So obviously having a bubble like the one in the attached picture will reduce accuracy. My question is, is firing a minie with a bubble like this unsafe at all? Would the pressure lead to the bullet breaking up and leaving fragments behind at all? So long as they're safe to fire, I'm going to fire them while I'm learning the gun, then get down to accuracy once I start casting my own bullets. So yeah they won't be as accurate, but are they safe to shoot?
Bubbles in the base of cast minies
- Thread starter TDDredge
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It isn't unsafe at all. Having that void there won't help accuracy though they may shoot fairly well even so.
Thank you for the tip! I just wanted to make sure! Those bullets will be the ones I use right at the beginning. My understanding is I'm going to need to aim low. So once I've got a better idea where the gun shoots, hopefully I'll only have those without cavities left! This is my first black powder rifle, so I've got a bit of learning to do.
If you aim low you'll never figure out how the gun shoots. Your aiming point needs to be consistent which you'll never accomplish by holding in the white. I use a 6:00 hold. If you are afraid of missing the entire target get a roll of paper (I still have some shelf paper left), staple it to the top of the frame and run the roll to the ground before hanging your target in the middle. Shelf paper seems to have gone the way of button shoes so I bought a roll of brown package wrapping paper a year or two ago.
Safe to shoot? Yes in my opinion. Consistent accuracy? Maybe not. You will have to try for yourself. Curious if you are using a bottom pour pot? Have seen similar with bottom pour and too low of temperature lead when using a ladle. Other options, though my opinion will likely be panned by the casting experts, would be to add some tin to your mix, maybe 2 to 2-1/2%. Have used that alloy mix without issue when casting mines, although I typically try to use pure lead when casting them.
Oh I know how to sight in a rifle. My understanding is that these traditional rifles (it's a pedersoli springfield 1861) legitimately shoot this way, that the sights are set in such a way that they arc high. From what I've read, more than a few musket rounds were sent over the heads of the enemy. That's what I'm going to need to figure out. I'll be aiming center mass first shots, but I expect them to go high.
I've never had much luck casting minies with a bottom pour so my wife and I use a ladle. Practice different techniques. We cast using pure lead with the mold tilted to one side somewhat so the lead swirls around the base plug rather than landing directly on top of it.
Not my casting. Bullets ordered from track of the wolf (preparing for someone to yell at me for not ordering from lodgewood). I'm going to cast my own eventually, but that'll be a bit later on. I've been reading about the ways to help reduce those cavities when I cast my own.
I heard that making sure the mold is heated really helps. I'm very much assuming you've done that, I believe someone mentioned you're N-SSA so I basically am assuming you're a casting god. And 800F is what sounds like the necessary temperature for the lead before pouring. I'll have to experiment once I actually have the equipment. Going to be a trick to find a 575213OS mold...
LODGEWOOD 
The void you're seeing can be caused by poor casting technique. It's safe to shoot, but don't expect the best accuracy. The void is most often caused by a cold core pin and/or lead almost too cold.
Casting minies is fine with a bottom pour but the lead should be pure and run the pot and mold hot. The key to getting a good cast is to slightly tilt the mold as you start the lead pour and have the core pin hot. I cast at 850f, nearly as hot as my pot will go. BTW, I do have a 575213OS mold, but it's not for sale, trade, barter, beg, nada no way. Again, the guy at Lodgewood knows how to cast quality minies, he's NSSA too and not a round ball guy with a lead pot and a mold. I've never gotten one like that from him.
Sight picture. Some folks like 6oclock. I prefer center hold. For your purposes, either get a roll of brown paper that painters use for masking (available at your local big box hardware store) or just get a big cardboard box and use it flat. Use whatever sight picture you want but be consistent. You're looking for a group, not where the group is on the paper. Sight alignment is another subject for another time.
The void you're seeing can be caused by poor casting technique. It's safe to shoot, but don't expect the best accuracy. The void is most often caused by a cold core pin and/or lead almost too cold.
Casting minies is fine with a bottom pour but the lead should be pure and run the pot and mold hot. The key to getting a good cast is to slightly tilt the mold as you start the lead pour and have the core pin hot. I cast at 850f, nearly as hot as my pot will go. BTW, I do have a 575213OS mold, but it's not for sale, trade, barter, beg, nada no way. Again, the guy at Lodgewood knows how to cast quality minies, he's NSSA too and not a round ball guy with a lead pot and a mold. I've never gotten one like that from him.
Sight picture. Some folks like 6oclock. I prefer center hold. For your purposes, either get a roll of brown paper that painters use for masking (available at your local big box hardware store) or just get a big cardboard box and use it flat. Use whatever sight picture you want but be consistent. You're looking for a group, not where the group is on the paper. Sight alignment is another subject for another time.
