Lee R.E.A.L.bullet mould

[54bore]

I measured a few the best I could with a caliper. Top rib is .511-.513" the lower ribs get smaller with the base rib being .503-.505"

R.E.A.L. stands for 'Rifling Engraved At Loading' I suspect something wrong down the bore? No way that bullet should 'wobble around' ANYWHERE in the barrel!

[triggerhappy243]

TRUE. These should be cast as hot as possible.... to fill the grooves of the mold.

[54bore]

My 50 has a 1/48 and shoots them very well. Too tight a twist and you can't push them very hard or they strip and you loose accuracy there too.

Right here what mooman76 said, you might be stripping the driving band (top largest ring you measured) i can see this happening in a fast twist, short start it, then give it a good shove to the powder charge, might very well be stripping the driving band. Try to load one SLOW n steady

[FergusonTO35]

I use both weights of REALs in my TC Black Mountain Magnum with a 28" twist. One thing I found also was accuracy was excellent at 50 yards but horrible at 100 yards. It is the same with RBs. However, further experimenting found that when velocity was lowered with both the REAL and RBs accuracy was excellent out to 150 yards. Best bet is to work up the load at 100 yards. If the REAL shoots well at 100 then it will also shoot well 50 yards and at 150 yards. With the slower 48" twist accuracy has been really good across the board with REALs in my friends 45 and .50 cals.

I also make my own lube same as daconne31. I use a mix of 5/4 beeswax and olive oil. I've also used Bore Butter 1000 with equal success. I just hand lube a quanity of bullets by hand while watching TV before the trip to the range or hunting. REALs are quik and easy to load/use especially with a BP substitute such as FFF triple 7. Many, many shots can be fired before any cleaning is required and then it is quick and easy.

Larry Gibson

Hey Larry, what charges of Triple 7 are you using in your TC with the 1:28 twist? I'm thinking about trying PRB in my Huntsman. I use 70 grains FFg Triple 7 with the 250 REAL. Bought my dad a used Knight with 1:28 and need to suggest some loads for him, he actually prefers PRB over everything else.

[rxm1611]

Head over to the North South Skirmish Association Website. They are the true experts when it comes to accuracy and all things BP

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[Outpost75]

I use the R.E.A.L. molds in both .45 and .50 cal. casting them from Roto Metals 1:40 tin-lead and lubing with 50-50 Goya Manteca (refined, unsalted lard) and beeswax (aka "Confederate Army Lube"). They shoot wonderfully in the 1:48" twist T/C barrels as well as the 1:28" twist Green Mountain LRH. The .45 R.E.A.L. is my preferred projectile in the Ruger Old Army for hunting.

In all cases the R.E.A.L. was more accurate for me than the T/C Maxi-Balls with full hunting charges. I use 60 grains of 3Fg in the .45 rifle, 90 grains of 2Fg in the .50 rifle and 30 grains 3Fg in the Ruger Old Army. My accuracy expectation is 2-inch groups for 5-shot at 50 yards without wiping or blow tubing between shots in the rifles, and 6 shots in 2 inches at 25 yards in the Old Army. Works for me!

Attachment 182827

[FergusonTO35]

The 250 grain REAL has always shot ok in my Huntsman with 70 grains T7. I poured a bunch of the 320 grain REALs last night, planning to try them out next week. What are your favored charges with T7 and the 320 grain REAL? I'm thinking the heavier slugs should be more accurate in the 1:28 twist of my rifle.

[AutomagIII]

I use the 320 grain 50 cal real bullet in my optima over 90 grains of pyrodex rs
and get clean pass thru on deer out to 75 yards but I hunt thick brush

Ps I run em dry no lube

[mac1911]

I have had better results.
I re casted everything and all seems well.
I was able to get 12 loading before I needed to assist seating the 12th round.
I was able to get 5 shots with in 2" @ 50 yards before moving to 100. I was able to shoot 2 shots with in 3" before the 12th shot struggle to seat. I then let a friend take shot as he never shot a BP rifle.
100 grains does well but I plan on testing other charges and also some blackhorn209.
Driving home that darn gun stunk up my already stinky truck.... if 209 works and doesn't stink it in.
50 grains did pretty good but a little inconsistent...would have flyers.
I have not stuck the bore scope in there yet but the REAL is easier to load for more shots but really not cleaning my bore as well as they make it out to.
That's fine I'm about done with BP after 8-10 rounds anyway.

[54bore]

I have had better results.
I re casted everything and all seems well.
I was able to get 12 loading before I needed to assist seating the 12th round.
I was able to get 5 shots with in 2" @ 50 yards before moving to 100. I was able to shoot 2 shots with in 3" before the 12th shot struggle to seat. I then let a friend take shot as he never shot a BP rifle.
100 grains does well but I plan on testing other charges and also some blackhorn209.
Driving home that darn gun stunk up my already stinky truck.... if 209 works and doesn't stink it in.
50 grains did pretty good but a little inconsistent...would have flyers.
I have not stuck the bore scope in there yet but the REAL is easier to load for more shots but really not cleaning my bore as well as they make it out to.
That's fine I'm about done with BP after 8-10 rounds anyway.

Blackpowder stink? LOL, Im use to it now and dont mind it a bit, My wife on the other hand HATES the smell of it when i bring a dirty gun in the house to clean.

[rodwha]

I like the smell. Same with Ballistol.

I also enjoy spending hours at the range, and cleaning them afterwards.

Flash rust is about the only thing I don't care for concerning BP...

[mooman76]

I don't care for the smell that much either but am used to it for the most part. Just part of the whole thing.

[54bore]

The very first time i walked in the door with a dirty gun it didnt take long for the wife to figure out something fowl was going on! When i assured her it was the gun, The look on her face was like 'are you $hittin me?' LOL

[mac1911]

Yeah you guys can have the stink!

[mac1911]

So for the most part the Lee REAL extended my round count with out patching.
Here is what it looked like at 12 rounds.
At :22 , :50 and 3:45sec you can see a crud ring. This is where the last few shots needed a,little more of a nudge to seat. The 12th shot was tough and I didn't bother with another

[mac1911]

I plan on trying blackhorn209 and Lee LLA next.

[mooman76]

Haven't tried ityet but hear good things about BlackMZ. It is real cheap too.

[FergusonTO35]

Black MZ doesn't exist here, in fact most places don't even carry BH 209. Pyro and T7 are the only muzzleloader propellants that are commonly carried in central KY. I'm glad that T7 works so well as it is easy to find and dirt cheap when it goes on sale post season. Got 2 cans for $15.00 each today.

[mooman76]

Sportsmans Warehous has Black MZ for $10 a can. I have yet to try it but couldn't pass it up at that price. Have heard good things though.

[yeahbub]

A friend went to Montana to hunt elk with his .54 and had a difficult time getting decent accuracy with any consistency with a REAL in his, until he hit upon the idea of cloth-patching the base driving band. He said suddenly he could do no wrong with it. Apparently they were getting some leakage and gas cutting on their way up the bore which was playing hob with accuracy, but the cloth patch fixed it. I had given up on them in my .50 cal 1:56 twist for the same reason, but I tried patching them like he did and the improvement was dramatic. It's kind of tedious to do in the field, so I made a bullet board out of delrin to have some ready to load when hunting. I was thinking, one made of stiff rubber like that stuff they advertise on TV to seal leaks and coat tool handles might accommodate the tapered driving bands more easily and keep the patch in place better that delrin.