58 caliber mould for paperpatching?

[horsesoldier]

Any idea's on which mould to start with for paper patching? I have a lee 575-470 mine mould that I was thinking about doing it. My bore diameter is right at 58 and even though I have not cast with this mould yet I am thinking it will be too small for my rifle. It is a cabelas investearms hawkin with I believe a 1 in 48 twist.

[johnson1942]

if you know for a fact the top of your lands is .58, then find some one the internet and may be right here on this site to make you a push through reduceing die for the average price of 35.00 dollars and have one made 8 thousands under the .58. that will be perfect for number nine paper which is avail. off of the internet also. i havent done the math but i suspect 1/48 would shoot a paper patch real good. have fun.

[fouronesix]

Lodgewood offers two types for larger calibers in .001 increments- simple push through and lubrisizer. Maybe worth a look see.
http://www.lodgewood.com/Sizing-Dies_c_91.html

[Rattus58]

Any idea's on which mould to start with for paper patching? I have a lee 575-470 mine mould that I was thinking about doing it. My bore diameter is right at 58 and even though I have not cast with this mould yet I am thinking it will be too small for my rifle. It is a cabelas investearms hawkin with I believe a 1 in 48 twist.Invest arms are a pretty good little gun and that bullet fits fine. The problem with them are a weak skirt. They are 1-48 and mine had chrome barrels. If that mold casts properly and if you use a pure a lead as possibility, it might even cast a thousandth or so smaller.. and wrap might work... I'd start with plumbers tape however.... that's how I'd start.. :grin:

[johnson1942]

thanks fouronesix for the tip on pushthrough reducing dies. the are very very reasonable, they are going in my address book. thanks again.

[fouronesix]

I have one in .577 to size a .578 minié down for one of my Enfields. The price is not bad but they require a little work for best function.

They are not as "universal" as the Lee Push Thru. They are fairly short and you have to supply the ram (punch) and a way to hold them. Because they are short, there is very little freebore. I honed out some freebore in one end so the minié would sit farther down into the sizer and would be guided into the sizing ring as the ram is driven thru.

I drilled a two diameter hole in a 2x4 to hold the die and found a scrap deep well socket to use as a ram.

[johnson1942]

i have a swageing press that is so tough you have to be careful when the handle is up because if it dropped when you fingers was in the wrong place it could cut it off. i just put my reduceing die under the hole where the swageing die goes and use a sqared off brass rod of the right size or even a squared off wooden dowel and push the bullet through. i think the power of my press makes my set up work as a regular loading press may require a lot more pressure. thanks again one can never have too many reduceing dies. i think it was idaho ron or some one like him that turned me on to reduceing dies and ive been collecting them ever since. thanks again

[JeffinNZ]

If you bore is "right on .58" I take you mean 0.580 inch. If the mould throws at .575 then two wraps of 9lb 'onion skin' paper will give you .580-.581 inch. That should be fine.

I patch for a .40cal Minie style boolit I have. It throws at .396 in 40-1 and I patch with 9lb paper to .402 for my .400 bore. They SHOOT.

[horsesoldier]

Do those push through sizing dies mount on a reloading press like the lee dies do?

[fouronesix]

I have one in .577 to size a .578 minié down for one of my Enfields. The price is not bad but they require a little work for best function.

They are not as "universal" as the Lee Push Thru. They are fairly short and you have to supply the ram (punch) and a way to hold them. Because they are short, there is very little freebore. I honed out some freebore in one end so the minié would sit farther down into the sizer and would be guided into the sizing ring as the ram is driven thru.

I drilled a two diameter hole in a 2x4 to hold the die and found a scrap deep well socket to use as a ram.

No, you use a ram (some use a wood dowel) and push or drive the ram thru with a mallet. The theory is the same as the Lee but they don't attach to a press.

[horsesoldier]

Oh ok. For the money I wouldnt mind!

[Southron]

Well, when it comes to bullet sizing, a standard reloading press (and ram head matching the base of your bullet) works wonderfully; much, much better than a die that requires you to whack the bullet thru using a mallet and ram of some sorts.

A friend of mine was amazed to discover he could paper patch his bullets, let the patch dry for a few days and then run the PATCHED bullets through his sizing die! He reports that about 95% of the paper patches remained on the bullets throughout the sizing operation.

Those very same bullets shot accurately and as far as he could tell, they were shedding their paper patches about two to three feet in front of the muzzle of his rifle.

[fouronesix]

I have tried a couple of the Lee Improved Miniés, in 45 cal and 58 cal, and neither one shot well. Tried paper patching the Lee 45 Improved Minié and shooting in a 48" twist rifle and results not that great. Tried the 58 cal Lee, not paper patched, in a couple of known good Minié shooters and about the same disappointing results.

I don't know what the deal is with that Lee design. I just haven't been able to get them to shoot so I'm done with the Lee Miniés - but hey, the molds are cheap :)

I shoot primarily RCBS N-S or Lyman Miniés in various rifles in 54, 58 and 69 calibers. I have paper patched the RCBS .580 Minié for one musket with an oversized bore with excellent results. However, that same Minié design in .584 and unpatched shoots just as well in that particular musket with a lot less hassle than paper patching.

I might add that a 48" twist 58 caliber is petty fast in the larger bore- so it may shoot very well with many different Minié and conical designs- including the Lee Minié. Just have to try it and see.

[Good Cheer]

Any idea's on which mould to start with for paper patching? I have a lee 575-470 mine mould that I was thinking about doing it. My bore diameter is right at 58 and even though I have not cast with this mould yet I am thinking it will be too small for my rifle. It is a cabelas investearms hawkin with I believe a 1 in 48 twist.

I want to try the old 575213 with a recut plug for a shallow dish pan shaped cavity in the 48" twist rebored TC Hawken. The theory is that it should upset and work with heavy charges.
These are some 575213 prepared for testing, cast with the 577611 plug for a thicker skirt.
http://i791.photobucket.com/albums/yy192/SNARGLEFLERK/575213OSwith577611PlugPP_zpsc3eacc31.jpg (http://s791.photobucket.com/user/SNARGLEFLERK/media/575213OSwith577611PlugPP_zpsc3eacc31.jpg.html)

[fouronesix]

I want to try the old 575213 with a recut plug for a shallow dish pan shaped cavity in the 48" twist rebored TC Hawken. The theory is that it should upset and work with heavy charges.
These are some 575213 prepared for testing, cast with the 577611 plug for a thicker skirt.
http://i791.photobucket.com/albums/yy192/SNARGLEFLERK/575213OSwith577611PlugPP_zpsc3eacc31.jpg (http://s791.photobucket.com/user/SNARGLEFLERK/media/575213OSwith577611PlugPP_zpsc3eacc31.jpg.html)

I don't even have a 58 in that category, but sure am interested in the outcome of those PP Miniés out of the modified Lyman mold. Something tells me there is potential there! Heavy charge recoil might also be interesting in that platform.

[bigted]

Good Cheer ... I also look forward to your report on those spiffy lookin patched boolits. I just got a 58 Zouave and am contemplating the same thing ... paper patch boolits.