Lee REAL bullets in Pedersoli Kentucky

[EnglishTom]

Hello All,

Ive been toying with the idea of using Lee R E A L bullets in my Pedersoli Kentucky. It has a 34" .45 barrel with a 1:48 twist . Up to now ive been shooting patched ball with 40g/v Pyrodex RS with fair results, but id like to improve the accuracy and stretch the range out too maybe 100 yards. I was thinking that the 200g R E A L might carry better than the ball. Any ideas guys.

Tom

[Nikkisdad]

Patch ball twist should be 1:64 twist, seems like the real will do well in the 1:48 twist barrel.

[rodwha]

My thoughts as well. And it may even prefer the longer 250 grn version. My .50 cal with 1:48” seems to really like the longer 320 grn version. Haven’t shot that load much or beyond 50 yds but the few shots with a wad were nearly touching unlike a patched ball (I haven’t worked on an accurate load yet and had merely been breaking it in).

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

1:48 twist does great with round ball and the conical bullets.

250gr REAL with lubed wad and 80 - 90gr 2fg goex at 50 yrds.

[EnglishTom]

Thank you gentlemen. Think ill go buy a mould then, after seeing F/Ms pictures the 250 looks favourite, im well impressed with those groups. Can I ask F/M, what are you casting Pb or alloy and what lube are you using for the bullet and wad.
Cheers Tom

[Edward]

My Lee Reals are always cast with pure /soft lead ,makes loading/engraving easy !

[EnglishTom]

Thanks Edward, How well do the driving bands fill out, ive heard a pinch of tin helps them fill out

[Edward]

Yup it does , but run on the hot side I do not need to get great fill out .Try it and you will get it done without tin (I do) .I save tin for long range Sharps 16-1 alloy .

[curator]

As little as 1/2% tin added to pure lead helps considerably with mould fill-out. I add an 10" piece of 50/50 solid core solder to a 10 pound pot of pure lead when casting REALs or Minie' bullets. They still test at BHN 5, so there is no appreciable hardening with this small amount of tin. Even casting hot (800 degrees) pure lead REALs end up weighing a couple of grains less than ones cast with a "pinch" of tin.

[EnglishTom]

Two interesting points there, One would think with a tin input it would have been a tad lighter than lead,,,, 16:1 for long range Sharps,,,,,, I got a rolling block in 45/100

[Fly]

Thank you curator you taught a long time bp shooter a new trick. I will try that.

Fly

[Edward]

Thanks Edward, How well do the driving bands fill out, ive heard a pinch of tin helps them fill out

Pure lead cast today Great Plains 50 cal using ladle not bottom pour available in my old Lyman Mag 20 , I ladle any BP boolit ! Note mirror base /fine edges using ladle method . Lee Reals are same.
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[EnglishTom]

Hi Edward,
Very nice mate, when my mould gets here I hope I can cast bullets that good