Minié Balls in a Parker Hale 1858 Enfield

[Semisane]

Last October I acquired a really nice 1858 Enfield by Parker Hale that I've yet to shoot.



As March approaches, the weather down here in S.E. Louisiana is going to get mighty nice for spending a day on the rifle range. So I'm getting ready.

A Rapine 577460 mold came along with the gun.



So today I cast a bunch of Minié balls and did a quick quality control sort with a digital scale. This is what I got.



Somewhat to my surprise, the "460 grain" mold threw balls in the 490 grain range with pure soft lead. I figure I have 52 very good quality balls and another 21 to use for sighting in, plinking, etc.

Now here's my dilemma. Those nice shiny Miniés are averaging .584 diameter and won't enter the muzzle of the gun. I slugged the bore and get something around .581 (it's hard getting a precise reading on the slug with five lands and grooves).

As I understand it, for a gun like this I want the Miniés to be about .002 under bore size. A 37/64" drill bit is 0.5781 diameter. Would it be feasible to use a 1/2" Hex Nut, drilled out with a 37/64" bit to make a sizing die for those bullets, and use my bench top drill press as a press to push the bullets through the die?

 

[Khufu]

large soft lead bullets are very hard to size in my experience. I have a custom 550 gr 45 cal paper patch custom mold I had made for my 45-120. the bullets must first be sized to .451, then paper patched then sized again to .458. it is extreamly difficult to size them without deforming the noses and hollow base. the hollow base is much smaller than the ones on minie bullets. the dificulty you will have is not deforming them so they are no longer a uniform shape. I think the best approach would to make a wooden dowel to fit in the hollow base exactly and try pushing them through the "die" you made. I would also sugest you make the hole in the die beveled so that the entry is slightly large and the bottom is the exact size you need. I truely think making uniformed bullets like this will require a lot of trial and error.

 

[arquebus]

Check with some of the N-SSA suppliers, they sell push-thru sizing dies in diameters to suit the rifle-muskets. When I shot MLAIC competition I bought a sizer & 'press' from Rapine to size the Minies for my Zouave to .581", works great & still have. I also have some sizer dies a fellow USIMLT made for me for other calibers that are intended for use with a drill press & using a dowel or even a pencil to push the bullets through.....very simple but works well.
If you want to make your own die the suggestion of a tapered leade is a good idea, otherwise you'll be liable to start the bullet canted & shave lead.

 

[nkbj]

Tennessee Moulds.

I've used their push through sizers that thread into a standard reloading press. Mine are .399 and .595 diameter. I need a .576 myself. http://oldfoxtraders.com/TnMolds/accessories.htm

 

[nkbj]

Hey semisane, I might have an idea.
Do you have a regular cast bullet lubrisizer press?
I have a .580" diameter sizer die to fit a Lyman press. It has no lube holes in it so the minies need to be lubed before sizing. And you'd need to figger out the top punch to fit the nose design.
Anyhow, it would let you size to .580 and see if the minies worked or if you needed a smaller diameter. You'd be welcome to give it a try if you could size up a batch and then mail back the die. If you'd like to, send me a message with your address. I'm hitting the road in about a couple hours and will stick it in the brief case.

 

[ord sgt]

The numbers on the box tells me that the mold should throw a .577 minie weighing 460 grains. That would be close to the bore size of .575.
I have a P/H and I cast a .575 minie and push them thru a .575 sizing die to get a true .575 ball. Mine minies weigh right at 500 grains of lead
I shot with a team in the N-SSA. Those minies were death to 6x6 tiles at 100 yards, from the off hand position.

 

[Semisane]

The numbers on the box tells me that the mold should throw a .577 minie weighing 460 grains. That would be close to the bore size of .575.

You would think so ord sgt. In fact, the numbers on the mold are exactly the same as shown on the box. But the sucker throws balls that average around 490 grains with a diameter way bigger than .577.

 

[Semisane]

Hey semisane, I might have an idea.
Do you have a regular cast bullet lubrisizer press?
I have a .580" diameter sizer die to fit a Lyman press. It has no lube holes in it so the minies need to be lubed before sizing. And you'd need to figger out the top punch to fit the nose design.
Anyhow, it would let you size to .580 and see if the minies worked or if you needed a smaller diameter. You'd be welcome to give it a try if you could size up a batch and then mail back the die. If you'd like to, send me a message with your address. I'm hitting the road in about a couple hours and will stick it in the brief case.

That's a generous offer GoodCheer, and I thank you for it. I'll give my home made sizing die a shot first, and see how that goes. The only press I have is an old Lee single stage model that I use to reload a few handgun rounds.

 

[DeeDubya]

I cast with 575 molds to throw 577 minies. My favorite, Lyman 575494 throws a 577 505gr bullet and is extremely accurate in my PH Musketoon. Normally, thumb pressure will start the bullet every time.

Came back to say, You're going to love it!

 

[ord sgt]

You put your thumb over the muzzle while loading minies? That will get you thrown off the firing line with N-SSA. I grasp the minie with two fingers and place the bottom edge in the barrel. Some times the minie will start down the barrel with it's own weight. Finish seating with the ram rod, cap and fire. Repeat as many times necessary.

 

[DeeDubya]

Never heard that rule. Exactly which 2 fingers do you sacrifice to place the minie into the muzzle without using your thumb?

The fact is, if there were a glowing ember (no patch material here) in the barrel, wouldn't it ignite when dumping the powder charge? Then more time passes to lube the minie before placing it in the barrel...

I use the thumb that was crushed by a fork lift when I worked a summer job for the Highway Dept. so if I were to lose a finger, that would be the one. You lose 2 fingers and I lose a crippled thumb? Somehow you have to get the minie into the barrel. I'd be interested to know how other folk start a minie into the barrel.

And by the way, I don't seat the minie with my thumb. It's not long enough, however, if it were, I would have had many more girlfriends.

 

[Khufu]

not to mention the hand over the muzzle while pushing the minnie home with the ramrod. safety can be taken to extreams, in an attempt to enforce common sense. but perhaps the rammer is operated with two fingers as well, but then the minnie would not be seated too well.

 

[DeeDubya]

There I do use my finger and thumb to seat the bullet without placing my hand over the rammer. A minie requires a light tap to insure it is in fact seated and slightly flare the skirt to hold it in place.

 

[Jim C]

Never heard that rule. Exactly which 2 fingers do you sacrifice to place the minie into the muzzle without using your thumb?

The fact is, if there were a glowing ember (no patch material here) in the barrel, wouldn't it ignite when dumping the powder charge? Then more time passes to lube the minie before placing it in the barrel...

I use the thumb that was crushed by a fork lift when I worked a summer job for the Highway Dept. so if I were to lose a finger, that would be the one. You lose 2 fingers and I lose a crippled thumb? Somehow you have to get the minie into the barrel. I'd be interested to know how other folk start a minie into the barrel.

And by the way, I don't seat the minie with my thumb. It's not long enough, however, if it were, I would have had many more girlfriends.

:rotf: :rotf: