Cast boolit for 1860 Army/1858 Rem

[jgh4445]

I ran across a Lyman 450229 HB mold today in my stash of molds. Got it in a trade a year or so go. I've read that it casts a 155 gr hollow based bullet that will work for the "58 and '60 C&B. How would you load it? Would you use a felt wad? A cardboard wad or just seat it on the powder?

[scottfire1957]

Personally, I'd consult a black powder reloading manual, but hey.

[jgh4445]

Consulted Lymans Cast Bullet handbook before I asked the question. It didn't address my question, but hey.

[scottfire1957]

Consulted Lymans Cast Bullet handbook before I asked the question. It didn't address my question, but hey.

Well, then please wear protective glasses and garments when shooting untested loads. Good luck.

Edit: original pistols, or reproductions?

[.22-10-45]

Look under casting equipment...sizing a pistol bullet base..I have had very good results in a Colt 1860 Army revolver with 450229 HB.

[jgh4445]

Hey thanks .22-10-45 I'll do that. Thought I'd try the boolit and see if it was better than a RB for what I want to do with it.
Scottfire, Uberti's.

[Vann]

Being that it is a hollow base it would shoot best seated directly on top of the powder. I, would either place a lubed felt wad on top or use something like wonder lube or crisco on top of the bullet to keep the bore wet in between shots.

[GabbyM]

My Lyman 45th from back when LBJ was president list the 155gr HB. They call for the bullet to be sized .001" to .002" over chamber dimension and lubed with Lyman lube. Listed load in the 1860 revolver is 25 grains FFFG vel. 805 fps. I would not use any more powder in an 1860. I shot a lot of the 200 grain Lee cap and ball bullets in my steel frame 1860 back in the 1970's. Stretched the frame using 26 grains. I need to have that fixed.

If you have a lube sizer and a die for 45 caliber in .452" it should work. Hand lube with Crisco is what I did with the Lee. Pan lubing would also be a good option as you can't use all that many anyway. Couple thousand should last a month or two. :lovebooli

[bedbugbilly]

The hollow based conical on top of BP . .. I'd load it the same way we have loaded rifled muskets with a hollow base minie. Fill the hollow base with a good BP lube and seat on top of the powder . . cap it and shoot it. When the load goes off, just as in a rifled musket, the lube will follow the bullet through the bore as the base expands to grip the rifling. If desired, even with the base lubed, you could also smear lube over it in the chamber mouth if you wanted to.

[jgh4445]

Thanks Gabby, Bedbug. Never loaded HB before so now I have a better understanding of what I need to do.