Lee REAL bullet

[mooman76]

I bought them maybe 10 or 15 years ago...right after they advertised the design. I'll see if I can dig some out and post an image...I don't think the design changed?

The REAS have been around for at last 30 years.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

The REAS have been around for at last 30 years.

Wow that means that I bought them 30 years ago...feels like less time than that...

 

[mooman76]

I bought mine in the late 80s. Still have them. One is the combo mould.

 

[Eterry]

I always had problems getting the charge to ignite when I used an under powder wad. By the way I am sure you meant an over powder wad.

I was tired...mea culpa... YES I meant OVER powder wad...
Im still confused over the hollow point REALs... that would require a mold like their minie ball or some such.

 

[dennyntx]

Wonder if anyone has any experience in using a Lee REAL bullet in their rifles? Going to see how it works in my Traditions St Louis Hawken. 50 cal .Does it clean the bore while shooting or is that false. I'm waiting on a Lee mold that's a combo .490 round ball and a 320 grain REAL bullet. Guess if the REAL bullet doesn't perform I can always just use the round ball.

I use it In my 50 cal. And also in my 58 cal. Infield no lube works great can run 15 or 20 rounds no problems very accurate

 

[Jay Templin]

Took my last deer with a .45 REAL bullet lubed with 50/50 beeswax/tallow over 90 grain of GOEX FFg. At 40 yards, it passed straight through her.
Jay

 

[Big Ugly]

I've been using the REAL bullets for about 35 years. I lube the grooves, but don't use any over powder wad. They are over sized, so they do scrape down the barrel as it is loaded. In my TC .54 Hawken, they are very accurate, and will quickly take down a deer. A unique fact is that when they go through a paper target, the hole looks like a paper punch was used.

 

[ugly old guy]

Where are you getting your REAL molds? I have several and NONE of them have a hollow point, dimple or ANY such nonsense. They ALL have a flat meplat, or nose if you will. An under powder wad is essential. And they do come in 2 weights, the heaver one for fast twist.

Out of curiosity, WHY is a wad "essential"?
I've never used a wad in any of my muzzleloaders; rifle, pistol, or revolver.
PRB or conical.
All hit where I was aiming.

and what is this UNDER powder wad of which you speak?!?

 

[APG]

I got my REAL bullet mold, round ball combo yesterday. As far as I can see there is NO hollow point of any kind. Maybe there is a different REAL bullet mold that has a hollow point.

 

[mooman76]

Out of curiosity, WHY is a wad "essential"?
I've never used a wad in any of my muzzleloaders; rifle, pistol, or revolver.
PRB or conical.
All hit where I was aiming.

and what is this UNDER powder wad of which you speak?!?

A over powder wad is not essential but sometimes it helps seal gases better improving accuracy. If yours are shooting to your liking, I wouldn't bother. I use to have a gun that shot them very, very good as is. Wish I still had that gun.

 

[Idaho Ron]

Not my experience with conical bullets...the maxi-ball will shoot strait through soft tissue and not upset and expand. Though I never recovered those bullets, the entrance and exit wounds were nearly identical, meaning almost zero expansion.

RBs mushroom great...

You must be making your conicals out of hard lead. I have shot tons of game with conicals. I even harden mine. My 45's are 8.5 BHN and my 50's are about 7 BHN.

This bullet was a 7 BHN hard conical I shot my elk with last fall. It started out as 458 grains.

This bullet was found in a deer's neck. It entered at the flank and was found under the hide in the neck.
The hardness is 8.5 BHN.

If you are not getting any expansion your shooting dang hard lead.

 

[SDSmlf]

Not my experience with conical bullets...the maxi-ball will shoot strait through soft tissue and not upset and expand. Though I never recovered those bullets, the entrance and exit wounds were nearly identical, meaning almost zero expansion.

RBs mushroom great...

I agree with your observations about maxi-balls not expanding, but in my experience, you could not be more wrong about conical bullets in general not expanding. In testing done years ago (before everyone had a phone with a camera, so no photographs), found that the top band or ring on the maxi-ball collapsed back into the large lube ring just under it, creating what could almost be called a spire point when shot into soft tissue. Conicals with a wide flat nose or a hollow point expand reliably in soft tissue. Believe this is the major reason TC came out with their Maxi-Hunter design after their Max-Ball had over penetration and poor expansion issues. My testing was done with 54 caliber Maxi-Balls and Maxi-Hunters cast from TC molds using ‘pure’ lead. Using the same gun and powder charge, the expansion difference was dramatic.

I have used a slightly heavier than 400 grain bullet from a RCBS .44-370-FN mold that @Idaho Ron suggested for paper patching a number of years ago. Probably taken 15 deer with it out to 165 yards. Mostly pass throughs, but exit is usually obviously larger than the entry. I use a 20 to 1 alloy. Fills the mold well, accurate to 300
Plus yards and performs great on game.

