Lee #90472 .50 360gr. minie in Black Diamond

[danyboy]

Can't figure out why accuracy isn't great with my cast Lee .50 360gr. Minie boolits . I am using Triple 7 powder. Barrel slugs at .505" bore and .512" groove. Easy to push down the barrel. Twist rate 1:28. I haven't found any load data for this bullet . Did anyone ever try out this bullet in a Black Diamond ?

[johnson1942]

your bullet is too short. if your top of the lands are .505 try a .497 bullet 550 to 600 grains dry wrapped twice with number nine paper. lube with a wax type lube. use a felt wad or a .60 thousands fiber wad between powder and bullet. if your gun is a 209 primer ignition try blackhorn 209 powder, you will like that a lot better than triple 7. those 1/28 twist were made to shoot paper patch and drive tacks. you just have to use a bullet 8 thousands smaller than the top of lands diam. keep the lead fairly soft. 30 to one would be best but 20 to one will work.

[danyboy]

550 to 600 grains ! Holy cow, heavy enough ! I'll look up for a bullet mold in that area. Never thought bullet was too short.

[fouronesix]

A couple of things may be going on. With that fast twist--- really fast twist for a minie--- I'd bet a .500 bullet starting down a .505 bore is going to be skidding for at least the first few inches--- no good. Those fast twist type rifles/bores were designed to shoot bullets already tightly fit so they come up to rotation quickly without skidding -more like tightly fitted plastic sabot'd rounds. Realize that most dedicated minie shooters have very slow twists and use fairly light charges- roughly one grain BP per caliber.

It wouldn't hurt to try a once or twice wrapped paper patch (as johnson1942 suggested) and clean between shots so you don't ruin the paper when seating.

You can also piddle around with the bare minie to see if it will do better. Try a fairly light charge of FFF blackpowder maybe 40 grs. But, I think it's going to be an uphill battle. Be sure you are using really soft lead.

For best results, in the end, you may end up just getting a solid base bullet that fits tighter, using a heavier blackpowder charge to fully obturate the bullet and cleaning between shots. Or going to the 'dark side' and using a sabot.

[Maven]

"For best results, in the end, you may end up just getting a solid base bullet that fits tighter, using a heavier blackpowder charge to fully obturate the bullet and cleaning between shots. Or going to the 'dark side' and using a sabot." ....fouronesix

+1 on the above advice! You may want to look around for a good used T/C (aluminum) or Lyman (meehanite/"iron") .50cal. Maxi-Ball mold, as they're accurate in my 1:28 .50cal. Knight Bighorn. Make sure the Maxi-Ball casts large enough of pure Pb to be engraved by the rifling when you start it (should feel some resistance). Btw, the Lee Minie wasn't accurate in the Bighorn either even when using no more than 50grs. FFg or Pyrodex RS.

[idahoron]

I have had good luck with that bullet in 45 cal paper patched. I wrap them with two wraps of #9 onion skin dry. Ron

[johnson1942]

idahoron is right , try dry wraping 2 times with number nine. i know a guy a while back who did that with the lee bullet and got good results. the other way i suggestest will work great also. with my sons 1/32 twist in line a 550 grain paper patch works perfect. he uses 125 grains blackhorn 209 powder behind the bullets. would get weary on targets, but sighting in and hunting it is fine. got to try it on a critter this fall yet.

[mooman76]

You might try some over powder wads. That sometimes helps but the paper wrap like others have said is probably your best bet.

[danyboy]

Now I'll look for #9 onionskin paper on the net cause it's impossible to find any around here and also look for heavier bullet mold.
Thanks for the info, really appreciate.

[fouronesix]

Here's one source for #9, I'm sure there are other options also.
http://www.buffaloarms.com/paper_patch_paper_it-161977.aspx?CAT=4528

[johnson1942]

number nine all wood fiber paper avail. from the internet paper store is perfect for dry wraping muzzle loader bullets. i find it tougher than 25 percent cotton when dry. again to sound like a broken record, dry wrap a muzzle loader bullet and wet wrap a black powder cartride bullet.

[danyboy]

Thanks for the info. Appreciate.

[drhall762]

With the heavy bullets and heavy charges I use a 1/8" card over the powder followed by a lubed felt wad. Works well for me and is also a set-up that Doc. White recommended with his rifles.

[deep creek]

Idaho Ron got me hooked on the 500 sw lee mould pure lead with a little 6 shot to sweeten it drops out at 450 grns paper patched with 25% cotton and sized to .503 deadly accurate. Punched a hole in an antelope last thursday at 125 yards that you could read a newspaper through.Paper patched bullets are amazing!!