ohland
02-17-2014, 02:05 PM
Today's reading of the Holy is from the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, 3rd Ed, 1994, Pages 104-105 ASIN: 9837249. May we all genuflect, while worshipfully chanting the tome....
Fellow Servant to the Plumbous Calf, :coffeecom
445599 A 250 grain Minie with three scraping grooves and a reasonably sturdy skirt. Originally designed for 1-56 rates of twist this bullet does a bit better in the faster 1-22 rate of twist. If used in the 1-56 twist start with a fairly light charge and increase it by slight increments until the desired accuracy is obtained.
445319 The big brother of #445599, this minie is longer and weighs in at 291 grains. Moderate charges wont affect the skirt and best accuracy is found with the 1-22 rate of twist. However, this bullet does very well in the 1-56 twist and produces good hunting accuracy.
Note: The #44599 and #445369 cast a nominal .445 bullet and are suitable only for rifles with a .445-.446 bore. If you own one of the H&R .45s, Numrich .45s, or a Navy Arms Hawken .45, these are the conicals for you. There are other suitable guns on the market and the best practice is to slug the barrel and determine the bore size by measuring the lead slug with a micrometer.
454616 This solid base 225 grain bullet was designed specifically for use in the Thompson/Center Hawken .45 with the 1-48 twist. Just how it might shoot in a slower roundball twist would be an interesting subject for experimentation. This bullet is too large for the .445 bores but could be sized down in a device like Lymans 450 Lubricator/Sizer. Since this bullet was designed to engrave a couple thousandths of an inch on the top bearing band during loading, any sizing would make all three bands the same size. [ed. Then only size the bottom two bands?]
454613 A 265 grain Minie designed specifically for the Lyman Plains Rifle with the 1-48 twist. Combining characteristics of both the solid and hollow-base designs, the #454613s top scraping band is sized to engrave lightly while loading, while the base cavity features a heavy skirt capable of handling heavy charges.
454612 This 300 grain solid-base conical was also for the 1-48 twist Lyman Plains Rifle. Typical of solid-base designs, the top bearing band is a couple thousandths over bore size and the lands will lightly engrave the top band as the bullet is loaded. This bullet, along with others like it, become very difficult to load unless the bore is cleaned every couple of shots.
504617 A 375 grain solid designed for a 1-48 twist. The upper bearing band is designed to be lightly engraved as the bullet is loaded into a .500 bore found on the Thompson/Center Hawken and the Navy Arms Hawken. Performance of the design is limited chiefly by the pressures encountered in the higher charges.
533476 One of the oldest Minie designs in the Lyman line, it is also the only one currently available for .54 caliber. Although there is no .54 musket presently on the market, the #533476 does a good job when used in a Douglas 1-66 twist roundball barrel. Experiment with your rifle and adjust the powder charge until the best combination is found.
542622 A newly designed .54 Minie (similar to #577611) featuring a heavy skirt. This bullet is designed for maximum loads in the Lyman Plains Rifle, T/C Renegade or other .54 rifles with the 1-48 twist and nominal .540 bore.
557489 This is the original Christmas Tree bullet for the Sharps .54 breechloading percussion rifle and carbine. Today this 460 grain bullet is an excellent choice for both the U.S. made Shiloh replicas and Italian replicas of the percussion [ed. rifle and carbine]
575494 This is the lightest .58 Minie available today weighing in at just 315 grains. Just 55 grains heavier (in pure lead) than the .560 roundball the #575494 seems to give its best performance when fired at low velocities from a replica Zouave with a 1-72 twist. Performance in faster twists such as the 1-60 found in the Navy Arms Hawken or the 1-48 found in the Enfields has yet to be evaluated. However, the basically thin-skirted design of the bullet logically indicates the use of only moderate charges to avoid deformation of the skirt and canting of the bullet.
Wide flat shoulders on the uppermost bearing band give wadcutter performance on targets and small game. Fifty yard accuracy from a Zouave runs about 1-1 ½ with charges up to 50 grains of G-O 2Fg. Increasing the charge opens the group.
575602 Another hollow-base design best suited to lighter charges. This 400 grain bullet was the only one to come apart during Pressure and Velocity testing in the Lyman pressure guns. A noticeable feature of the 602 is its wide and relatively shallow square-shouldered grease/scraping grooves. While these grooves will retain a stiff lubricant, such as beeswax and Crisco mixture, a looser lube like pure Crisco or Lyman mini lubricant is best placed in the hollow base.
575213-OS An old style design directly descended from Civil War projectiles and one of the favorites of modern North-South skirmishes. The 213-OS looks like a Minie should ... a somewhat streamlined configuration with three adequate scraping grooves. Light to moderate (40 to 60 grains of G-O 2Fg) produces good accuracy for most musket shooters. This is a good hunting bullet at standard musket velocities.
575213 Probably the most popular and accurate Minie available to todays musket shooter. The 213 is a bit longer and heavier than the Old Style and weighs in at 505 grains. Musket shooters usually find their most accurate load somewhere between 40 and 50 grains of G-O 2Fg or slightly greater charges of Curtis & Harvey 2Fg. Accuracy holds until standard musket charges (and thus velocities and pressures) are exceeded.
577611 A new hollow-base design weighing 540 grains. This bullet is intended for use ahead of especially heavy charges for hunting medium to big game. Special features include an extra-thick skirt and two sharply defined scraping grooves. Examination of this bullet in mid-air confirms the designs performance since the skirt shows no deformation.
57730 This 570 grain slug is the heaviest standard design offered by Lyman. While the #57730 hasnt enjoyed a great reputation for accuracy in 1-72 twist barrels the availability of 1-60 and 1-48 twist barrels may prove to be the answer and encourage use of a fine heavyweight Mini design.