" you're N-SSA so I basically am assuming you're a casting god"
I wish, if I were I'd turn some water into wine and lay back watching the minies cast themselves.
The lead has to be hot and everything Dave above says is gospel.
I wish, if I were I'd turn some water into wine and lay back watching the minies cast themselves.
The lead has to be hot and everything Dave above says is gospel.
Do not know if he is still in business, or if he even cast minies, but he was an excellent roundball supplier, and was said to be a supplier for TOW and others. Suggest you contact Eddie May for for cast lead bullets. Have not used for years, but he was always an excellent supplier. Do not know if this info is still up to date, but believe this was the last contact info I had on him.
Eddie May
159 Ridley Road
Chatsworth, GA 30705
706-581-8225
There's the lodgewood! Yeah any more that I order are coming from lodgewood. Though hopefully I'll be casting before i get any more.LODGEWOOD
The void you're seeing can be caused by poor casting technique. It's safe to shoot, but don't expect the best accuracy. The void is most often caused by a cold core pin and/or lead almost too cold.
Casting minies is fine with a bottom pour but the lead should be pure and run the pot and mold hot. The key to getting a good cast is to slightly tilt the mold as you start the lead pour and have the core pin hot. I cast at 850f, nearly as hot as my pot will go. BTW, I do have a 575213OS mold, but it's not for sale, trade, barter, beg, nada no way. Again, the guy at Lodgewood knows how to cast quality minies, he's NSSA too and not a round ball guy with a lead pot and a mold. I've never gotten one like that from him.
Sight picture. Some folks like 6oclock. I prefer center hold. For your purposes, either get a roll of brown paper that painters use for masking (available at your local big box hardware store) or just get a big cardboard box and use it flat. Use whatever sight picture you want but be consistent. You're looking for a group, not where the group is on the paper. Sight alignment is another subject for another time.
Oh I know that mold isn't for sale. Lyman IS currently accepting back orders on them. Trying to decide if that's worth it. I also have notifications turned on from midwayusa for when they come in. Trying to decide which would be a smarter way to go, which will likely get me a mold faster.
That's about what my plan was to do the sighting in. I get packing paper sheets (2' x 2') to pattern shotguns and sight them in with slugs. I am rather proud of my ability to take shotguns to 200 yards against 12" x 18" targets. Super cheap target option, you get a ton of them, and I feel like they ought to be perfect for this application. I'll know its point of aim quickly. Then I'll refine it with better bullets.
Frankly, I'm going to try to not buy any more. For the cost of 300 bullets ordered online, I can have all the equipment I need, and enough lead to cast 300 bullets. It's kind of a no brainer.
He has repeatedly yelled at me for not getting lodgewood bullets. And he's right so he better keep doing it lol. I may try bottom pour, but get a ladle in case I can't get them to come out right. And I'll be damn sure the mold is hot, including the core pin." you're N-SSA so I basically am assuming you're a casting god"
I wish, if I were I'd turn some water into wine and lay back watching the minies cast themselves.
The lead has to be hot and everything Dave above says is gospel.
I really do very much appreciate yours and his input here. You guys absolutely are very knowledgeable and you're giving great tips to a new idiot. I've got a very good round count on modern firearms, but this is my first foray into black powder. There are a lot of things that are different. Never bought beeswax and lard for a smokeless powder gun lol. So I really do want to get this right and take care of this gun. It's a gorgeous firearm and I want to take good care of it and do it justice. So I really appreciate you guys stooping to my level and giving me these tips. And never fear, once I get this going well, and I miraculously come into an ungodly pile of money, I'll have a bunch more stupid questions on cannon ownership
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Agree completely. Have more molds from multiple manufacturers than I can quickly count. If you can find what you need/want in a Lee mold for example, you can hardly buy 100 cast bullets or roundballs for the cost of one of their molds. Lead is relatively cheap. Rock on my friend.
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I have been told the sights on rifled muskets are purposely that way.
At close range they held a "fine bead ", just the top of front sight in bottom of the rear sight. At 75 yards-ish use a full bead, top of front sight even with top of rear sight. Past that use the ladder sight.
That's what my Navy Arms musketoon does, and my Zouave is the same.
Plenty of minies may have went high in combat, but being shot at will make you do odd things.
At close range they held a "fine bead ", just the top of front sight in bottom of the rear sight. At 75 yards-ish use a full bead, top of front sight even with top of rear sight. Past that use the ladder sight.
That's what my Navy Arms musketoon does, and my Zouave is the same.
Plenty of minies may have went high in combat, but being shot at will make you do odd things.
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Btw, my 575213OS isn't for sale either, check Ebay where i found mine.
Oh come on now you just added that to rub it in lol
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Maybe just a little.... but keep checking there... and flea markets...i bought my first 2 molds for 58 for $15 @ a flea market.
