TO SIZE OR NOT Muzzle loading

[scrat]

ok i started casting some bullets for my muzzle loader. 50 cal inline CVA. Now i have casted a lot for centerfire however new to muzzleloading. here is the questions

1. I no know i have to use a different lube. OK im going with borebutter for now. I picked some up today.


2nd question. For centerfire you always run the bullets through a sizer to make sure they are sized ok to not bulge out the case neck and make sure they can be safely loaded.

So question. i here some people say dont worry about sizing just lube and shoot. Is this the rule of thumb for a muzzle loader. OR should i order a sizing die and start sizing these bullets before i use them.

[Leftoverdj]

You're going to size those bullets when you load them down the muzzle. That should be all the sizing they need. If you find yourself having to resort to a mallet to get them started, you'll need the sizer.

Your Bore Butter will work fine, but I'm pretty well convinced that it is nothing more than 50/50 beeswax/Crisco with maybe a scooch of vegetable oil. When you run out, make some up using that recipe and see what you think.

[scrat]

Thanks make sense. I guess thats why you cant find sizers for muzzle loading bullets too. Cool well looks like i am totally ready for my next outing.

[jh45gun]

Nothing wrong with starting with a mallet if it just takes a tap. I have some that I have to do that but they are darn accurate.

[GrizzLeeBear]

Scrat, I am assuming you cast them from pure (soft) lead, NOT wheel weights. Also, assuming you are talking about full bore conical bullets, not ones loaded in sabots. If so, you should have no problem "engraving" them when you start them down the bore. The soft lead is also important, especially with no patch, so that the will upset and seal the bore when fired. Muzzleloaders operate at a much lower pressure than centerfires, so they need the soft lead to seal the bore. The Bore Butter will be fine. I used to find that just plain Crisco worked fine for conicals. Can get a little messy during warm weather, but works fine during hunting season.

[snuffy]

What boolit?¿ Lee R.E.A.L.? TC maxi? There's others as well, but they all require they be engraved when loading.

If you're NOT using pure lead, your results will be less than stellar. Wheelweights won't obturate well enough at the low pressures of black powder or any of the replica black powder substitutes.

Casting with pure lead can be a PITA. I have to use a bottom pour Lyman ladle held tight against the sprue to get fill-out, then run the pot at max heat as well.

Bore butter is nothing more than Crisco and wintergreen oil, with some yellow food coloring. The theory from TC is that the wintergreen oil "seasons" the bore, preventing the salts left behind by the combustion of black powder from getting ahold of the steel.

[scrat]

Yep using the lee mold. i do have some pure lead. i have to make sure i keep them seperate from the wheel weights for sure.

[mooman76]

I was thinking of getting a sizer for my .50. Not sure why but lee made the moulds for minies over 50 slightly undersized to fit the bore easily. The 50's are right on the money and they are suppose to slide down the barrel but don't after just a couple shots. The question would be though what size to make the sizer die. I was thinking .495 at the smallest but probubly .497/8 would be more realistic but if I ordered the die in .495 I could always enlarge it a few thous. but if it is to big I can't shrink it.

[snuffy]

Okay, sizing the lee real conical would defeat the reason for it's name. Measure one of those boolits. You will find that the "V" shaped driving bands are 3 different diameters. The bottom one is usually bore diameter, the next one up is a couple thou bigger and the top one is land diameter. They are designed that way to make loading them much easier, and to help get them started straight. The theory is that the sudden push from behind by the powder pressure will start moving the base before the middle and front of the boolit. Obturation insures a seal by the base of the boolit, and a firm grip on the rifling. Since the rifling is already engaged, it don't have to obturate to get spun.

Sizing them will accomplish nothing, may even destroy any accuracy they might have had.

In my case, with two different smokepoles, the lee R.E.A.L. boolit is very accurate. Very easy to get a good load with. I've never hunted with them, the Wisconsin ML season is a joke. Opens the next DAY after regular big game season is over! Damn DNR don't want to interrupt those greedy bow hunters to give us an early season!:(

Oh one is a Ruger inline, the other is a TC Hawken, both 50 cal.