Powder coated Minie balls

[Newtire]

This is more of a question than an informational post.

So, here goes. I have shot some Diablo shaped (wasp-waisted air rifle pellet looking things) hollow based slugs out of a .40 cal. rifled sidelock as well as a twice barreled percussion. 410 smooth bore with good results and it gave me an idea.

Those powder coated slugs are hell for tough. I know that if you push hollow based slugs too hard, the skirts blow off so this limits how hard you can push them. I've had pure lead slugs do this. Having seen how the solid pure lead P/C bullets not only hold together but mushroom nicely when pushed hard, got me wondering if a P/C Minie would retain its skirt if one were to push it harder? Anyone had any experience with this sort of thing?

 

[sleepingbulldog]

I bet it would work. I powder coat unmentionable bullets and they hold up really well. You can beat one flat with a hammer and the coating won’t separate from the lead.

 

[dave951]

I've tried powder coating minies and saw no difference in performance. At powder charges where accuracy started to deteriorate without powder coat, it did the same with powder coat. Distort the skirt on a minie, and accuracy will go away.

 

[Newtire]

I've tried powder coating minies and saw no difference in performance. At powder charges where accuracy started to deteriorate without powder coat, it did the same with powder coat. Distort the skirt on a minie, and accuracy will go away.

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, that makes sense to me. I might try a few but I think now, it probably won't work.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I believe the old Lyman ml manual shows pics of blown skirts. Minies do have their limits. Long time rifled musket champion, Pete Alan, often preached there was no advantage to using large charges in a rifled musket. Stay with what works.

 

[longcruise]

Turns them into badminton birds

 

[SDSmlf]

I believe the old Lyman ml manual shows pics of blown skirts. Minies do have their limits. Long time rifled musket champion, Pete Alan, often preached there was no advantage to using large charges in a rifled musket. Stay with what works.

You are correct about the Lyman Manuel. I have posted the following before.

Skirt damage is well known with moderate to heavy charges to anyone shooting Minies. Here is shirt damage as documented in the Lyman Black Powder Handbook. Should make it very easy to see and understand.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

Does the OP have a link to these .40 hollow based bullets? Sounds fun.

 

[nkbj]

With .40's I usually go "old school" and use paper (because it's what I have sitting here in the fun room).