loads for 58 cal

[smooth]

looking for starting loads for this gun for round ball and Minie Ball

 

[mooman76]

Start at 60gr and work up in 5 gr. increments. You could even start at 50 if you like.

 

[BrownBear]

You don't say which rifle you have, but 60 grains is way low for starting with RBs. I'd start at 80, both with 2f and 3f, then work up from there. In my experience owning five 58's in various configurations, you're unlikely to drop below 80 for your eventual working load.

As for tops? Depends a lot on the individual model. I've settled at 140 grains of 2f for one with a long heavy barrel and stayed at 80 grains of 3f with one having a 26" barrel. The others are right around 100 grains, whether 2f or 3f, according to their preferences.

As for conicals, I've shot most of them just cuzz, but not enough to be smart about it. The best for accuracy at higher velocities was the old Hornady Plains bullet, now sadly unavailable. No sense telling you how to tune that load. If Lyman made their Plains bullet mold in 58, I'd be all over that as a sub. Accuracy was indifferent with the TC Maxi, and better with the Maxi Hunter. Both are more accurate with a lubed felt wad under them. Buffalo made a 58 too, but that's gone with the wind, so nuff sedd there, too.

The "improved" minie from LEE with the big flat meplat and thicker skirt is a standout among minies, if you're looking for a hunting conical. You can drive it faster than other minies, and that big meplat ought to raise cob on game. The LEE REAL was indifferent accuracy-wise until I put a lubed felt wad between it and the powder.

Original style minies seem to do best down around 60 grains of 2f, and accuracy goes south if you up the charge much. With everything else, I've had the best luck using 80 grains or more of 2f, depending on the individual rifle.

 

[Erzulis boat]

You don't say which rifle you have, but 60 grains is way low for starting with RBs. I'd start at 80, both with 2f and 3f, then work up from there. In my experience owning five 58's in various configurations, you're unlikely to drop below 80 for your eventual working load.

As for tops? Depends a lot on the individual model. I've settled at 140 grains of 2f for one with a long heavy barrel and stayed at 80 grains of 3f with one having a 26" barrel. The others are right around 100 grains, whether 2f or 3f, according to their preferences.

As for conicals, I've shot most of them just cuzz, but not enough to be smart about it. The best for accuracy at higher velocities was the old Hornady Plains bullet, now sadly unavailable. No sense telling you how to tune that load. If Lyman made their Plains bullet mold in 58, I'd be all over that as a sub. Accuracy was indifferent with the TC Maxi, and better with the Maxi Hunter. Both are more accurate with a lubed felt wad under them. Buffalo made a 58 too, but that's gone with the wind, so nuff sedd there, too.

The "improved" minie from LEE with the big flat meplat and thicker skirt is a standout among minies, if you're looking for a hunting conical. You can drive it faster than other minies, and that big meplat ought to raise cob on game. The LEE REAL was indifferent accuracy-wise until I put a lubed felt wad between it and the powder.

Original style minies seem to do best down around 60 grains of 2f, and accuracy goes south if you up the charge much. With everything else, I've had the best luck using 80 grains or more of 2f, depending on the individual rifle.

You don't mess around! With a name like "Brownbear" it does make sense :grin:

I normally shoot 70 of 2FG for range work, and shoot 100 for hunting. I went past 100 and didn't have the gut feeling I was adding anything to the mix.

I will admit that with my .58 I have no real world feedback with game taken. I sure looked the part, but I never dropped anything with it.

 

[BrownBear]

I will admit that with my .58 I have no real world feedback with game taken. I sure looked the part, but I never dropped anything with it.

In my mind you're certainly on the right track, whenever the opportunity arises.

I blame my fascination with 58's on my neighbors, not only the hairy 4-legged ones, but the hairy 2-legged versions. One of our crowd shoots a CVA 58, and performance was so good (and our 50's and 54's looked so small) that he had all of us looking for 58's. Lot of them here now, and I think the original 58 owner is the only one now that still has just one. The rest of us are always on the lookout for good deals, yet reluctant to part with any guns we already own.

The 58 is a dandy "all around" caliber for us up here, yet certainly not too big for deer if there is such a thing.

