Mold for 50 cal. Knight

[NoSquibs]

Hey guys. I want to start casting for my muzzle loader. It's a 50 cal American Knight with a green mountain barrel. I was looking at a Lee 1-Cavity Improved Minie Ball Bullet Mold 500-360M (500 Diameter) 360 Grain, at Midway. Any suggestions?

[mooman76]

Probably do better with a Maxie than a minie. What twist is your barrel?

[NoSquibs]

It is somewhere around a 1 in 24.

[nanuk]

with that twist rate you can launch some heavy artillery

go Here (www.prbullet.com) and there is a chart and discussion on weights and twist rates.

[NoSquibs]

I remeasured my twist a bit more carefully and got 1 in 27.5. So it appears something between 400-450 grains will be optimal? I think I want to go with a Lee mold for the cost factor and the heaviest one at Midway is the one I listed. What do you all think of REAL molds?

[troy_mclure]

All knight green mountain inline barrels are listed at 1/28. My wolverine likes maxi balls, and sabots. Not so good with prb or mini balls.

[Maven]

All knight green mountain inline barrels are listed at 1/28. My wolverine likes maxi balls, and sabots. Not so good with prb or mini balls.

My experience with a Knight/GM bbl. mirrors Troy's.

[troy_mclure]

Oh, I've tried a few maxi hunters and they do well too. Looking to get some REAL's here soon to try.

[supertodd]

Here in OR, cant use sabots or jacketed bullets for muzzleloader hunts-I got a lee real mold that drops a 320 grn bullet. it shoots pretty good in my traditions evolution- took a nice 3x3 blacktail last year.

[mooman76]

I haven't tried it yet but many with the tighter twist inlines have good luck with REALs when the use a lubed over powder wad. I didn't have much luck with the REAL in my inline but that was before I knew about the over powder wad. It did shoot good enough for minute of deer.

[NoSquibs]

Thanks for all the info! I'm going with the Lee 320 gr REAL, and if that doesn't work for me I'll try the Maxi Ball. Thanks again!

[Swede44mag]

I have a 54 cal Knight MK85 have tried the REAL boolits problem is they are to BIG to ram down the barrel. The Knight MK85 is made to shoot Sabot and Bullet but I have split 3 factory rods while hunting trying to get the second shot down the barrel errrrr.
I did take a nice doe using a round ball & patch a whole lot easier to ram down the barrel.

[shotman]

use the 'bore buttons" with the REAL work better. Make sure your lead is soft. no ww or tin added . If they don fit snug tap with a hammer. need to fit snug
My knight has a shallow rifleing

[NoSquibs]

OK. So I got my mold yesterday (320gr REAL) and cast some out of stick on wheel weights today. I made some lube (beeswax\soybean oil) and shot one round. The only issue was applying the lube. What is the best way to apply lube to a REAL bullet and what consistency should I be looking for?

[troy_mclure]

Pan lubing works best. Put the boolits in a shallow pan and pour the melted lube into the pan. In south la I need a harder lube to compensate for the high temps.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

for store bought i really liked the Hornady 410 gr flat point hollow base great plans bullet so of course they had to stop making them , if anyone new of a mold that would cast some thing very similar i would be interested , what a deer stopper , enough penetration for a buffalo with some to spare . would mushroom to about 3/4 of an inch and and penetrate a deer near end to end it was very comparable to a 1oz slug from a 12 ga

i am now working with the 320 R.E.A.L , more than enough for deer and the mold was readily available , i have to work up the best load for it yet

i was surprised how well patched round ball shot from the fast twist inline also at least at 50 yards i have to test further

[idahoron]

for store bought i really liked the Hornady 410 gr flat point hollow base great plans bullet so of course they had to stop making them , if anyone new of a mold that would cast some thing very similar i would be interested , what a deer stopper , enough penetration for a buffalo with some to spare . would mushroom to about 3/4 of an inch and and penetrate a deer near end to end it was very comparable to a 1oz slug from a 12 ga

i am now working with the 320 R.E.A.L , more than enough for deer and the mold was readily available , i have to work up the best load for it yet

i was surprised how well patched round ball shot from the fast twist inline also at least at 50 yards i have to test further

I tried to find a replacement for the 410. I bought over 20 boxes of them so I didn't run out. I tried the Lyman plains bullet. That thing is $hit. I tried several but I finally went another direction. I started to paper patch the Lee 500 S&W bullet. That bullet is everything the Hornady 410 was and WAY more. After I started to use the Paper patched bullets I quit using the 410's. Ron

[NoSquibs]

I tried to find a replacement for the 410. I bought over 20 boxes of them so I didn't run out. I tried the Lyman plains bullet. That thing is $hit. I tried several but I finally went another direction. I started to paper patch the Lee 500 S&W bullet. That bullet is everything the Hornady 410 was and WAY more. After I started to use the Paper patched bullets I quit using the 410's. Ron

How do you go about paper patching the Lee bullet? I would think you would have to size it down .010 or so?

I shot some of the REAL's today with straight crisco for lube and 70grs of Pyrodex and was getting about 2" groups at 50 yds. Shot 2 at 100 yds but wasn't on paper. Had to pack up and go home.

[idahoron]

You can see more bout it in the sticky above. The Lee bullet is .501 and I wrap with 9# onion skin. I then size it again dry through a Lee .501 sizer. They are tight but go down good in my gun. Accuracy is outstanding Sub 2" groups at 100 yards with a peep sight. Ron

[NoSquibs]

You can see more bout it in the sticky above. The Lee bullet is .501 and I wrap with 9# onion skin. I then size it again dry through a Lee .501 sizer. They are tight but go down good in my gun. Accuracy is outstanding Sub 2" groups at 100 yards with a peep sight. Ron

Very interesting! I'm gonna have to try this!

[idahoron]

If you search for my posts I have written a lot about it. Ron