Need Some Help From The Group...TC Hawken Salvation

[arcticap]

His barrel slugs between .513-.514 and mine .509-510.

IMO you may be giving up too quickly to find a potentially suitable bullet.

The .500 Linebaugh uses bullets in the range of .511 - .512
The Montana Bullet Works sells .500 Linebaugh bullets in the standard sizing options of .510, .511 or .512.
These weigh .450 grains and are made with "medium" cast lead.
"Medium" cast would mean that only a small fraction of the surface of the bullet would need to be in contact with the rifling in order to be engraved enough to not be stripped when fired.
Yes, they may be a little difficult to load, but you should be able to find a way since precision long range ML shooters load jacketed bore size bullets.
Many of them use an adjustable sizing die, but that may not be necessary and not all of them do.

The Hornady FBP bullets are jacketed and are made slightly oversized to be loaded in the muzzle.
The main difference is that they have a hollow base for expansion. --->>> https://www.muzzle-loaders.com/horna...n-bullets.html

There's even a way to try to add a hollow base to bullets by drilling a hole into the base using a drill press.
And by using more than one size drill, you could create a stepped hollow base, whether it was done in 1, 2 or 3 steps.

These .500 Linebaugh bullets may be able to be knurled or rasped to help make loading easier, or to bump them up, or both.
Either way, the Montana Bullets are sold in a quantity as low as 50. --->>> https://www.montanabulletworks.com/p...t-450gr-swc-k/

They can also be ordered with SPG black powder lube.
Check out their bullet information page: --->>> https://www.montanabulletworks.com/b...istol-bullets/
They will even resize your bullets smaller if you ordered the wrong size, but you would be responsible for shipping.

Grizzly Bullets also sells two different .511 diameter bullets.
One weighs .435 grains and has a gas check, the other weighs 525 grains. --->>>https://www.grizzlycartridge.com/sho...-dia-50-count/

Gad's Custom Cartridges sells .50 - 70 bullets with a diameter of .513 @ 450 grains, and also two different bullets with a diameter of .515 that both weigh 350 grains that are labeled the .56 - 50 Original and the .56 - 50 Taylor.
See the cast bullet chart and the corresponding photo of the bullets that's labeled Table 4: --->>> http://gadcustomcartridges.com

It would be nice if you could find a bullet weight range that shoot accurately.

[Butler Ford]

Paper patch the bullet

[Ozark mike]

Accurate molds are expensive but the best as far as i am concerned this is just one example of what he has out of many or you can design your own

[arcticap]

I see that Whyte Leather Works sells a 400 grain ML conical that's sized @ .511 and lubed.
He lists them in a box of 250 bullets for $55.
I wonder if he would sell a lesser quantity since he ships some bullets in a small flat rate box for $7.50.
Perhaps it's worth an inquiry to see if you can get some to try out.
Who would want to order 250 bullets without trying them out first?
Mr. Whyte is well known among cowboy shooters.

Bullet page: http://www.whyteleatherworks.com/BigLube.html

Home Page with contact info.: http://www.whyteleatherworks.com

Mark Whyte
5557 Bobbywood Ave
San Jose, Ca 95124
408 356-5031

[KCSO]

Take a lyman 515 and size it down in a push through sizer. I can send you a few for a sample if you want they are 515 and lubed with B/P lube.

[arcticap]

Take a lyman 515 and size it down in a push through sizer. I can send you a few for a sample if you want they are 515 and lubed with B/P lube.

I'm curious, which Lyman bullet mold it is.
Is it the 350 grain .515 RNFP bullet for the 56 - 50 Spencer and 50 - 110 Winchester?
--->>> https://www.buffaloarms.com/515-350-...139-lym2640139

[megasupermagnum]

Lee sells a .500" ball mold. Done and done, legal and effective for all 50 states.

[Themoose]

Just an update, ordered sample .511 bullets from Whyte Leather...also found I had two old TV .50 Maxiball molds....now in the process of trying to lap the more worn one...cast,lap,clean recast, lap and clean, repeat...on third cycle and got about.001

[LAGS]

I lap molds using Zinc to cast a slug with a Stem on it.
Then I lap the mold by hand turning the stem on the slug by hand.
It doesn't take long to lap a mold out .001"
So far I have lapped out at least 10 molds from like .308 to up to .316 for shooting in rifles with oversized bores.

[Themoose]

Zinc? Interesting...where can you get zinc?

[LAGS]

Zinc Wheel weights.
I don't throw anything away.
I use lead Wheel Weights to cast slugs for my centerfires.
There are always a ton of ones marked or that are Zinc mixed in with the lead weights.
I also cast up blocks of Zinc , to be used for drilling fixtures or vise jaws.
You can get what you need probably for free at any tire shop or junk yard.
In the past , I have also cast Trigger Guards and Butt Plates for Rifles that I built

[LAGS]

I am following this thread closely because I have two more .50 cal TC barrels that I am going to send to Mr.
Hoyt.
The barrels I sent to him in the past were in very poor condition.
I had them Relined or Rebored to a larger caliber.
But the two latest barrels are in Fair condition with minor pitting.
I am debating if I should have them Refreshed or just pay to have them Relined.
The biggest issue I have is.
If they are Refreshed , then they retain the 1 in 48 twist rate.
I prefer a Slower twist for Round Balls and in the past never had much luck shooting Conicals in the factory shallow groove barrels in 1:48 twist.
But I am wondering if the deeper grooves will help the 1:48 twist will improve accuracy with Conicals.

[mooman76]

Conicals generally do better in a shallow groove barrel.

[LAGS]

Thank you.
If I end up getting these two barrels Refreshed , then I will plan on using them for mostly Round Balls.
I already have two .54 TC's with the original barrels in good shape that I can shoot Conicals out of if I ever get drawn for Elk again.
And have a GPR with a Hunter Barrel in .50 that Would be good for deer with a conical.
But I am still interested in how the refreshed barrels this thread is about work out for the OP

[Themoose]

THANKS AGAIN TO ALL FOR YOUR EXPERIENCE AND IDEAS... MY PROBLEM HAS BEEN RESOLVED. I completed the project(to my satisfaction anyway). I did seven passes at lapping and took it to the range today... my old eyes and iron sights are an issue, but shooting @ 50 yards I managed to get a respectable group...the bullet now starts firmly and is engraved by the rifling... should not be an issue coming off the powder charge... am casting up a quantity and sending to my nephew along with the mold... gave him instructions on how it was done just in case he wants a little larger diameter.. also sending him the sample .511 bullets ordered for him to try.. it is his rifle and he can be the judge if that will work for him. He could still knurl with a file if he prefers to increase the diameter.... this turned out to be an education for me... guess I'm not too old to learn after all... a sincere thank you to one and all.

Kindest regards,

TheMoose

[LAGS]

Yes , this has been an education for many of us.
Good luck , and hope his rifle shoots as well as yours did.
You just saved me some money.
I will have these barrels Refreshed instead of Lined to a slower twist