 

[stewart.leach]

I have two Lee REAL 50 cal molds, in the 250 grain and 320 grain flavors. Did testing at 100 yards with two quite different firearms. In a CVA Mountain Rifle with a 1:48 twist barrel the 250 grain grouped best. In a weird Pedersoli rifle styled like a Remington Rolling Block with a 1:32 twist the 320 grain bullet shoots very, very well. Considered hunting muleys with this rifle, but decided not to due to it being very heavy.

In both cases the bullets were lubricated with three coats of Lee Liquid Alox lubricant. Put the bullets in a heavy ziploc-type bag, add a goodly squirt of lube, gently roll around until coating looks even, set out to dry on wax paper. I do the same thing for 54 cal Lee Improved Minies for my TC Renegade elk gun.

 

[Idaho Ron]

I agree with your observations about maxi-balls not expanding, but in my experience, you could not be more wrong about conical bullets in general not expanding. In testing done years ago (before everyone had a phone with a camera, so no photographs), found that the top band or ring on the maxi-ball collapsed back into the large lube ring just under it, creating what could almost be called a spire point when shot into soft tissue. Conicals with a wide flat nose or a hollow point expand reliably in soft tissue. Believe this is the major reason TC came out with their Maxi-Hunter design after their Max-Ball had over penetration and poor expansion issues. My testing was done with 54 caliber Maxi-Balls and Maxi-Hunters cast from TC molds using ‘pure’ lead. Using the same gun and powder charge, the expansion difference was dramatic.

I have used a slightly heavier than 400 grain bullet from a RCBS .44-370-FN mold that @Idaho Ron suggested for paper patching a number of years ago. Probably taken 15 deer with it out to 165 yards. Mostly pass throughs, but exit is usually obviously larger than the entry. I use a 20 to 1 alloy. Fills the mold well, accurate to 300
Plus yards and performs great on game.

That last picture I posted is a 11mm rifle bullet.

 

[nkbj]

TC said it pretty well themselves.

About Lee REAL's,
Wisconsin was dairy farm country and doesn't it look like the inspiration for the REAL was corrugated metal silos? No? Well OK, just never have gotten that suspicion out of my mind.

The molds were engineered to somewhat fit most barrels from all the different makers as well as feasible. That's why the base is more or less about bore size and the front end is hopefully groove size. Doesn't mean it will fit your barrel so you pays your money and takes your chances. To make a bullet fit your barrel you actually go through the process of tweaking things to get what you want (unless you luck out). But then again the Lee REAL molds might work right out of the box like the manufacturer planned.

 

[SDSmlf]

That last picture I posted is a 11mm rifle bullet.

That’s very similar to my cast RCBS 11mm that I have recovered. Good bullet. Have no performance complaints.

 

[Eterry]

Out of curiosity, WHY is a wad "essential"?
I've never used a wad in any of my muzzleloaders; rifle, pistol, or revolver.
PRB or conical.
All hit where I was aiming.

and what is this UNDER powder wad of which you speak?!?

Maybe I should have said...If you have issues getting your REAL conical to shoot decent groups than an OVERPOWDER WAD is Essential. I figured if your rifle is shooting REAL bullets the way you want them you wouldn't change anything....but who knows.

Over 10 years ago I tried the 54 and 58 REAL's with dismal results, until someone, on here I think, said to use an OVERPOWDER WAD, to cut down on gas blow-by. I did, and groups tightened substantially. Now I recommend them to everyone.

Hitting where you aim IS NOT THE SAME as a tight group. We hunted with an old guy who sighted in his rifle offhand at 50 yards with a 5 gallon bucket. When he hit it he said he was done, cause he hit what he aimed at. He never spent much time skinning game.

 

[Eterry]

Out of curiosity, WHY is a wad "essential"?
I've never used a wad in any of my muzzleloaders; rifle, pistol, or revolver.
PRB or conical.
All hit where I was aiming.

and what is this UNDER powder wad of which you speak?!?

As to the UNDER powder wad...I direct your attention to post number 24. Up there^^^

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Sorry...let me clarify...when I am saying conical bullet, I'm using it as a general term...more specifically I'm talking about the T/C Maxi-Ball.

I refer to the Maxi-Ball as a conical bullet.

If you shoot a lead bullet that expands for you that is wonderful...amazing, could not be happier for you. Enjoy the weather.

My experience is that the T/C Maxi-Ball does not upset well on soft tissue.

Buffalo Bullets...work great.

If you drill out the tip of the Maxi-Ball...they work great.

 

[SDSmlf]

Buffalo Bullets...work great.

If you drill out the tip of the Maxi-Ball...they work great.

In my opinion drilling out the tip a Maxi-Ball is a last option of desperation if looking for an expanding conical. Many other better choices.