Lee real bullets & maxi balls?

[Willyp]

I had cast a few hundred of these,some time ago.
My problem is i am afraid to use them or try them! Why? Due to once they are run down the bore they seem as if they could come back out if the barrel is aimed down,like if you were carrying it while walking?
How can these be held in place????

[duckey]

Have you used/tried a patch for the ball or reel bullet.

[Willyp]

See,that's why i am on this sight!!!! I never thought of that,but it may really tight to get down the bore?

[bedbugbilly]

What size REAL are you trying to put in what size bire>

[bubba.50]

my two favorite muzzleloader projectiles. they load easily after ya get the oversize band started but, properly lubed with enough bore-butter I've never had one come off the powder after loadin'. and I've never seen the need for usin' over-powder cards or wads or patches along with them.

[rodwha]

REAL stands for Rifling Engraved At Loading. These cannot slide off of the charge if you merely point the barrel down, which is why I have them and not any sort of undersized conical. I don't want to concern myself with checking while afield. I'm not certain if any of the other projectiles work similarly.

I'd be leery of a war on top of my projectile. Seems it could effect it's flight once it slides off of one side.

[fouronesix]

Both the REAL and the T/C design Maxiball engrave on the lands. Never heard of either moving off the powder during normal handling. Even an undersized Minié won't move off the powder during normal handling if the lube is stiff enough and the Minié is seated briskly against the powder thereby slightly expanding the skirt.

[Willyp]

I shall have to try them myself. It would be a lot less work and expense than using sabots.
I just need to find a way to get them started past the over sized band on them!
Could i use a hardwood bumper,like is used to knock the spruce plated on a bullet mold to get the down in?????
I am not as powerful as i was 20 years back,plus,with taking blood thinners,i bruse quickley.

[CastingFool]

I think what you need is a starter ball. It's a short ramrod, with a ball on the end. You place the end of the ramrod on your bullet and give it a whack with your hand. the ramrod is short about 6", but some of them have a much shorter one 90 deg from the 6 incher.

[rodwha]

I use a short starter too. It's been a while but I don't recall havin to give it a whack, though it did take a bit of effort to start that last band. After that it slid fairly easily.

I also have a 1/2" hole drilled about 1/2" deep to give me something to lean on a little to ensure any load is firmly seated using the ramrod.

[Willyp]

I have a bunch of short starters and they fit the bullet shape,for starting,well. The last band is,for me,is tough to get into the bore,past the or down the rifling. I am not the guy i was 40 or 50 years ago?
I just took a short piece of a hammer handle,after iv'e set the bullet into the bore and place the short starter upon it and give the started a little wack! Its all good after that first inch is past!!!

[kens]

Any of you shooting these in 1:66 twist rifles?
How do they group with a slow twist?

[rodwha]

kens: I sent some of the shorter 250 grn .50 cal REALs to a fellow's dad who'd be elk hunting and wanting a bit more mass. As these are somewhat short I figured they very well might work out. And they did at 50 yds, but at 100 they opened up enough that he chose a patched ball instead. His rifle had a 1:60" twist.

I'm not sure to what lengths he went to though. Maybe they would work with another charge he hadn't tried. Who knows?

[roverboy]

My uncle had a Invest Arms .54 cal. Hawken several years ago that had a 1-66" twist. It would shoot Hornady Great Plains bullets awesome. He could shoot 3" groups at 100 yards all day, if he wanted to. Some things just don't make sense. I love shooting conicals. I just love that thump they make on a deer.

[bubba.50]

both the Lee's and maxi-balls shot as good as I can shoot in my Lyman Great Plains Rifle with the roundball twist.