Is Change is a Good Thing? The New .54 Mold!

[Pirate's Son]

We all know change is a bad thing. How do we know? Because the Internet, Twits-are, Facebookplant, the ONE "news" channel we watch or the ONE radio station we listen to tell us its so!

Well I'm one person that pretty much ignores all the noise but if I'm trying to get something to happen, to work or perform a miracle, I'll take any advice, idea, someone else's experience or the voices in my head and run with it. I keep running with it until it works or I give it last rights and move on.

Certain things with me seem like a perpetual task. As if I've partnered up with Sisyphus and the SOB conned me into doing half the pushing on that damn rock. On the steep parts! That was me with attempting to get my .54 TC Renegade to shoot any kind of non PRB with any reliable, repeatable accuracy. Didn't matter, Maxi, Mini, REAL, UnReal, Buffalo or cast bullets. Nothing worked.

Did it stop me from trying? Fat chance!

I got my Renegade kit as a present from my first wife on our first Christmas together in 1981. Had it built and shooting the day after New Years. I got my Lee Minie Ball mold in the early 90's. Probably soon after I got back from George the First's Party in the desert. At my next duty station there were a bunch of BP addicts that worked in the same division. We even did some serious machining to try different things. Like, "Hey, you don't need to get that Heart/Lung Bypass machine back to the Operating Room. I think I got this nipple wrench working!"

It just seemed to be I could never get and keep a good, snug fit. Too snug and I'd get the dent in my forehead from the hammer blow back. Since getting on this forum I've tried over patch loading. And got good results, comparatively. At 25 yards, with a felt wad patch, I can group (just one range day) 3-3.5". Which after 40+ years of 6-7" groups is a great improvement. Comparing those results to a PRB group I can cover with a quarter. Yeah, no comparison.

Then lo and behold the answer appeared to me in a miraculous way. I found it on the internet! It has to be true! But it is a change and everyone knows change is bad and it's everyone else's fault!

I said the hell with it, I'm going to embrace change! And when it arrived today I was, like, Wow! Things have changed over 30 years! So I took some photos and I'm writing this while the pot and new mold heat up. They are ready and so am I. I'll let you know!

 

[longcruise]

Alrighty then! Let's get some cooled and git to the range.

Just got the same mold in 50 cal and am going to try it soon. I'm not much into the conicals any more but the grandkids prefer them. If they fly right I'll make a bunch for them.

 

[dcrummett]

Please post results when you get them. I've tried both REAL and Mini Bullet over the years. Always go back to PRB. I started out trying to find a home-cast replacement for the Hornady Buffalo Bullet -- which shoot well for me, but I want to cast my own.

Groups for REAL and MiniBullet are more patterns than actual groups. So for accuracy I'm stuffing ball and pillow ticking.

If you find the "secret" please share it ... I'd love to learn.

 

[centershot]

Please post results when you get them. I've tried both REAL and Mini Bullet over the years. Always go back to PRB. I started out trying to find a home-cast replacement for the Hornady Buffalo Bullet -- which shoot well for me, but I want to cast my own.

Groups for REAL and MiniBullet are more patterns than actual groups. So for accuracy I'm stuffing ball and pillow ticking.

If you find the "secret" please share it ... I'd love to learn.

If there is a secret to making REAL's fly true, it might be to use a 1/8" nitro card over your powder charge, then load the REAL on top of that.

 

[dave951]

I shoot minies in competition. They aren't like PRB. You MUST use pure, soft lead. Cast them hot, pour them fast. Don't try to overload with powder. The load in the pic is 42gr 3f Old E in a 58cal Parker Hale P58

 

[brownac1983]

If there is a secret to making REAL's fly true, it might be to use a 1/8" nitro card over your powder charge, then load the REAL on top of that.

They fly true for me, the secret I found is not to overdrive them. If you put too much powder behind them they get squirrelly.

 

[edrutecki]

I shoot minies in competition. They aren't like PRB. You MUST use pure, soft lead. Cast them hot, pour them fast. Don't try to overload with powder. The load in the pic is 42gr 3f Old E in a 58cal Parker Hale P58

View attachment 172218

What minie are you using?

