Minie Balls

[docone31]

Here is a question,
I have two Hawkens, one in .50, and one in .54.
I am not sure about the twist of the .54, the .50 is 1/48.
The .54 is a CVA Hawken about 20yrs old.
Can the Lee Minie mold be used for this? I am hoping to get a load that is slightly easier to load than patched balls. I have R.E.A.L.s for them, except the .54. The R.E.A.L.s are very accurate in my .45 Kentucky, and .50 Hawken Wannabe. They take a solid load and print well.
I have never used a Minie and I have heard stories. I would rather ask here as I have yet to be led astray.
My ball molds have been on order for a long time.

[oldhickory]

There's nothing wrong with a 1:48 twist for Minies, I've shot thousands of them out of 1:48 twist barrels...Very accurate! These were how-ever shot out of barrels designed for Minies, (shallow rifling). Then I recall having an 1855 Harpers Ferry rifle with a 1:48 twist and pretty deep grooves...And the Lyman 575213OS shot just as good if not better than my P56 Enfield with shallower rifling.

I would say if you can lay your hands on the right size molds for your guns...It sounds like a splendid idea! Just don't use petrol based lubes, size .001" under bore dia. and keep your charges (approx.) under 65-75gr. The skirts on Minies are usually thin and you want to keep them in tact. A blown skirt will yeild very poor accuracy.


Have fun!:redneck:

[59sharps]

There's nothing wrong with a 1:48 twist for Minies, I've shot thousands of them out of 1:48 twist barrels...Very accurate! These were how-ever shot out of barrels designed for Minies, (shallow rifling). Then I recall having an 1855 Harpers Ferry rifle with a 1:48 twist and pretty deep grooves...And the Lyman 575213OS shot just as good if not better than my P56 Enfield with shallower rifling.

I would say if you can lay your hands on the right size molds for your guns...It sounds like a splendid idea! Just don't use petrol based lubes, size .001" under bore dia. and keep your charges (approx.) under 65-75gr. The skirts on Minies are usually thin and you want to keep them in tact. A blown skirt will yeild very poor accuracy.


Have fun!:redneck:
I agree the grooves will probably be to deep for the minnie to seal
before you buy a mold for a minnie I would check w/ a few sutlers for minnies buy some and try it first. there are a few listed on the N-SSA home page:castmine:

[docone31]

Thanks, that gives me food for thought!
I have R.E.A.L.s for each caliber, and I like them, but they are slower to load than patched balls. Some are downright tight! They do however replace swabbing the bore between shots!
That is good food for thought.
I have had ball molds on order for a long time now. Cabelas has it that 0-1wk to shipping, but I have been there before on this one. Sooner or later, I will get my ball molds. However, I do want to fire the new Hawken.
I will let the wife fire it. A .54 at 70gns should have less recoil than the Hawken .50 with 70gns.
I might just get a R.E.A.L. for that one to start, then go Minies with the .45,.50,.54.
The more of the full experience she gets, the better she is with everything! Her jewelery fabrication skills have grown since she started with smokepoles.
A win-win.
Maybe that is why THEY want to get them all from us!
We make better choices on all our things.

[masscaster]

Hey Docone,
Jeff @ Forefather's here. I cast .50 Maxi/.50 Minie, .54 Maxi/.54 Minie.
masscaster
:Fire:

[mooman76]

The problem with the Lee minies is they are a little big. The mould is designed to drop at .500 and mine drop a couple thous. more than that. They do not fit in my CVA's as good as they should because of this and I have several CVA .50's I have tried it in as well as several Lee 50 minie moulds. The first one goes in pretty good but as soon as you get some fouling they get a little tight. Not as hard to get in as the REALs but tight. I have always wondered why Lee makes them this size. The Lee minie for my 58 is 5.75 and it goes in and works great. I have toyed with the idea of having a sizer die mad though to help out. Like maybe .497 or something.