help a newb out

[lunicy]

I just bought a black powder, muzzle loading pistol. .45 cal. cap ignition.
Never shot a black powder gun before.
Will the Lee molds be proper for this (balls and R.E.A.L. molds)
How much powder
does it have to be soft lead, or can I shoot wheel weights
Anything else a newbie needs to know.

[frontier gander]

.45cal will use a .440 round ball with a .010- .015 patch. REALs probably would work too but recoil may be something else.

It would help if we knew what pistol you were shooting.

[lunicy]

cant tell you what kind. OLD. no markings.

[missionary5155]

Is your barrel rifled ? Is this a round thin wall barrel or a thick octagon barrel ? Is the barrel clean and bright or rusted or full of crud ?
You want to cast with PURE lead or with just a little bit of tin.. 40-1 mix will pour just fine round balls are easy.

[lunicy]

thick octagon barrell. rifled, pretty dirty, but i see no rust yet. (havent really tried to clean it or nothing yet, just got it home)

[mooman76]

Lee REALs weren't really meant for that but I'm not saying they won't work. WW's will work for RBs if you that's all you have but you will have a hard time getting reals in a pistol if they are made of WWs. They have to be driven in and you probubly will have a difficult time even with pure lead and reals in a pistol.

[lunicy]

so for all but curiousities, I should stick to RB's

[northmn]

Clean it first. Water works good and so does windshield washer for cars. Real bullets may work if you like recoil. Earlier BP pistols had sawed off rifle barrels and liked a little heavier load usually above 30 grains. The later fast twist liked about 25 grains. I am talking black powder. If all you can get is 777 or Pyrodex use the pistol grade. Buy a few round ball in 440 or 445 and commercial patches to see what it likes. If you use the 777 or other stuff I would use the "magnum" caps for that type of pistol.

Northmn