As an aside, try working yours with around 30-40 grains of 3f and PRBs. It's a dandy load for head-shooting small game, giving you a whole lot of field time between deer opportunities.

 

[Erzulis boat]

Thanks. I lived in "Squarebanks" and Seward for years. I only got Moose and Bou. Went bear hunting but no such luck (thank goodness, what would I do after I killed one 6 miles in?)

My daily carry was a 4" barrel Colt Anaconda in .44mag

I now live in California, and on occasion will kick myself! :grin:

 

[George T.]

You will be shooting brass soon! It is odd that they have a real mad on for lead!

Geo. T.

 

[cschibi]

For whatever it's worth for newbees like me...

I have totally embraced Dutch S, BP accuracy system.

It's all about going through the process he recommends about singling out each of the shooting variables moving through each variable (i.e. Powder Load, Patch material, thickness, and lubrication) one at a time to single out what causes variation in your shooting scenarios...

His recommendations are dead on. I have already experienced some immediate success....regarding patch thickness, patch material compression and ball weight that all contribute to accuracy considerations.

It's all worth your consideration.

Respectively

 

[nkbj]

Just wanting to ask, has anybody used an altered plug for a .58 minie mold to make a gosh awful heavy paper patched .58 bullet? It's one of those projects I keep threatening to try out to see how it will work.

 

[Freightman]

Just wanting to ask, has anybody used an altered plug for a .58 minie mold to make a gosh awful heavy paper patched .58 bullet? It's one of those projects I keep threatening to try out to see how it will work.

Good Idea I will try to find a aluminum rod and modify mine. I have a Napal Enfield that has a .587 bore and getting a .576 Minie up to size is a challenge but it shoots reasonable for a 150 + year old rifle. Thanks for the idea.

 

[Mad Professor]

I have stock of the hornaday 58 bullets, glad I stocked up. If you need something for BIG......

You use a lighter powder load than PRB (90grFFG) due to pressure/bullet mass.

Damm, they hit hard! I have used them in a 58 lyman plains rifle. Overkill for deer, I've killed the trees behind them deer too.

P.S. sad to see buffalo is not making BP conicals anymore. They were a < MOA in a fast twist 50 I have. Glad I brought a case......

 

[Roguedog]

My hunting load is 110 grains of 2F black, some drill cloth for patching lubed with Mink Oil, and a patched round ball. Deadly accurate combination.

Jeff

 

[majg1234]

I have 3 58's one early Va flint gun and 2 Hawken replicas.One an Investarms and one TC Hawken evidently from the Fox Ridge custom shop.It appears unfired.Anyway both the Investarms and the Early Va like 120gr Ffg, 20 gauge wool felt patch over the powder.They both shoot great.I killed a deer @ 77yds last year with the Early Va flintlock good luck :hatsoff:

 

[stumpsitter7]

I recently just found 2 boxes of t/c 560 grain maxi hunters what would be a good hunting in the t/c big boar 58 was using 90 gr of rs and a prb with a pillow ticking patch it shot ok but not that great any info would really help thanks

 

[BrownBear]

I've shot a fair number of those from a couple of Big Boars. Both do really well with 80 grains of Goex 2f, but frankly I've never tried heavier loads. Dunno for sure about RS, because I haven't tried it yet. But since both BB's can shoot round balls with Goex and Pyrodex charges interchangeably without loss of accuracy, my best guess is that it would do well.

One caveat--- I cut groups sizes by more than half when I put a lubed felt wad between powder and bullet. I'd surely try that as one variable in your testing. My hopes are high for you.

BTW- If you ever run across any 58 cal Hornady Great Plains Bullets, grab them. Or if you don't want them, spread the word. That's the best performer of all for me in the Big Boars. When Hornady quit making them, I dashed around and collected all I could, but would be real happy to have more.

 

[stumpsitter7]

If you have 3 left the Montana mold company can make any mold but has to have 3 bullets to go from. I am going to send 3 of these maxi hunters and have a mold made .

 

[BrownBear]

Do you have a link to their site? Tried googling and got a whole lot about mold remediation.

 

[stumpsitter7]

Son has the phone num it put on here as soon as I get it.