Minnie ball accuracy?

[Nessmuck56]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ that’s a 500 or 525 .58 cal Minnie....used 65 grains of black powder ...Zouave was the Rifle....very , very ,accurate.

 

[45man]

My friend would take me to shoots and to the sutler places. He made thousands of sling swivels to replace missing ones. Believe it or not he used wire from political signs. He had orders to the moon for swivels.

 

[45man]

Lyman mold. But not many with a base pin cast without a hole at the cavity. It was a pain to get a perfect bullet but then my friend had one that was perfect. It is very hard to cast a hollow base.

 

[dave951]

I have made many BP molds but do not know anyone else that does it. I have not done RB since it needs a swing cutter. A minie' would be easy with any base plug desired. However to say the north-south guys make their own molds is insane. I did not know how to run a mill or lathe at the start. I learned as I went along. Believe me to cut a bullet cherry to less then .0005" and figure what the final size will be and the heat effect is out of sight. As a bullet changes diameter that all changes. To cut for a GC to crimp correct is a thing to turn you to a nut case. NO, no one can make a mold since just making a square set of blocks that mate and then pin them. Now you need a sprue plate.

There are MANY sources for black powder molds. Lyman, RCBS and Lee for starters. Within the NSSA, there is Moose and Tennessee. Outside, NOE, Brooks, and many more. I have molds from Lyman, RCBS, Lee, Rapine, and Tennessee. The only ones that cause any problems are the Lee molds. Put them up against the others and it's quickly obvious why they are priced like they are.

As far as individuals making molds, NSSA or others, I don't know of any since the equipment is cost prohibitive compared to just purchasing one, even if it's custom.

 

[Barrie Dale]

My shooting team practises with decks of cards. At 25 yards we place then sideways in a small slit in the target. Then we cut them in half with a mini ball. Even the lady shooters do this one as well.