Bullet Molds

[White Oak]

Guys, I bought a TC Big Boar earlier this week. The guy I bought it from contacted me tonight and has 3-58 cal bullet molds for sale also. The only description being hollow based bullets-2molds marked .577 Lyman and one marked .575 Lee. He wants $10 each for the molds. I have no idea how heavy a bullet these will produce. Not really sure I care to shoot anything other than round balls anyway but figured if they were worth while the price seems right.
It would seem to me that bullets would be more difficult to pour. Do you use the same soft lead?
That aint much info but any advise would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Ed

 

[nkbj]

Hey Ed.
Yep, you'll need the same soft lead.
You'd just have to see whether or not the TC .58 shoots them well with a powder charge you want to use.
Me myself, I'm chomping at the bit to try out the old Lyman pointy nosed .58 heavy skirted minie hot loaded with a paper patch. Don't know if it'll shoot but I wanta try it out just to see how it behaves.

 

[BrownBear]

Dunno about those minie molds, so can't help you there. I've only tried the LEE Improved Minie in mine Can't remember the diameter, but I do recall it's their "oversize" version.

But in both my Big Boars a .575 ball means I have to use an awfully thin patch, or else use a mallet to start with a thick patch. I'm using a .570 ball with .018 ticking, and I wouldn't want any heavier starting by hand.

But it could be the difference between your bore and mine. I'd sure interview the guy about what he used for patching and how he started the patched balls. Before I bought the mold.

 

[George T.]

T/C's bores run pretty tight. In face before they came out you seldom heard of.440 or .490 sizes. I think I would pass. Lee molds are cheap and once you determin the ball size you want to use a Lee mold is not that much. My 2 cents! Geo. T.

 

[larry wv]

Good trading stock for the price if you don't like one or all. :grin: Larry

 

[Billnpatti]

I'd snap them up at that price. Even if you decide not to use them, you can sell them for more than you paid for them. I don't remember what the twist rate in your gun is but, if I am not mistaken, it is a fast twist rate intended for conical bullets, not patched round balls. If the twist rate is faster than 1:48, it is intended to shoot conicals and will not shoot patched round balls well. So, snap up those molds, you just might need them.

The skirted conicals will require a soft lead. They are designed to load easily and then when you fire, the pressure of the hot gasses expands the skirt into the lands and grooves. This expansion allows the bullet skirt to seal off the hot gasses and to give spin to the bullet. If the lead is not soft, the skirt will not properly expand and the bullet will be very inaccurate.

I did a little checking on another forum and one of the contributors there said that the Big Bore has a 1:48 twist rate. That being the case, it will shoot patched round balls.

 

[Jim Blair]

I'll double your money on the Lyman molds if you buy them and want to turn them quick.

 

[BrownBear]

I did a little checking on another forum and one of the contributors there said that the Big Bore has a 1:48 twist rate. That being the case, it will shoot patched round balls.

All the Big Boars I've been around (my 2 plus 7 others owned by shooting pards) have been absolutely superb performers with RBs. On the plus side, if you want to shoot reduced loads, they shoot circles around both my slow twist 58's. Gotta get up to around 100-110 grains of 2f for the slow twists to really turn on, but the 1:48 Big Boars and two other 1:48's I own are dandy right down to 30 grains of 3f, low as I've gone. Outstanding performers for head splatting small game.

Small charges are a real savings with high priced powder these days, and a guy just doesn't need to be whanging out big clouds of white smoke to have fun with a 58 if he doesn't have to.

 

[VEARL]

I've only shot .570 RB in my 58 cal Big Bore.
Had Jeff Tanner build me a mould for $45.00. Cheaper than a new Lyman mould.
A charge of 100 Gr. of 2FF BP, a lubed .015 patch, with an OP wad shoots great in my rifle.
Enjoy yours. The Big Boars are getting rare these days.
Vearl

 

[Little Wattsy]

$10.00 is a good price IF you will use them... $10.00 is an expensive paper weight however... :idunno:

 

[White Oak]

One more time thanks for the replies.
A bunch of knowledge and experience available here. Just maybe if I hang around here long enough I might even learn something.
Thanks again guys and have a good weekend.
Ed :bow:

 

[mooman76]

I have a Lee 58 cal. minie mould. They make several. The one I have is a copy of an original minie not the improved one. I drops at about 510 gr. Doesn't shoot bad out of my Cabelas Hawkin but nothing to brag about or target shoot with but could take down a Deer at 100y easy enough.