Fellow Servant to the Plumbous Calf, :coffeecom
445599 A 250 grain Minie with three scraping grooves and a reasonably sturdy skirt. Originally designed for 1-56 rates of twist this bullet does a bit better in the faster 1-22 rate of twist. If used in the 1-56 twist start with a fairly light charge and increase it by slight increments until the desired accuracy is obtained.
445319 The big brother of #445599, this minie is longer and weighs in at 291 grains. Moderate charges wont affect the skirt and best accuracy is found with the 1-22 rate of twist. However, this bullet does very well in the 1-56 twist and produces good hunting accuracy.
Note: The #44599 and #445369 cast a nominal .445 bullet and are suitable only for rifles with a .445-.446 bore. If you own one of the H&R .45s, Numrich .45s, or a Navy Arms Hawken .45, these are the conicals for you. There are other suitable guns on the market and the best practice is to slug the barrel and determine the bore size by measuring the lead slug with a micrometer.
454616 This solid base 225 grain bullet was designed specifically for use in the Thompson/Center Hawken .45 with the 1-48 twist. Just how it might shoot in a slower roundball twist would be an interesting subject for experimentation. This bullet is too large for the .445 bores but could be sized down in a device like Lymans 450 Lubricator/Sizer. Since this bullet was designed to engrave a couple thousandths of an inch on the top bearing band during loading, any sizing would make all three bands the same size. [ed. Then only size the bottom two bands?]
454613 A 265 grain Minie designed specifically for the Lyman Plains Rifle with the 1-48 twist. Combining characteristics of both the solid and hollow-base designs, the #454613s top scraping band is sized to engrave lightly while loading, while the base cavity features a heavy skirt capable of handling heavy charges.
454612 This 300 grain solid-base conical was also for the 1-48 twist Lyman Plains Rifle. Typical of solid-base designs, the top bearing band is a couple thousandths over bore size and the lands will lightly engrave the top band as the bullet is loaded. This bullet, along with others like it, become very difficult to load unless the bore is cleaned every couple of shots.
504617 A 375 grain solid designed for a 1-48 twist. The upper bearing band is designed to be lightly engraved as the bullet is loaded into a .500 bore found on the Thompson/Center Hawken and the Navy Arms Hawken. Performance of the design is limited chiefly by the pressures encountered in the higher charges.
533476 One of the oldest Minie designs in the Lyman line, it is also the only one currently available for .54 caliber. Although there is no .54 musket presently on the market, the #533476 does a good job when used in a Douglas 1-66 twist roundball barrel. Experiment with your rifle and adjust the powder charge until the best combination is found.
542622 A newly designed .54 Minie (similar to #577611) featuring a heavy skirt. This bullet is designed for maximum loads in the Lyman Plains Rifle, T/C Renegade or other .54 rifles with the 1-48 twist and nominal .540 bore.
557489 This is the original Christmas Tree bullet for the Sharps .54 breechloading percussion rifle and carbine. Today this 460 grain bullet is an excellent choice for both the U.S. made Shiloh replicas and Italian replicas of the percussion [ed. rifle and carbine]
575494 This is the lightest .58 Minie available today weighing in at just 315 grains. Just 55 grains heavier (in pure lead) than the .560 roundball the #575494 seems to give its best performance when fired at low velocities from a replica Zouave with a 1-72 twist. Performance in faster twists such as the 1-60 found in the Navy Arms Hawken or the 1-48 found in the Enfields has yet to be evaluated. However, the basically thin-skirted design of the bullet logically indicates the use of only moderate charges to avoid deformation of the skirt and canting of the bullet.
Wide flat shoulders on the uppermost bearing band give wadcutter performance on targets and small game. Fifty yard accuracy from a Zouave runs about 1-1 ½ with charges up to 50 grains of G-O 2Fg. Increasing the charge opens the group.
575602 Another hollow-base design best suited to lighter charges. This 400 grain bullet was the only one to come apart during Pressure and Velocity testing in the Lyman pressure guns. A noticeable feature of the 602 is its wide and relatively shallow square-shouldered grease/scraping grooves. While these grooves will retain a stiff lubricant, such as beeswax and Crisco mixture, a looser lube like pure Crisco or Lyman mini lubricant is best placed in the hollow base.
575213-OS An old style design directly descended from Civil War projectiles and one of the favorites of modern North-South skirmishes. The 213-OS looks like a Minie should ... a somewhat streamlined configuration with three adequate scraping grooves. Light to moderate (40 to 60 grains of G-O 2Fg) produces good accuracy for most musket shooters. This is a good hunting bullet at standard musket velocities.
575213 Probably the most popular and accurate Minie available to todays musket shooter. The 213 is a bit longer and heavier than the Old Style and weighs in at 505 grains. Musket shooters usually find their most accurate load somewhere between 40 and 50 grains of G-O 2Fg or slightly greater charges of Curtis & Harvey 2Fg. Accuracy holds until standard musket charges (and thus velocities and pressures) are exceeded.
577611 A new hollow-base design weighing 540 grains. This bullet is intended for use ahead of especially heavy charges for hunting medium to big game. Special features include an extra-thick skirt and two sharply defined scraping grooves. Examination of this bullet in mid-air confirms the designs performance since the skirt shows no deformation.
57730 This 570 grain slug is the heaviest standard design offered by Lyman. While the #57730 hasnt enjoyed a great reputation for accuracy in 1-72 twist barrels the availability of 1-60 and 1-48 twist barrels may prove to be the answer and encourage use of a fine heavyweight Mini design.