Best .58 Minie Bullet Mold?

[APG]

I've tried several different molds and the one that works best for me is the Lyman 575213. I use pure lead in the casting of the 510 grain minies. For reasons that I don't know they come out bigger than the .575 that is stated on the box. So I size them to .577 and they to work to my satisfaction in my Pedersoli 1861 Springfield

 

[59sharps]

Hey CW!
Been along time, hopeing to get back to the shoot, but you know.

Yea really been tough time

 

[59sharps]

For me yes, its also my hunting load, but not all muskets are the same, so...........
Follow these steps:
Size your minie's to 1-2 thousandths under the bore size. then make up charges from 35-60 grains of 3F in 5 grain increments (5 per each powder charge) then using a large piece of paper at 50 yard shoot 5 shots at the same spot. Mark the target with what load it was shot with and move on to the next target and powder charge also at 50 yards.
DO NOT worry about where the musket is shooting, you dont care at this point! all you are looking for is the smallest group and what powder charge makes it.
After you find the powder charge that has the smallest group, then and only then do you sight the musket in to hit the target where you want it to hit.

Missed the final step after you find tightest group work up and down by 1 grn at a time to see where it opens or closes up tighter.
My 2 muskets and cs Richmond like 42grn 3fffg the best both musket shoot a .580 the Richmond a 576. My sharps shoots 2 different bullets one one shoots 38 of 2 deg the other 40gen 2 ffg

 

[dave951]

For reasons that I don't know they come out bigger than the .575 that is stated on the box.View attachment 110257

The reason that it casts "large" is the manufacturing method. Old school you'd make a "cherry" and that is the cutting tool used to cut the mold blocks. It's always made a couple thou oversized to compensate for wear during a production run. Like all things mechanical, they have a "tolerance" of plus minus that is acceptable and that tolerance will encompass the "stated" size. Early in the run, the mold will cut larger as there is little wear on the cherry. That larger size will diminish as the production run goes on and the cherry wears.

Couple the early in the run of manufacture with the hot temps that we cast minies at and it's not surprising at all that they don't drop at the listed size on the box. In every case where you want to shoot cast bullets for accuracy, you will be sizing anyway. What is most important is the final weight being consistent, size being consistent through sizing and no casting defects in the skirt.

 

[oldwood]

Wish you coulda' seen what a .580 Lee flat nose target Minie did to a large doe . Using a max load of 80 gr. FFG just below where the skirt would rupture. Range was 25 yds. , she was face on toward me. The Minie struck her in the lower neck , and traveled through 17 " of chops cutting off spinal process " bones as it went. She died where she stood. Sunk back on her butt , and just fell over. Also using a peep sight on that rifle , accuracy off the bench was 3 1/2 " at 100 meters. I eventualle abandoned that Harpers Ferry Musket repro because the load had a significant rainbow in the bullet's trajectory. .........oldwood

 

[APG]

The reason that it casts "large" is the manufacturing method. Old school you'd make a "cherry" and that is the cutting tool used to cut the mold blocks. It's always made a couple thou oversized to compensate for wear during a production run. Like all things mechanical, they have a "tolerance" of plus minus that is acceptable and that tolerance will encompass the "stated" size. Early in the run, the mold will cut larger as there is little wear on the cherry. That larger size will diminish as the production run goes on and the cherry wears.

Couple the early in the run of manufacture with the hot temps that we cast minies at and it's not surprising at all that they don't drop at the listed size on the box. In every case where you want to shoot cast bullets for accuracy, you will be sizing anyway. What is most important is the final weight being consistent, size being consistent through sizing and no casting defects in the skirt.

Learned something new. Thank you.

 

[OldSmoky1967]

none of mine ever liked the RCBS for some reason

Do you have one you would like to get rid of? I am looking for one....