 

[dave951]

What minie are you using?

Depends on which musket. In my 1862 Colt, it’s the Rapine “Trashcan” In my Parker Hale P58, it’s the Moose Hogdon. In my Parker Hale Musketoon, it’s the RCBS Hogdon. There are techniques to get them to shoot well and I’ve often put them on this forum. There is no magic, you need only read and heed.

 

[edrutecki]

Thank you Sir. I was just curious. I've been shooting the same P-H P58 for around 23+ years now. Accuracy has been dropping off the past couple of years. Hopefully I can try and sort it out this Winter. A journey to Mr. Hoyt might be in it's future.

 

[loflyr55]

Thank you Sir. I was just curious. I've been shooting the same P-H P58 for around 23+ years now. Accuracy has been dropping off the past couple of years. Hopefully I can try and sort it out this Winter. A journey to Mr. Hoyt might be in it's future.

Try some techniques to get the lead buildup out of the barrel. Minnie’s will do that.

 

[edrutecki]

Try some techniques to get the lead buildup out of the barrel. Minnie’s will do that.

Yea, I scrubbed it for around 2hrs till the patches came out clean and then hit it with JB bore paste. Have not had a chance to shoot it since. Last time I JB'd it, it took like 30rds before it tightened back up. When it is on, black powder is amazing! When it goes off the rails it can just make you crazy!

 

[TDM]

Change is a terrible thing unless it produces smaller groups. Hope it works well for you!

 

[Idaho Ron]

We all know change is a bad thing. How do we know? Because the Internet, Twits-are, Facebookplant, the ONE "news" channel we watch or the ONE radio station we listen to tell us its so!

Well I'm one person that pretty much ignores all the noise but if I'm trying to get something to happen, to work or perform a miracle, I'll take any advice, idea, someone else's experience or the voices in my head and run with it. I keep running with it until it works or I give it last rights and move on.

Certain things with me seem like a perpetual task. As if I've partnered up with Sisyphus and the SOB conned me into doing half the pushing on that damn rock. On the steep parts! That was me with attempting to get my .54 TC Renegade to shoot any kind of non PRB with any reliable, repeatable accuracy. Didn't matter, Maxi, Mini, REAL, UnReal, Buffalo or cast bullets. Nothing worked.

Did it stop me from trying? Fat chance!

I got my Renegade kit as a present from my first wife on our first Christmas together in 1981. Had it built and shooting the day after New Years. I got my Lee Minie Ball mold in the early 90's. Probably soon after I got back from George the First's Party in the desert. At my next duty station there were a bunch of BP addicts that worked in the same division. We even did some serious machining to try different things. Like, "Hey, you don't need to get that Heart/Lung Bypass machine back to the Operating Room. I think I got this nipple wrench working!"

It just seemed to be I could never get and keep a good, snug fit. Too snug and I'd get the dent in my forehead from the hammer blow back. Since getting on this forum I've tried over patch loading. And got good results, comparatively. At 25 yards, with a felt wad patch, I can group (just one range day) 3-3.5". Which after 40+ years of 6-7" groups is a great improvement. Comparing those results to a PRB group I can cover with a quarter. Yeah, no comparison.

Then lo and behold the answer appeared to me in a miraculous way. I found it on the internet! It has to be true! But it is a change and everyone knows change is bad and it's everyone else's fault!

I said the hell with it, I'm going to embrace change! And when it arrived today I was, like, Wow! Things have changed over 30 years! So I took some photos and I'm writing this while the pot and new mold heat up. They are ready and so am I. I'll let you know!View attachment 169380View attachment 169381View attachment 169382View attachment 169383View attachment 169384View attachment 169385View attachment 169386View attachment 169387View attachment 169388

Take those .533 minie bullets and wrap them with 9# onion skin. The finish size will be about .539 in my opinion it should be good to go. I personally would try it with an over powder card wad.