lyman maxi won't fit into the barrel

[gusbratz]

my buddy loaned me his lyman 504617 maxi mold, he said it was useless to him because they wont fit into his TC. i cast some up for my traditions .50 deerhunter and would have to drive them in with a hammer, they are too big. are you supposed to run them through a sizeing die or use softer lead or something? i used melted wheel weights. thanks.

[longbow]

The Maxi is designed to engrave the nose band when short started but the base band should ride the lands at least to the first narrow driving band.

Not sure of exact dimensions but I believe that the nose band is supposed to be about 1/2 rifling depth. Mine slid into the bore easily to the first band, engraved slightly then settled on the nose band. A good thump with the short starter set it in fine. It was snug but did not fill the grooves.

Yes, they are intended to be cast from soft lead. The idea is that the base slugs up at firing and fills the grooves. I never recovered one to find out if they did slug up. They did not shoot well from my gun. It turns out my CVA has 1:66" twist so best suited to PRB. I gave my Maxi mould away.

Longbow

[HARRYMPOPE]

The Lyman Maxi's are usually smaller than the TC's designs.Like said before pure lead is the answer,your WW will make them larger and harder to load.When cast soft they shoot pretty well.

[montana_charlie]

Just wait until you try to get one into the bore with a paper patch wrapped around it ...

[Ohio Rusty]

These need to be super soft lead as they need to engrave into the rifling as you push them down. Next ...the lube grooves need to be full. The bottom and middle band should go in with a pressure fit of the thumb and stop at the top band/front of boolit. That band is purposely too big. A ball starter works well here, and with a firm rap of the hand on the ball starter, the boolit should go down. Now the rifling in the barrel is engraved into the boolit. You should be able to push the boolit down onto the powder with the ramrod. Upon ignition, the base is pushed forward expanding the bullet a bit more in the barrel (obturation) to ensure the bullet is sealed in the bore and the gasses stay behind the boolit.
Ohio Rusty ><>

[RMulhern]

my buddy loaned me his lyman 504617 maxi mold, he said it was useless to him because they wont fit into his TC. i cast some up for my traditions .50 deerhunter and would have to drive them in with a hammer, they are too big. are you supposed to run them through a sizeing die or use softer lead or something? i used melted wheel weights. thanks.

and would have to drive them in with a hammer,

No schitt Sherlock!!

[RMulhern]

As an aside issue....how do maxi-balls come into a BPPP forum??