don't work. It will be my next purchase if I can't get a good accuracy with what I got.

 

[Vostok]

GMWW - I know what you mean, I am sitting on my Lee mould for just that reason. I know others have had really good luck out of them with a card stock wad under them etc.

It seems as though I saw where you could buy pre-cast Plains bullets from the Lyman website. Unfortunately I can't seem to track down the URL tonight. I do know the product code for this pre-cast bullet in the Lyman catalog is #508656 and that if you call their 800 number they could probably help you.

Best of luck!

 

[BS]

GMMW - It is on Mid-South Shooter's supply or on the Lyman site.

Here is the link to Mid-South:
[url] http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000152654656[/url]

It weighs in at 395 grains for .50 cal. I shoot it with 90 grains 2f pyrodex.

Mid-South seemed to have the best price I could find.

Hope this helps.

These are one of the nicest looking Bullets that I have found, they also make it in a 54 cal! I just wonder how they shoot? With a wad under them of course!

 

[Vostok]

BS - I have had good luck with them in my Lyman GP .50 with no wadding. I lube the grooves with bore butter and plant them right on top of the powder charge. I was able to put 6 rounds in 1.5" group at 100yds off a rest. There were some outside of that, but all shots were in the black with less than 4" of spread at 100 yds.

I hope to get the .54 barrel and mould for Christmas. I'll let you know if they do as well as the .50's.

 

[BS]

BS - I have had good luck with them in my Lyman GP .50 with no wadding. I lube the grooves with bore butter and plant them right on top of the powder charge. I was able to put 6 rounds in 1.5" group at 100yds off a rest. There were some outside of that, but all shots were in the black with less than 4" of spread at 100 yds.

I hope to get the .54 barrel and mould for Christmas. I'll let you know if they do as well as the .50's.

Wads do not "always" improve your accuracy, but they sometimes help with higher pressure loads.

I shoot Hornady 410s with a MMP SUB-BASE, I also shoot a 370 Grain Maxi with
a card wad under the bullet!

My groups went from 3-4" at 100yds down to 1 1/2 and smaller just by using
the sub-base, or a card wad under the bullets. My loads are Goex, 90FF to
115FF, out of my .50 cal. with a 1 in 30 twist.

They did help with the "fliers"

 

[gmww]

Funny how every gun seems to be different in the way they shoot. I tested .45 maxi-balls with wonderlube wads under them and without them. Instead of wads I just put lube. Same accuracy for both ways.

However like others have said wads have helped them out. Just another option to try out I suppose. My load was 80 grns. 3F, Goex black powder, 32" barrel with 1:66" twist.

 

[BS]

Wonder Wads are just felt?

try some hard card stock and see if it makes any difference!​

 

[gmww]

I happen to have a butt load of .45 veg fiber wads. Forgot to test them side by side. I'll have to do that next time out.

 

[BS]

I happen to have a butt load of .45 veg fiber wads. Forgot to test them side by side. I'll have to do that next time out.

Fried in Butter, wonder what they would taste like? :hmm:

Veggie Wads :shocked2:

 

[Vostok]

BS et. al.- Let me ask a really stupid question. I have never used wads under conicals, and am still fairly new to muzzleloading.

Being a former competitive shooter, I feel you can never have too much accuracy until it is just one hole down range. So I am interested in trying out some wads.

How do you go about loading the wadding? Do you just drop it down the barrel after the powder or do you somehow attach it to the bottom of the conical so it doesn't get bent or sideways in the barrel? Also, I live in CO where you cannot use sabots of any sort during the muzzleloading season. Do you know if wads violate this regulation?

Thanks for indulging my ignorance.

Regards,

 

[BS]

In my 50 cal I use a 13 MM punch. [.513]

I usually short start it with my Jag on my rod, then load and push the bullet and wad down at the same time.

Most of the time, I just seat it to the powder. Then seat the bullet.

I use 72 cal wads in my 62, then seat a patched RB. I get less torn patches with the wad, so the accuracy is better.

For bullets, use a wad about 1/64 bigger than the bullet base. Even bigger won't hurt, just push them down, then seat your bullet.

Like everything else, you will have to "find what works for you" :grin: